Skip to main content

The Peel P50 was a little-known British “microcar” which had a micro production run from 1962 through 1965. This three-wheeled one-seater weighed in at 130 pounds, making it the smallest production vehicle in the world. And yes, this car is road legal.

The P50 had one door (on the left), one seat, and one headlight. It had two tires on six-inch rims up front, but just one in the rear. It got its name from a 49 cc moped engine. Its three-speed manual gearbox didn’t include a reverse. But the car did have a handle at the back so you could just pick it up and wheel it around.

How fast can a car with three cubic-inches of displacement go? This 3.35 horsepower beast was rated for 37 mph, but reviewers found it usually tops out by 28 mph. Obviously the size of the passenger–and in the words of Jeremy Clarkson, “What they had for breakfast”–will impact performance considerably.

The upside of such a tiny car, besides being able to pick it up and wheel it around, is that it gets 83 mpg.

Side view of a red microcar parked on a country road.
1963 Peel P50 |National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Most of us first heard about the Peel P50 when Jeremy Clarkson got his hands on one in 2007 and drove it through the BBC offices. He was poking fun at the Smart Care movement, saying, “I’ve seen the future, and its from 1962.” Clarkson even drove the car through the halls, smoking up the building to attend a supposed “carbon footprint” meeting.

The stunt was all in good fun. But Clarkson grumbled that he’d never seen his staffers as excited by a car. He joked that he had shown up in a brand new Ferrari and been ignored, but the P50 got mobbed. And he was on to something. Even Clarkson didn’t guess what his bit would ignite.

The Peel P50s have since exploded in popularity as collector cars. But there’s just one problem. Peel sold 47 of the 50 it built. And only 26 of those have survived. They have such a cult following now, that in 2013 an original Peel P50 resold for $120,000. Considering it cost £299  new, that’s quite an investment.

In 2011, two businessmen went on the British equivalent of “Shark Tank” and got funding to restart Peel. They now offer continuation P50s with either moped motors or electric powertrains. But production is still as limited as it was in the 1960s.

In January 2023, an electric “continuation” Peel showed up on Bring a Trailer. The EV was assembled in 2017 and finished in the cars’ traditional red color. Instead of modern amenities, it has the charming features of the original: single windshield wiper, sliding windows, 54-inch length, and 39-inch width. The only real splurge on this example is a custom plaid fabric on its seat. And Peels have never had a speedometer. Why would you need one?

So how much did this Peel EV go for? Despite being listed with no reserve, fans bid it up to $16,750.

Next, see Japan’s one-seat micro truck, or watch Clarkson pilot the Peel P50 in the video below:

Best in Cars
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.