The Big Book of Tiny Cars: A Century of Diminutive Automotive Oddities

(Hardback)

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Description

Richly illustrated and entertainingly written, The Big Book of Tiny Cars presents lively profiles of the automotive worlds most famous-and infamous-microcars and subcompacts from 1901 to today. From tiny homes to little lending libraries and even tiny food, people everywhere are resetting the premium they put on size. Fact is, the automotive industry has a "tiny" history going back to the cars earliest days.

Beginning with the Curved Dash Oldsmobile and continuing through prewar classics such as the Austin Seven and Hanomag Kommissbrot, The Big Book of Tiny Cars is truly international in scope. Witness diminutive cars like the Bond Minicar and the BMWIsetta introduced to fuel-deprived postwar Europe, and continue through the classic 1950s microcars and 70s subcompacts, right up to today's tiny cars and electric vehicles (EVs) fromthe likes of Smart and Fiat. In addition to iconic curiosities like the frog-like Goggomobil Dart, the futuristic Sebring Vanguard Citicar, and the three-wheeled Reliant Robin, youll read about more familiar classics like the VW Beetle, MiniCooper, and Crosley Super Sport. Other manufacturers represented include Honda, Datsun, Mitsubishi, Trabant, Heinkel, Renault, and Messerschmitt, to name a few.

- Each car is profiled with an entertaining and informative history and a fact box.
- Imagery includes archival photos, period ads, and modern photography.
- In all, more than 100 cars are included, from the weird to the sublime.

Gas, diesel, or electric...tiny cars have a rich and curious heritage reflective of motorists concerns for their pocketbook, the environment, or both. The Big Book of Tiny Cars is your ultimate collection of microcars, minicars, bubble cars, kei cars, subcompacts, and compacts that have been built, sold, and driven all over the globe for 120 years.

Reviews

As the book beautifully explicates and illustrates, automotive history is literally littered with littleness. This big book covers it all.

* CarandDriver.com *
"Whether you are a collector of theseTiny Carsor merely curious, seeking to learn more, this book offers much to enjoy." -- Helen V Hutchings * Speedreaders.info *

Author Bio

Russell Hayes divides his time between writing (mostly on classic car and consumer subjects) and TV production (he has worked on Top Gear and Driven). He lives in London, England.