World's Smallest Car Sells For $176,000 At Auction

A 1964 Peel P50 has been sold for $176,000 at RM Sotheby's Amelia Island Auction. The Peel P50 is Guinness World Record Holder of the title of 'Worlds's Smallest Production Car.'

The P50 is powered by a 49cc, fan cooled petrol engine that produced 4 hp when the car was new. Power was sent to the front wheels through a 3-speed manual transmission with no reverse gear. The top speed of the P50 microcar was 61km/h, which could come down by quite a bit depending on how large the driver was.

The boxy body of the P50 was made from fibreglass and the car featured a single headlamp up front. The engine was fitted behind the front wheel on the right and at the rear there is a small grab handle to turn the car around. The left side of the car featured the only door which opened to reveal a single seat and a large steering wheel and pedals.

It is P50's miniscule dimensions that helped it become the world's smallest car. The Peel P50 is 137 centimeters long, 99.06 centimeters wide and 100 cm tall. It has a wheelbase of 127cm and has a kerb weight of 56 kilograms.

Around 47 cars were ever put into production on the Isle of Man between 1963 and 1964 and each retailed for £199. The car that fetched the record price at the Amelia Island auction is one of the 26 remaining examples still around.