The German scooter-car that made a SmartCar look like a tank

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In 1952, German aircraft engineer Fritz Fend presented a design for a Kabinenroller, or Cabin Scooter, to the Messerschmitt aircraft corporation, which had been prohibited from manufacturing aircrafts after World War II and was seeking other vehicles to produce.

Three years later, the three-wheeled Messerschmitt KR200 was released to  immediate success; 12,000 were built in the first year alone. 

The KR200 with its tandem seating, 56 MPH top speed and hinged bubble canopy, was an affordable and attractive step up from a typical scooter

A KR201 Roadster model was also produced. It featured a convertible cloth top and removable side curtains. Read more...