Dave@Moon Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 In the spirit of the Peel Trident of the 1960s, meet the brand new 2012 PEEL, available now in the U.K. for $10,772. It's street legal in all of Europe. (The same, new PEEL Engineering Co. also makes a replica of the 1960s P50 models, but they are electric and not street legal. This is a fully functioning, minimum 45 mph road-going vehicle.)The PEEL, world's smallest car, now available new | Hooniverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bofusmosby Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Well, if this car hauled butt, it would take it 2 trips for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ken bogren Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Oh man....Has anyone else seen the video at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville showing their Peel Trident being driven on the streets? Watching the little Trident come up the street followed by an 18 wheeler makes the micro car aspect the Trident really stand out.These are really cool little cars, unless you are driving it in the summer heat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest my3buicks Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Well, it's obvious where they got the idea LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 It might be a good alternative to a BMW Isetta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I love the episode of "Top Gear" where 6'5" Jeremy Clarkson drives a Peel Trident into his office Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rons49 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Harley Earl would be proud...not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coley Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Think I will stay with my 1991 Yugo EV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest straight shooter Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I don't know if the $10,772 is in dollars or british pounds but either way it is a lot of money for a go cart with a fiberglass body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 There is a fellow local to me who has a restored Peel and I've had a couple of rides in it. There is no way I could drive it as the distance between the pedals and the steering wheel is less than the distance between my knees and my ankles.Sure does draw a crowd at shows. Seems to be popular with the ladies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 I don't know if the $10,772 is in dollars or british pounds but either way it is a lot of money for a go cart with a fiberglass body.It's in dollars, and last I heard there were only 9 left to be sold out of an initial production run of 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shop Rat Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Not really sure I want to drive a car the size of an apple that says PEEL on the front. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Now Dave, you mentioned in the thread about X frames being so dangerous....what have you got to say about this car????:eek:Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Now Dave, you mentioned in the thread about X frames being so dangerous....what have you got to say about this car????:eek:DonI'd say having one person point a loaded gun in their mouth does not make someone else's jumping off of the roof naked any safer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhb1999 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Does it have a mower deck under it? That's the only thing I would use it for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphicar BUYER Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 With a 49cc engine and 3 wheels (classified as a scooter), you don't need a driver's licence for it in many places here in the USA. I can see the ads... "4th DUI? Buy a PEEL!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Yeah but there are some places that you can still get a DUI while even riding a bicycle.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mochet Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Here's the Peel Engineering site: PEEL Trident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhclark Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Makes a SMART car look rather extravagant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphicar BUYER Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Yeah but there are some places that you can still get a DUI while even riding a bicycle.:eek:HUH? I didn't say you could drive it drunk, you just don't need a licence for anything under 50cc which you probably wouldn't have after a DUI or 4. ANY mode of transportation (except for manual wheelchairs) on a public street can get you a DUI. My step-sister's grandpa (at 98) got a DUI in his electric wheelchair in Imperial, Nebraska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhclark Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 My step-sister's grandpa (at 98) got a DUI in his electric wheelchair in Imperial, Nebraska.Now THAT'S living! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RU22 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Funny to see SMART cars in So Cal as a ''cult thing'' in Europe we already know Smarts are notMany diesels for sale with dead engineWe really do like small cars....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X-Frame Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 This beings to mind something someone mentioned to me and maybe you can identify? They said it was a folding car and was invented by someone by last name of either Nelson or White in Florida back in the 1980s or so. Any idea what they are talking about? If it can fold I am sure it has to be small! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) Now THAT'S living!He was on his way home from his girlfriend's. Edited January 24, 2012 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Funny to see SMART cars in So Cal as a ''cult thing'' in Europe we already know Smarts are notMany diesels for sale with dead engine.There are no Smart diesels in the U.S., only conventional gasoline models. It is widely believed by many analysts that the only reason the Smart car was ever introduced here was to help Daimler/Mercedes with their Corporate Average Fuel Economy figures. For every Smart car they sell they effectively get C.A.F.E. credits that allow another V8 sedan into the country.Lately, however, the Smart car may not be as useful in that respect as hoped. They just don't sell much here. Last month Daimler sold 710 Smart cars in the U.S., which was their best month in at least 2 years and almost twice their normal monthly average. Given that we have had record fuel prices here during that entire period, and this summer's anticipated fuel prices are even higher, that's pathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhclark Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I very much like the smart car, but it's way overpriced.When you can get a Nissan Versa for $11,000, it's hard to justify spending another $1500 to get a smaller car.I think they have a $9K value tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fossiltin62 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 It would be prohibitively expensive as I'd need one for each foot.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RU22 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Hi DaveOnly reason I mentioned the diesel is that a larger % are sitting dead than the Gasoline powered. Gasoline cars have had their problemsIf the idea was to lower C.A.F.E. numbers The diesels get better mileage than the Gas and you don't have to remove the engine to cfhange spark plugs.When in the states I drive a 1984 Mercedes 300 diesel wagon... Good mileage,30-40, and always starts/runs It has already lived longer than any Smart and cost a very small fraction of one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 If the idea was to lower C.A.F.E. numbers The diesels get better mileage than the Gas and you don't have to remove the engine to cfhange spark plugs.Not if they don't run! Small European cars (with one notable exception, guess who!) have had a frequent history of durability issues in the U.S. (bear in mind, I'm a British car guy saying that). If we don't get something from a manufacturer that has a presence here, or not get a version of something they have, it's usually one of 3 things: emissions, safety, or durability. The first 2 have already been addressed by Daimler, so it likely leaves the third. (There is possible 4th, performance, which may come into play here as well--but only from a marketing viewpoint. Cars here have to be up to the practical standard of using our interstates, even among cars used only within cities.)Given what you describe as the European experience with these diesel cars, it was probably wise of Daimler to not further sully the Smart name here with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RU22 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Most don't die on the way home from the dealer it takes a couple years:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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