The Bubble is Back: Micro cars make a comeback

With a more environmentally conscious world than ever before, manufacturers are continually looking for new ways to give people less car for their money. But in the world of motoring, less can often mean more; less weight means more fuel efficiency, smaller engine sizes mean lower fuel consumption, and lower fuel consumption combined with more fuel efficiency means less money needs to be spent on fuel.

However, thinking small isn't a new thing; it was the lack of materials and fuel after WW2 that first prompted the development of the Bubble Car. The crippling shortages meant that car manufacturers had to think small, and it was talented engineers - many of whom had worked in the former military aircraft industry - that decided to downsize the family motor. Known as Bubble Cars due to their dome-like rounded shape, these vehicles became a common sight on the roads of Europe during the fifties and sixties.

Because these cars cost less to make than larger vehicles the barrier to entry was smaller, and a number of small manufacturers enjoyed a brief period of success before being squeezed out of the market by the big boys of the time such as German engineering company Messerschmitt.

But the Bubble Car was more than just an automobile. It symbolised a new dawn for Europe, and signalled a renewed energy and prosperity for its people, striving to recover from the rubble of a bombed-out civilisation, who needed cars but who couldn't rely on the savings or car credit options we enjoy today, to buy one.

However, the Bubble Car boom was to be short lived; rising standards of living and the rebuilding of Europe's war-torn nations meant that production of raw materials began to rise again, and within a decade, consumers wanted to drive bigger cars that reflected the growing wealth of the people.

ADVERTISEMENT: