A postwar oddity of German engineering
The interruption in automobile production during the Second World War caused a postwar car shortage, particularly in Germany, where most plants were badly damaged by bombs. Out of necessity, Germany spawned odd little vehicles called bubble cars, from companies such as BMW, Heinkel and Messerschmitt.
The advantage of these microcars over motorcycles or scooters was that despite their odd appearance and limited performance, they at least offered weather protection.
One of the most interesting was from Messerschmitt. The company had been founded in Bamberg, Germany, in 1923 by Willy Messerschmitt to build light airplanes. By 1926, it had expanded into transport planes.
During the Second World War, Messerschmitt produced over 30,000 Bf-109 fighters, said to be the most of one military aircraft type. Its Me-262 was the world’s first swept-wing combat plane.
After the war, Germany was prohibited from building airplanes. Much of the Messerschmitt plant had been destroyed anyway, but it was gradually restored and by 1950 was making sewing machines and auto parts.
In 1952, Messerschmitt was approached by aeronautical engineer Fritz Fend with a vehicle he developed, a small, open, threewheeled conveyance for use by disabled people. Originally propelled by pumping the handlebars back and forth, it was later fitted with a small gasoline engine.
The little machine became popular, and Fend decided to reverse the design, placing two wheels in front and one at the rear, a more practical configuration. He enclosed it in a light aluminum body, and the “Fend Flitzer” was born.
Although still intended for the disabled, Fend was surprised when people started buying them as family vehicles. He realized its potential, but knew he needed help producing the number he was sure would sell.
He approached Messerschmitt management, who were anxious to diversify but still not allowed to make airplanes. Since they were already building Italian Vespa motor scooters under licence, Fend’s Flitzer seemed like a good addition.
Fend designed a larger version called the Kabinenroller (scooter with cabin), resembling a light plane cabin mounted on three wheels. The driver sat in front with the passenger behind. Entry was by tilting the plexiglass canopy hinged at the right beltline. To facilitate entry, the front seat rose up and back on a parallelogram-shaped articulating frame.
The one-cylinder, two-stroke, 173-cc, air-cooled, nine-horsepower rear engine drove the single rear wheel through a fourspeed motorcycle transmission (no reverse) and chain. Suspension was rubber in torsion.
Controls were minimal: ultraquick steering handlebars and a single lever operating clutch and gear shifter. A foot pedal activated the mechanical brakes, and there was a motorcycle-type twist throttle. All required a deft touch.
The Messerschmitt Kabinenroller KR 175 (for its 173-cc engine) arrived in 1953 and proved quite popular. It was 1,219 millimetres high, 2,819 mm long, had a 2,029-mm wheelbase and weighed 218 kilograms. Top speed was about 80 km/h, with fuel economy up to 3.5 L/100 km.
In 1955, Messerschmitt replaced the KR 175 with the KR 200 with more amenities and larger 191-cc, 10.2-horsepower engine. Clutch and accelerator pedals were added, and it got a reverse — in fact, four reverses.
Because a two-stroke engine’s crankshaft can rotate in either direction, Fend installed a switch in the starter that spun the engine backwards, causing it to start and run backwards. Thus, there were four reverse speeds, and it was as fast in reverse as driving forward. Some intrepid types even raced them in reverse.
Acceptance of the KR 200 was excellent, with almost 12,000 firstyear sales. To prove its stability and durability, a slightly modified KR 200 was driven continuously for 24 hours on Germany’s Hockenheim race course. It broke 22 international records in the under-250 cc class, including a 24-hour average of 103 km/h.
In 1956, Messerschmitt was allowed to resume aircraft building and lost interest in the Kabinenroller. Fend organized Fahrzeug-und Maschinenbau GmbH, Regenberg (FMR) and continued production, with convertible and sports roadsters joining the bubble-top. In 1958, in spite of waning bubble-car interest and strong competition from the side-by-side seating BMW Isetta and Heinkel Kabine, FMR introduced the new Tg 500, known as the Tiger.
The Tg 500 looked like a KR 200 with four wheels, but was more than that. Its two-stroke, aircooled, 493-cc inline two-cylinder 19.5-horsepower engine raised top speed to about 122 km/h. It got hydraulic brakes, and weighed 385 kg.
By this time, bubble cars were being replaced by “real cars” like British Motor Corp.’s Mini and Fiat’s 600. Tg 500 production stopped in 1961 and the KR 200 in 1962. About 10,000 KR 175s and 40,000 KR 200s were built, plus a few hundred Tg 500s.