Currently reading: Peel microcars to make comeback

Limited production run of 50 units announced following appearance on Dragons' Den

Peel Engineering is making a comeback 45 years after its last car rolled off the production line.

The company, credited with making the smallest car ever to go into production, is now owned by two entrepreneurs who went on BBC programme Dragon’s Den with the idea of reviving the brand's P50 and Trident models. Their pitch impressed dragon James Caan who invested £80,000 in return for a third of the company and one of each car.

Gary Hillman and Faizal Khan are now planning a limited production run of 50 cars based on the original P50 and bubble-roofed Trident designs, but with an electric motor.

Only 50 were actually ever made of the original Manx-built three-wheelers, which measured a tiny 1.3m long by 1m wide. They were originally budget cars selling for £199 in 1962, but the new cars will retail at £12,499.

The company is also planning to generate extra income by selling a range of products capitalising on the brand name. “Plenty of people will want to own a piece of history,” said Caan. "The brand is ideally placed to expand into a larger product range.”

Alan Riddoch

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5w30 30 August 2010

Re: Peel microcars to make comeback

id have one but purely for fun, still no matter how much u earn i still feel 12 grand is a bit steep unless it really is on the forefront of technology(in a company valued at quarter of a mil i doubt it). Still cant help the thought of sitting at the lights with a range rover coming up behind you, with you wondering if he has seen you or not...

5w30 30 August 2010

Re: Peel microcars to make comeback

id have one but purely for fun, still no matter how much u earn i still feel 12 grand is a bit steep unless it really is on the forefront of technology. Still cant help the thought of sitting at the lights with a range rover coming up behind you, with you wondering if he has seen you or not...

Leslie Brook 27 August 2010

Re: Peel microcars to make comeback

Mini1 wrote:
It's just a bit of fun!
Not with an electric motor, give it a modern clean petrol engine and maybe it'll be fun. Oh and I am aware of the timelines, when referring to the C5 I wasn't implying they were of the same era, but had similar success potential.