The Smallest Car in the World: The Peel P50

Kind: captions

Language: en

Oh my God! Yeah, that happened! I flipped my first car, and everything after this was written before I did that. This is the smallest and probably most terrifying car in the world. Not only that, it's one of the most expensive cars in the world per pound. So why does it exist? What is it for?

All right, let's take a look at this little beast. The Peel P50 was debuted at the 1962 Earls Court Motorcycle Show in England and originally sold for 199 British pounds, which translates to about $5,000 U.S. dollars today. But, it didn't sell that well – no more than 50 of the cars were made, and only 27 are known to exist today.

The Peel P50 has a 49cc single overhead camshaft scooter engine in it, which is still too much output for its small size. The output is 3.5 horsepower and two whole pound feet of torque. And if you're not impressed yet, buckle up – the top speed of this car is 28 miles per hour.

But what really makes this car special? Well, it's small enough to fit one person and a bag inside. But, be careful – this single seat is literally patio furniture and doesn't give you any sense of safety when you roll it over.

The interior is not exactly spacious either. I'm honestly feeling kind of claustrophobic. It's like a tiny tractor. There's not really much to talk about in this interior. But, there is a little tinny speedometer right here that goes up to 160 kilometers per hour. Even though this car only goes 45 kilometers per hour.

Despite everything, this is still my favorite part of the episode. Let's start this little up – my foot! (laughing) It still sounds pretty sick. It's still a car and I still like it. Even though it feels like I'm driving a busthat is too small for one man.

But here's the thing – this car that tried to kill me isn't even actually a real P50, it's a replica. Peel Engineering was resurrected in 2010 with new body types, models, and updated engines. The base model P50 is available for around $10,000, and it comes with a 49cc engine and different color options and custom liveries.

There are also other trim levels of the P50 available, including an all-electric version. And if this isn't enough of a deathtrap, you can get the 125GT, the hot rod of the Peel world. The GT Spider is Peel's flagship model, and it costs over $22,000 by weight – that means you're paying $95 per pound for a convertible version of this car.

Put that into perspective: a brand new 600 horsepower Lamborghini Urus costs $41 per pound, and it won't flip and hurt your arm. The Peel P50 definitely isn't a value play. It definitely isn't safe, either. But it's cute and it's unique and it can fit a surprisingly tall human in it.

You can even buy one without an engine, so you can do the motorswap of your dreams. Just in case having a three-wheeled super dangerous but really slow and goofy-looking baby magnet isn't enough for you. This thing is enough for me.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(gasping)- Oh my God.- Yeah, that happened.I flipped my first car.And everything after this was writtenbefore I did that.This is the smallest and probablymost terrifying car in the world.Not only that, it's one of the mostexpensive cars in the world per pound.So why does it exist?What is it for?All of those questions and morewill be answered shortly.So, grab that glassesthing that jewelers useto see tiny things, 'cause it's timeto go single front headlightto single rear tire,bumper to bumper on apparentlya very flippable car,I'm a little shook. (laughs)It might be a weird energy on this one.On the Peel P50.(rock music)- Thanks to Curiosity Streamfor sponsoring this episode.If you don't know, CuriosityStreamis a new service withthousands of documentaries,exclusive originals, andnon-fiction titles availableat your desire.The best part is, it's only 2.99 a month!That's less than I've spentat RedBox every night,renting movies in aconvenience store parking lot.I don't even have to leavemy freaking house anymore.CuriosityStream is availableon almost every platform.And I'm a generous guy, so for you,our beloved audience,the first 30 days are completely free,if you sign up atcuriositystream.com/bumper2bumperand use the promo code Bumper2Bumperduring the sign up process.Get your education on and thank me later.(upbeat electronic music)- We've had a ton ofunique cars on this show.Cars that I would love to own and drive.Cars that I fit in,cars that I don't flip.But this is the smallestand most flippable one we've ever had.This P50 is, in fact, the smallestproduction car in the world.How do I know that?Because the freaking GuinnessBook of World Records says so.(upbeat electronic music)- It's only 54 inches long.To put that into perspective,the two door Mini Cooper,one of the smallest carsyou can buy in the U.S.,is 151 inches long.That's almost threetimes this car's length.And what is truly cuckoo bananasabout the P50 is it'sstreet legal in the U.S.Would I wanna drive it on the streets?No.Betwixt all those hugetrucks and SUVs, no!So, you're probably sitting on the toilet,like most of you guys who watch our videosare doing, and wondering:Who made this car?Why did they make it?And how the (beep) did this come to be?Max can you just role the footageof this car trying to kill me again?(train horn)(crashing sound)(gasping)- Oh my god.- The year was 1960.A bloke named Cyril Cannell had an idea.Cyril lived in a small town called Peelon an island sandwiched between Englandand Ireland, the island of Man.AKA the Isle of Man.Maybe you've heard of this island.It's famous for it's three-legged flag,being the birth place of the Bee Gees,and for hosting one ofthe most notoriouslyterrifying motorcycle races of all time.(engine roaring)- Mother!- Oh my gosh!- Now, the Isle of Man TTor Tourist Trophy hasbeen going on since 1907.Racers navigate 30 milesof treacherous roadsat speeds of up to 130 miles an hour.There have been over 250 deathssince the TT started on the Isle of Man.In 1970 alone, a record sixracers lost their lives.You have to be seriously twistedto race in that motorcycle race.- And, oh my!Whoa!- Whoa!- The roads on the Isle of Manare narrow and curvy, less than idealfor anything wider than a bicycle.It was for this reason that Cyril Cannellwanted to design a microcarthat would make sense for commutingon these windy island roads.He worked at Peel Engineering.A small company that madefiberglass boat hullsand motorcycle bodies.So, it made senseto make the body of the carout of fiberglass, as well.With the help of a co-worker,Cyril began designinghis dream island car.(upbeat tech music)The whole thing weighs only 230 pounds.Here is a list of dogs that weigh morethan this deathtrap of a car.(dog barking)Newfoundland, St. Bernard,English Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff,Clifford.(upbeat music)The front is bare bones.There's tiny bumpers that, honestly,wouldn't protect you from anything.Also, this tiny windscreenhas one tiny wiper on itfor optimum cuteness.Right under the tiny headlightis the tiny gas cap, whereyou put a teacup worthof gas in, which bringsme to my next point.This base level P50 has a49cc single overhead camscooter engine in it,which is still too much.Output is 3.5 horsepower andtwo whole pound feet of torque.If you're not impressed yet, buckle up.The P50 has a top speedof 28 miles per hour,but it only takes two to flip youand make you scared.Max, play it again.(electronic whoosh)(explosion)(gasping)Peel debuted the P50at the 1962 Earls CourtMotorcycle Show in England.They originally soldfor 199 British pounds,which translates to about5,000 U.S. dollars today.But, it didn't sell that well.I wonder why?No more than 50 of the cars were madeand only 27 are known to exist today.Peel designed a few other microcars,like the two passenger Tridentand one called the Vikingthat was based off of a Mini.But, ultimately, none ofthem could save the businessand Peel Engineering hadto shut her doors in 1974.Now, it's time for meto get back in the car.(thunder)(heavy breathing)(creaking)This single seat isliterally patio furnitureand doesn't give you any sense of safetywhen you roll it over.P50 was advertised to be big enoughfor one person and one bag.I'm not sure how big peopleare on the Isle of Man,but I bet about 30% of Americanswouldn't be able to fit in this.There's not really much totalk about in this interior.I'm honestly feelingkind of claustrophobic.It's like a tiny tractor.It's sort of triggering my PTSD.There's a little tinyspeedometer right herethat goes up to 160 kilometers per hour.Even though this car onlygoes 45 kilometers per hour.There's a window right here that's likerace car-y for ventilation, I guess.Despite everything, thisis still my favorite partof the episode.Let's start this little (beep) up.My foot!(laughing)(mechanical whirring)(engine revving)It still sounds pretty sick.It's still a car and I still like it.Even though it feelslike I'm driving a busthat is too small for one man.(upbeat tech music)This car that tried to kill meisn't even actually areal P50, it's a replica.Peel Engineering was resurrected in 2010with new body types,models, and updated engines.This base model P50 isavailable for around $10,000.With it, you get the 49cc engineand a bunch of different color optionsand custom liveries.Other trim levels of the P50 includean all-electric version,and if this isn't enough of a deathtrap,you can get the 125GT, thehot rod of the Peel world.The GT Spider is Peel's flagship modeland it cost over $22,000 by weight.That means, you are paying $95 a poundfor a convertible version of this car.Put that into perspective.A brand new 600 horsepowerLamborghini Uruscost $41 a pound, and itwon't flip and hurt your arm.(upbeat tech music)P50 definitely isn't a value play.It definitely isn't safe, either.But it's cute and it's uniqueand it can fit a surprisinglytall human in it.You can even buy one without an engine,so you can do the motorswap of your dreams.Just in case having a three-wheeledsuper dangerous, but really slow,and goofy-looking babemagnet isn't enough for you.This thing's enough for me.Literally, scariest car I've ever driven.Max, play it again.(screaming)(explosion)- Go, go, go, go, go.(upbeat tech music)(beep)- I just want to give a big shout outto Galpin for always beinga great partner for Donut.They've hooked us up amillion times in the past,and they were nice enough to let us drivetheir P50 for this episodeand they weren't eventhat mad when I flipped it.- Yeah.(gasping)- Oh my god.