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#1
03-05-2007, 11:11 AM
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Messerschmitt KR200
Brief History
The Messerschmitt KR200, or Kabinenroller, was a three-wheeled car designed by the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and produced in the factory of the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt from 1955-1964. Messerschmitt, temporarily not allowed to manufacture aircraft after WW2, had turned its sights toward the production of vehicles, much like its cousin company BMW. The most noticeable thing about the KR200 is its distinctive bubble canopy. These were usually made of transparent acrylic "Plexiglas" or "Perspex". Three-wheeled, low to the ground, and sporting two perfectly round headlights, these cars were unusual, even by the standards of microcars. The KR200 ran on a one cylinder two-stroke air-cooled motorscooter engine, which was in front of the rear wheel, just behind the passenger's seat. It had very simple controls, including a steering bar reminiscent of that of an aircraft. A cabriolet model was also made which had a roll-down hood directly replacing the Perspex dome. In addition, a "Roadster" KR 201 was made in small numbers having a small flyscreen in place of the windscreen with completely removable plastic side screens and a full convertible hood. The "Sport" model was made in very small numbers. This had a fixed (i.e. not opening) top with only a tonneau cover. Having the second seat behind, rather than beside the driver and only a single rear wheel not only reduces frontal area but allows the body to taper like an aircraft fuselage, within a practical length. Ten horsepower (7 kW) propelled it at around 65 mph (105 km/h). The consumption of the car was 87 mpg (3.2 litres per 100 km). The KR200 was small, fuel efficient, and inexpensive. In a country in the throes of the after-effects of war but with an extensive system of motorways, it was well-matched to the demands of the time. Production of the KR200 ceased in 1964 as sales had been dropping for a few years. The demand for basic economy transport in Germany had diminished as the German economy boomed. A similar situation developed in other parts of Europe such as in the Company's biggest export destination, the UK. Source: wikipedia.org 
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#2
03-05-2007, 11:13 AM
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Messerschmitt KR200 #2
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#3
03-05-2007, 11:13 AM
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Messerschmitt KR200 #3
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#5
03-05-2007, 11:51 AM
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#6
03-05-2007, 01:00 PM
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Kind of like a crunched Isetta I guess. Its actually kind of good looking I think.
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#7
03-05-2007, 01:04 PM
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I like the cabrio look, I've only ever seen hardtop ones.
__________________
How can men use sex to get what they want? Sex is what they want. - Frasier
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#8
03-05-2007, 01:57 PM
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Feels ironic that the car was exported mainly to England after Germany bombed the crap out of them.
 Either way, it's a cool concept. They idea was a good one. I like the airplane influence. Does this company still produce cars today or does it not even exist anymore? 
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#9
03-06-2007, 02:53 AM
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Where are the cowled machine guns? I'd settle for a rear-mounted MG-42...and so would Herr Shathispantz there.
__________________
"This is hardcore." - Evo's John Barker on the TVR Tuscan S
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#10
03-06-2007, 04:05 AM
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As a kid I used to covet the sporty Tiger model, a larger-engined 4-wheeler variant that IIRC did 80mph. But they were always a very rare item and the few surviving examples have long since appreciated in value far beyond my interest
My father once came seriously close to buying a little red 2nd-hand Heinkel he found lurking down the back of a used car yard. Even in those days it was a particularly obscure vehicle, only considered for purchase by naive idealogues or the brave, and the salesman was pretty desperate to shift it. I can still remember going for the test drive in it. Like an Isetta you entered from the front, but the Heinkel was a more attractive machine imo, with a nicely tapered rear. Dad ended up buying a 350cc Goggomobile 
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#11
03-06-2007, 10:29 AM
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Today the company doesn't exist anymore. In 1968 it merged with other German aircraft manufactures Bölkow and Blohm & Voss. In 1989 it was taken over by Deutsche Aerospace, which in turn has now evolved into European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company.
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