Here’s how the smallest production car in the world is manufactured {Peel P50}

The Verge ^ | 6 July 2016 | Andrew Liptak

[Cronos]

Share on Facebook (289) Tweet Share (2) Pin (2) Originally manufactured in the 1960s, the Peel P50 has appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's smallest production car. Recently, the Science Channel’s program How It’s Made went behind the scenes to learn how the car is manufactured.

Cars are built nowadays in highly sophisticated factories, utilizing robots and computers to turn the raw components into the finished product. For the smallest car in the world? It turns out that its assembly is a bit more low-tech, and probably hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years.

This car’s assembly is as charming as its presence: it’s built with molded fiberglass and assembly that’s described by the company as "lovingly hand build in Great Britain." (Remember that time Jeremy Clarkson squeezed into one of these?)

While I was watching this, I was reminded a bit of the coin operated rides that you see at shopping malls or supermarkets. Want a P50 of your own? Turns out they’re still on sale, starting at $21,530.

[Cronos]

Want one?

[sparklite2]

Do I want one? For over twenty thousand dollars?
Good god no.

[JoeProBono]

[fella]

Wonder how they do in the crash tests?

[ecomcon]

They crash just fine.

[Blennos]

No.

[wbill]

Not so much a "Crash Test" per se, as scraping it off the sole of your shoe.

Perhaps a "Crush Test"?

[FlingWingFlyer]

Wouldn’t walking be a little more comfortable?

[WhatNot]

Who gets squashed if a bug hits the windshield?

[fella]

The mental images are kind of weird. A cross of Benny Hill, Mr. Bean and Fast and Furious.

[DoughtyOne]

Now that’s funny...

[GreenHornet]

Want a P50 of your own? Turns out they’re still on sale, starting at $21,530.

Gee, why would I want a reasonably comfortable compact or sub-compact car that seats four, has an adequate trunk, and is safe enough to drive on the interstate, when I can buy one of these for the same price?

[Fresh Wind]

Want one?

I think I'd rather have the WRX in the background.

[COBOL2Java]

On the plus side, it fits quite nicely in an elevator

[COBOL2Java]

Hillary gets elected and in a few years regulations will make our roads look like this

---

(except for those parked cars - they're owned by our rulers)

[freedomlover]

Older brother?

[goldstategop]

For the sum, I’d buy a BMW Mini Cooper.

Cute, lot more practical and plain fun!

You know, the one in the movie remake of the “Italian Job.”

[smokingfrog]

Not going to get too many dates with that car.

[bigbob]

Peel. Car.

[varyouga]

Looks like you’d have to chain it down so it doesn’t get stolen