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2
Handling
1
Performance
Usability
Feelgood factor
Readers' rating
2.5
By Jonny Smith
First Drives
11 October 2007 10:20
Weird yes, electric no. It's a petrol-fed, twin-cylinder featherweight city car that claims 65mpg. On paper the vital stats of the Microcar seem to make sense: low weight, low emissions, low insurance, low running costs and tepid performance. Hell, it's not even classed as a car – it's a quadricycle.
The Microcar is manufactured by the Groupe Bénéteau, a French company better known for boat building. It started building small cars when France introduced a law that states you don't need a licence to drive certain small cars. They seem to be popular in rural Spain and other places where people basically want a scooter with a roof. For Almond farmers and ambitious/stubborn families, there is a LWB four-seater version available, which is 275mm longer. Or a LWB two-seat version if you're greedy (pictured above).
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Microcar MC1 (2007) CAR review
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catherineridgeon@supanet.com says
RE: Microcar MC1 CAR review
My sister has had a Micro car to run around Estepona. She now wants to replace it with an updated one. I have been searching for her online for a left hand drive nearly new/used one and can't seem to find even a Spanish dealer's site! U.K. sites are RHD so of no help. Can anyone point me in the right direction please?
27 September 2008 09:28
Pandora says
My boyfriend bought me an MC1 for my birthday as I don´t have a full license. It was 2 years old and had 2000 kms on the clock, he paid 6000 EUR for it, in brand new condition. I live in Spain, and use it for running around town, shopping etc. During the fuel strike over here, it was one of the only cars left on the road as all the other big vehicles lay around out of fuel and abandoned! I knew for my 15.00 EUR worth of diesel, I could go on for another 400 kms! By which time the strike would likely be finished. It´s easy to park, goes like stink on the straight, (it does exceed local speed limits so you do have to watch your speed) and runs on fumes. It attracts as many stares as my boyfriends huge gas guzzler. I love it, and although I´m going to now go for my license, I will never part with it because it´s too easy to park in highly congested areas, and is so cheap to run, I don´t even think about it. It´s not too uncomfortable for running around town, and I wouldn´t go on a 200 KM trip in it for example, but for urban use, it´s MUY PERFECTO!!
06 August 2008 14:25
the-old-one says
Microcar
My thanks to Jonny Smith for his comments. As a pensioner with a motorcycle licence with the B1 group I have looked at the Microcar from afar with a thought to purchasing but no more. The group B1 with its only restriction , in the UK , of under 550 kgs gives most peculiar combination of 4 wheeled vehicles. In this group is not only the Microcar but the Brooke Cars the one with 21 BHP and the other a 170 BHP road going racing vehicle. There are also some old vehicles like some of the Citroen 2 CV which were under 550 kgs. At least the old Reliant 3 wheeler had a better engine at 40 BHP but it is sadly no more. Quite simply , why has no car maker not offered a reasonable priced car that would fill this slot as some Japanese manufactures have had models in there home range that would fit the bill ?
20 February 2008 21:17
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