Rare and Unique French Microcar

Coming From The Past - It can be said that cars are not much different from humans when it comes to size—some are large, while others are small and even cute. Among them are vehicles known as microcars, which are so small that they can only accommodate passengers in a tandem seating arrangement. Not only are these cars compact in size, but they also have an adorable design that makes them especially charming to look at.

The 1950 Reyonnah prototype microcar. (Picture from: MicrocarMuseum)

These cute cars, or microcars, reached their peak popularity in the late 1940s to early 1950s. During this period, several of the world’s automotive manufacturers produced variants of these charming vehicles, including the BMW Isetta, Heinkel Kabine, Messerschmitt KR175, Piaggio Vespa 400, Paul Vallée Chantecler and many others.

Have you ever heard of or seen the French-made microcar called the Reyonnah? If not, let's discuss it now. This unique microcar was originally created by Robert Hannoyer, the owner of an auto repair shop in Paris. Interestingly, the car's name, Reyonnah is simply Hannoyer’s last name spelled backward.

The 1951 Reyonnah production version microcar. (Picture from: MicrocarMuseum)

The prototype of the Reyonnah (the blue-colored car) was first showcased at the Paris Salon de l'Auto in 1950, followed by the production version in 1951 (a white-colored model). This adorable, torpedo-shaped car measures 2.9 meters in length and just 1.45 meters in width. Despite its narrow dimensions, the car’s cabin is designed similarly to a motorcycle, with the passenger seated directly behind the driver.

 

Another unique feature of the blue-colored prototype is its tub with parallelogram hinge construction, allowing it to fold downwards so the vehicle can fit into a parking space only 75 cm wide. Meanwhile, the production version (the white-colored model) featured a fixed design with a hinged convertible roof.

To make this cute car run, both the prototype and production versions are powered by a 4-stroke, single-cylinder AMC engine with a displacement of 175cc, producing around 8.5 horsepower. However, don’t expect to speed, as its top speed is only 70 kph! This rare microcar was produced in limited numbers, which makes it highly sought after by automotive collectors around the world today. *** [EKA [02122019] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MICROCAR MUSEUM ]

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