It seems to me that until recently, when the ‘less is more’ mind-set was established, that any attempt to optimise motoring efficiency is met with a certain amount of scepticism.

Take the tiny yet widely recognised SMART car for example, whose legacy will be surely be shrouded in equal amounts of love and hate, but whatever did it do wrong?

Derby, UK (Carbag.co.uk News) 10th February 2012. The Bubble Car, the Mini and (a personal all-time pet favourite of mine) the Yugo 126, are all comparable with the SMART car in one sense or another, yet it seems they were all let-off-the-hook. So, I wonder, is the world is ready for the return of the world’s smallest production car after years spent in manufacturer wilderness?

Welcome back to Peel and their P50 & Trident models, all revived by a British business team eager to see the truly mini cars back on the road. Okay, so they may not be to everybody’s liking, but I suspect your opinion could change along with my initial opinion after reading through to the close of this article.

Firstly, here’s a breakdown of the specifications on offer from Peel...

• A 49 cc two-stroke gasoline engine with 3.35 horsepower
• A choice of two 1.6 horsepower brushless electric motors with a 50 mile range
• A top speed of 15mph from 2.5 pound-feet of torque
• A 4 horsepower motor affords 50 mph with the same 50 mile range
• A total weight of just 130-198 lbs
• A starting price of around £10,000 (with a £1,500 deposit)

Now, after reading those specs, if like me you’re thinking hey, wait a minute, just who’s going to buy this thing well, you should know that over 80% of the stereotypes have already been bought and with the current worldwide focus on small cars and their efficiency, who knows, maybe Peel could produce the car of tomorrow?

Now, for my second point of proof that you love these cars (even if you don’t know it yet), we come to another love or hate subject, the BBCs Top Gear; I urge you to visit the Peel official website at to see their illustrative approach to promoting the Peel range of beneficial attributes, before reaching your conclusion. Peel appeal may not be as far-reaching as say that of the mini, but given the current climate control- crazed world of manufacture, there can be no doubt that the world’s smallest cars do indeed offer less than the average motor, but at the same time it’s only fair to admit that it could be exactly what the world needs right now.

By Anthony Standring
Journalist/ Acting Editor