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The Louvet is a three-passenger, one-door, dual-pedaled, 2 x 5-speed car—meaning both driver and front passenger have their own pedal cranks that operate on separate 5-speed selectors. It was discovered in a remarkable set of French photographs from 1935. The reproduction seen here has been skillfully crafted with the same unrivaled attention to detail as […]

The origins of Germany’s Lloyd go back to 1906. Norddeutsche Automobil und Motoren GmbH (North German Automobile and Engines) was a German automobile manufacturer, created and owned by shipping company, Norddeutsche Lloyd. In 1906 it signed an agreement to build Kriéger-type electric vehicles which were sold under the name Lloyd. In 1908, automobile engineer Joseph

Little is known about French inventor Hippolyte Delimal. But in 1936 he attempted to create the world’s smallest car, which reached a speed of 24 mph and touted fuel economy of 118 mpg. He affectionately named it Le Carabe, or the “Ground Beetle”. His vision and enthusiasm could be seen in a completely intact, hand-written,

Paul Kleinschnittger was a tinkerer who had emigrated to Germany from Russia in the 1930s. His concept for an inexpensive mode of transportation more practical than a motorcycle, yet offering comparable efficiency, was put on hold during the Second World War. Afterward, he set about making a proper prototype, but resources were scarce. He reverted

In the early 1920’s, Gaston Daix, a highly-skilled piano maker with a factory in Pessac, near Bordeaux in the south of France, made this unusual ark-like pedal car with a craftsmanship that embodies the timelessness of an elegant musical instrument. The Daix Manufacturer of Pianos began in 1926 and operated until 1963. Handcrafting a piano

As a lieutenant in the Army Air Forces, Texas native Don Surles had an innovative idea. It stemmed from his thoughts on why someone hadn’t designed a more practical door. He imagined a door, “that would open without hitting the curb or another parked car. A door you could leave open as you backed out

By 1980, the Bagheera had been replaced by Project M551, or the Murena. It was designed by Greek stylist Antonis Volanis, who also worked on both the M530 and the Bagheera. He took the best elements from the Bagheera and built upon them. The Murena had the familiar hatchback style and mid-engine as the Bagheera,

The first production model Volvo was completed in 1927. Volvo car and truck production continued throughout WWII on a limited basis due to material shortages and isolation from foreign suppliers. By 1949, with the production of the Volvo PV444, Volvo was producing more cars than trucks. In 1966, the Volvo 142 which you see here