Otas offered two FIAT-based sports cars–most were based on a FIAT 500, 850 or 128. While this car was more costly than FIAT’s 850 coupé, it was far more exclusive.
Panhard & Levassor was one of the oldest car manufacturers in the world. They started car production in 1891. Before WWII Panhard was well known for its large luxurious cars.
This French manufacturer built its first motorcar in 1891. In the early days of the automobile, the company led the way in French car design and motor racing. By the 1930s, Panhard had become known for its medium sized and touring cars.
The Dyna Z model debuted in 1954. Panhard had been using wind tunnel testing for years, and utilized the latest methods to develop the car’s slippery shape.
This car is a one-off prototype built by Ghia-Aigle of Lugano, Switzerland for the 1954 Geneva Auto Show. The body is hand-formed aluminum and the chassis and drivetrain are identical to the Panhard Dyna Jr found nearby.
René Panhard and Emilé Levassor built their first car in 1890, a mid-engined, back-to-back horseless carriage. The following year, they built what many consider to be the first modern car, in terms of architecture: front mounted engine, clutch mounted between the engine and gearbox, and a driven rear axle.
In 1891, Panhard built a batch of 4 identical cars, followed by series after series of increasing numbers. Although Benz and Daimler built cars earlier, they were isolated examples.
The 6 CS Panoramique sedan debuted in 1934, introducing small quarter windows to the A-pillar in order to improve outward visibility (hence the “Panoramic” name). This car would have been considered a high-end luxury car of its time.
In 2000, Martin Ogilvie designed a car for the British Hillclimb series. This series has one rule - engine size. Martin focused on making the car as light as possible (460 pounds) and took every aspect of this car to the edge.
The main business of Peel Engineering Company, located on the Isle of Man, was making fiberglass molds for motorcycle fairings and boat hulls. In 1955, the company entered the car market.
Peel Engineering holds a unique place in automotive history for producing the world's smallest car (P-50) and the world's smallest 2-seater car (the Trident). The Peel Trident was an evolution of the P-50. It was made slightly larger to accommodate two modest-size adults.
In 2010 several people joined forces and again began producing both the P-50 and Trident.They were able to use the original Peel name because the trademark had lapsed. The 2013 Trident seen here is from the new Peel Engineering Company in England.
Most people associate Peel Engineering with the building of fiberglass bike fairings and microcars. Peel also made a couple of different car models based on then-current production cars’ running gear.