A cyclecar is a type of small, lightweight, and inexpensive car developed in Europe and North America in the early 20th century. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the car. Most cyclecars were small three- or four-wheeled vehicles made of inexpensive light materials, with low-powered engines, and usually featuring only two seats that were often in tandem.
Cyclecars experienced their strongest period of popularity in the 1910s and 1920s as a cheap, basic alternative to regular cars, which were more expensive. The cyclecar market declined into the 1920s as larger cars with more power, features, and build quality, such as the Citroën Type C, Austin 7 and Morris Cowley, became more attainable for the average consumer. Small, inexpensive vehicles reappeared after World War II, and were known as microcars.
Characteristics
Cyclecars are propelled by engines with a single cylinder or V-twin configuration (or occasionally a three or four cylinder engine), which are often air-cooled. Sometimes motorcycle engines were used, in which case the motorcycle gearbox was also used.
All cyclecars were required to have clutches and variable gears. This requirement could be fulfilled by even the simplest devices such as provision for slipping the belt on the pulley to act as a clutch, and varying of the pulley diameter to change the gear ratio. Methods such as belt drive or chain drive are used to transmit power to the drive wheel(s), often to one wheel only, so that no differential was required.
The bodies are lightweight and sometimes offer minimal weather protection or comfort features.
The rise of cyclecars was a direct result of reduced taxation both for registration and annual licences of lightweight small-engined cars. On 14 December 1912, at a meeting of the Federation Internationale des Clubs Moto Cycliste, it was formally decided that there should be an international classification of cyclecars to be accepted by the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Austria and Germany. As a result of this meeting, the following classes of cyclecars were defined: Class Max. weight Max. displacement Min. tyre section Large Small
Origins From 1898 to 1910, automobile production quickly expanded. Light cars of that era were commonly known as voiturettes. The smaller cyclecars appeared around 1910 with a sales boom shortly before the outbreak of World War I, with Temple Press launching The Cyclecar magazine on 27 November 1912 (later renamed The Light Car and Cyclecar), and the formation of the Cyclecar Club (which later evolved into British Automobile Racing Club). From 1912, the Motor Cycle show at Olympia became the Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Show.
The number of cyclecar manufacturers was less than a dozen in each of the UK and France in 1911, but by 1914, there were over 100 manufacturers in each country, as well as others in Germany, Austria and other European countries.The Light Car, C.F.Caunter. HMSO 1970 (first published 1958) By 1912, the A.C. Sociable was described as "one of the most popular cycle cars on the road, both for pleasure and for business",The Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Show, The Automotor magazine, 30 November 1912, p1448 though another source states that the "Humberette" was the most popular of cycle cars at that time.The Car and British Society, Sean O'Connell, Manchester University Press, 1998, p17 Many of the numerous makes were relatively short-lived, but several brands achieved greater longevity, including Bédélia (1910–1925), GN (1910–1923) and Morgan (1910–present).
Demise By the early 1920s, the days of the cyclecar were numbered. Mass producers, such as Ford, were able to reduce their prices to undercut those of the usually small cyclecar makers. Similar affordable cars were offered in Europe, such as the Citroën 5CV, Austin 7 or Morris Cowley. By the end of the decade, the cyclecar boom was over. The majority of cyclecar manufacturers closed down, though some companies such as Chater-Lea survived by returning to the manufacture of motorcycles.
After World War II, small economy cars were again in demand and a new set of manufacturers appeared. The cyclecar name did not reappear however, and the cars were called microcars by enthusiasts and bubble cars by the general population.
Motor racing Several motor racing events for cyclecars were run between 1913 and 1920. The first race dedicated to cyclecars was organised by the Automobile Club de France in 1913, followed by a Cyclecar GP at Le Mans in 1920. The Auto Cycle Union was to have introduced cycle car racing on the Isle of Man in September 1914, but the race was abandoned due to the onset of the war."Current Chat", The Motor Cycle magazine, 3 September 1914, p300
List of cyclecars by country
Argentina
Viglione
Austria
Austro, 1913–14 Grofri
Belgium
CAP (de:CAP) SCH
Canada
Baby Car Campagna T-Rex Dart Cycle Car Co Glen Motor Company Gramm Holden-Morgan Welker-Doerr
Czechoslovakia
Aero 500 Novo Vaja
Denmark
Dana
France
Able Ajams Ajax Alcyon Amilcar Allain et Niguet (AN) (de:Allain et Niguet) Ardex Arzac Astatic Astra Austral Auto Practique (de:Auto Pratique) Automobillette (de:Automobilette) Autorette (de:Autorette) Bédélia Benjamin (de:Benjamin) Billard (de:Billard) Blériot Aéronautique (de:Blériot Aéronautique) Benova Bollack Netter and Co (B.N.C.) Bucciali (Buc) Causan Coadou et Fleury Contal (Coudert), see Lurquin-Coudert Croissant (de:Croissant) De Sanzy D'Yrsan D'Aux (de:D’Aux) De Marçay (de:De Marçay) Derby Deschamp (de:Deschamps et Cie) Désert et de Font-Réault (de:Désert et de Font-Réault) Dorey (de:Dorey) Eclair (de:Eclair) Einaudi (de:Cyclecars Einaudi) Elfe Emeraude (de:Emeraude) G.A.M. (de:G.A.M.) G.A.R. (de:G.A.R.) Gauthier (de:Gauthier et Cie) Griffon (de:Établissements Griffon) Grouesy HP (de:H.P.) Huffit Ipsi Jack Sport Janoir Janémian JG Sport Jouvie Julien (de:Julien) La Confortable La Flèche (de:La Flèche) La Perle (de:La Perle) La Roulette La Violette (de:La Violette) Lacour (de:Lacour et Cie) Laetitia Lafitte L.B. (de:L.B.) Le Cabri Le Favori Le Méhari (de:Le Méhari) Le Roitelet Lurquin-Coudert Major (de:Cyclecars Major) Marguerite Typ A (de:Marguerite Typ A) Marr (de:Max) Max (de:Max) Molla (de:Molla et Cie) Micron (de:Automobiles Micron) Molla (de:Molla et Cie) Monitor Mourre (de:Mourre) Noël (de:Noël) Orial (de:Orial) Patri (de:Patri) Pégase (de:Pégase) Pestourie et Planchon (de:Pestourie et Planchon) Phébus (de:Cyclecars Phébus) Quo Vadis Rally Revol (de:Revol) Roll Salmson Santax Sénéchal SICAM (de:SICAM) SIMA-Violet (de:Sima-Violet) Sphinx (de:Sphinx Automobiles) Spidos (de:Sphinx Automobiles) Super (de:Super) Tholomé (de:Tholomé) Tic-Tac (de:Tic-Tac) Tom Pouce (de:Tom Pouce) Utilis (de:Utilis) Vaillant Villard Violet-Bogey (de:Violet-Bogey) Violette Viratelle (de:Viratelle) Virus Weler (de:Weler) Zénia (de:Zénia) Zévaco (de:Zévaco)
Germany
Arimofa Bootswerft Zeppelinhafen (B.Z.) (de:Bootswerft Zeppelinhafen) Cyklon Dehn (de:Fahrzeug- und Maschinenfabrik K. C. Dehn) Grade Koco Minimus Fahrzeugwerk (de:Minimus Fahrzeugwerk) Pluto Slaby-Beringer (de:Slaby-Beringer) Spinell Staiger Zaschka
Greece
Theologou
Italy
Amilcar Italiana Anzani Baroso(Officine Barosso)(de:Officine Barosso) C.I.P.(Cyclecar Italiana Petromilli)(de:Cyclecar Italiana Petromilli) Della Ferrera(Fratelli Della Ferrera)(de:Fratelli Della Ferrera) Marino Meldi(Officine Meccanica Giuseppe Meldi)(de:Officine Meccanica Giuseppe Meldi) San Giusto(S.A. San Giusto)(de:S.A. San Giusto) SIC (Società Italiana Cyclecars) (de:Società Italiana Cyclecars) Vaghi(Motovetturette Vaghi)(de:Motovetturette Vaghi)
Norway
Bjering (1918–1925)
Poland
Cyklonetka SKAF
Spain
Alvarez David Izaro JBR Salvador
Sweden
Mascot Self
Switzerland
Moser (Fritz Moser, Fabrique d’Automobiles et Motocyclettes) (de:Fritz Moser) Speidel
United Kingdom
AC (Auto Carriers Ltd) Adamson Aerocar Allwyn Alvechurch Amazon Archer Armstrong Athmac Atomette Autotrix AV Baby Blake Baker & Dale Bantam Barnard Baughan Beacon Motors Bell Black Prince Blériot-Whippet Bound Bow-V-Car BPD Bradwell Britannia Broadway Buckingham Cambro Campion Corfield & Hurle (de:C & H) Carden Carlette Carter Castle Three CFB CFL Chater-Lea Chota Coventry Premier Coventry Victor Crescent Cripps Crompton Crouch Cumbria Motors CWS Cyclar Dallison Day-Leeds Dayton Dennis Dewcar Douglas D'Ultra (D-Ultra) Duocar Dursley-Pedersen Economic Edmond Edmund Edwards EYME GB Gerald (de:Gerald Cyclecar) Gibbons Gillyard Glover GN Gnome Gordon (1912–1914) Grahame-White Guildford GWK Hampton HCE Heybourn Hill & Stanier HMC Howard Howett HP Humberette Imperial Invicta Jappic JBS Jewel Jones Kendall LAD La Rapide Lambert LEC Lecoy Lester Solus Lington LM (Little Midland) Matchless Marcus Marlborough (Anglo-French car) Mead & Deakin (Medea) Medinger(de:Medinger Cars & Engine) Menley Meteorite Cars(de:Meteorite Cars) Metro-Tyler (de:Metro-Tyler) Morgan New Hudson Nomad Cars (de:Nomad Cars) Northstar (de:North Star Works) Norma Paragon (de:Paragon) Pickering, Darley & Allday (PDA) Pearson & Cox Perry Premier Motor(PMC) (de:Premier Motor) Princess Projecta (de:Projecta) Pyramid (de:Pyramid) Ranger (de:Ranger Cyclecar) Rex Richardson (1903) Richardson (1919) Robertson Robinson & Price Rollo Royal Ruby Rene Tondeur (RTC) (de:Rene Tondeur) Rudge-Whitworth J. A. Ryley (de:J. A. Ryley) Simplic Skeoch Speedy (de:Speedy) Sterling Stoneleigh Swift Tamplin T.B. Tiny Turner Unique (de:Unique) VAL Vee Gee Victor Wall Warne Warren-Lambert Westall Wherwell Whitgift (de:Whitgift) Wilbrook Willis Winson Wooler Wrigley WSC Winter Woodrow Xtra Zendik
United States
American Argo Arrow Asheville Beisel Buick prototype built by Walter Lorenzo Marr Briggs & Stratton Flyersee Smith Flyer Bull Moose-Cutting Automobile Company Baby Moose(de:Bull Moose-Cutting Automobile Company) Burrows(1914 Ripley NY) Car-Nation Ceco(Continental Engineering Company)(de:Continental Engineering Company) Coey Comet Continental Engine Manufacturing Company(de:Continental Engine Manufacturing Company) Cycle-Car Cyclops (de:Cyclops Cyclecar) Dayton (de:Dayton Cyclecar) De La Vergne Delco De Soto (1914) Dodo Dudly Bug Economy car EIM Engler Falcon Fenton Flagler (de:Flagler Cyclecar) Geneva Greyhound Hall Hanover Hawk Hawkins Hoosier Scout IMP JPL Kearns LuLu Keller (de:Keller Cyclecar) La Vigne Limit Logan Malcolm Jones Merz Michaelson Mecca Mercury Motor Bob O-We-Go Pacific Pioneer Portland Post Prigg Puritan Real Rex Saginaw Scripps-Booth Smith Flyer Strouse, S.R.K. Storms Electric Trumbull Twombly Vixen Winthur Wizzard Woods Xenia Yankee
See also Brass Era car Gyrocar Microcar Voiturette
References
Further reading