Small Cars, Big Joy: 19 Adorable Vintage Microcars With One Fun Fact For Each

5. Heinkel Kabine – From Microcar to Airbus: The Unlikely Journey of Heinkel

Country of Origin: Germany

Designer: Ernst Heinkel

Production Years: 1956-1958

Units Produced: 6,000

Length: 100.4 inches (2.55 meters) 

Top speed: 54 mph (87 km/h)

Power output: 9.1 hp (6.8 kW)

The Heinkel Kabine was a German microcar produced by aircraft manufacturer Heinkel Flugzeugwerke with an aim to develop a small and efficient car that could be affordable for the masses.

The car had an unusual bubble-like shape, with a single door on the front, a fabric sunroof designed as an emergency exit and a small engine at the back.

It had seating for two passengers, with a small luggage compartment behind the seats.

Besides Germany, companies from Ireland, England and Argentina produced Heinkel Kabine micro bubble cars under license. Kabine means cabin in German.

Fun Fact: Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was the most crucial German aircraft producer during WWII. It produced the world’s first turbojet and the first rocket aircraft.

Following its support of the Nazi regime, the Allies prohibited the aerospace company from manufacturing aircraft after the war. The company then aimed to replicate Messerschmitt’s success by developing its own microcars.

Production run took only two years because Heinkel stopped working on microcars after the restrictions were lifted. 

Over the years, after several acquisitions, the company became a part of Airbus.