My Best Friend Is German, And Her Name Is 1957 Spatz Victoria 200
Engineering is mostly just making something and seeing if it works or not. When the Spatz microcar came to life in the early 1950s, it was designed to be a three-wheeled compact with the suspension and engine bolted directly to the fiberglass chassis. When that proved non-viable, Spatz progenitor Egon Brütsch sold the Spatz rights to a company named Alzmetall, who called on Tatra engineer Hans Ledwinka to develop a functional four-wheeled chassis for the car. Fortunately the result was this wonderful little frog-eyed bestie, known as the Spatz Victoria 200.
Alzmetall had to change so much about Brütsch’s original design that they considered the license agreement void and didn’t pay Brütsch his fee. He took Alzmetall to court in an effort to get paid, but the German courts agreed that it was essentially a brand new car and starting from his initial design was actually a detriment to the finished product. The judge’s decision essentially determined that the original construction was “both useless and dangerous.” I don’t know about all that, but I do love this sweet little machine.
The post-WWII automotive industry in Europe produced some magnificent small cars engineered for the everyperson. These microcars weren’t fast or particularly sporty, but they were fun and endearing transportation devices that were, above all, cheap to purchase and operate. While much of the continent had recovered from the destruction of the war by the mid-1950s, and the economy was booming in the so-called Golden Age of Capitalism, many were still reliant on small fuel misers to get where they needed to go.
Spatz is the German word for the common house sparrow, an invasive species. Unfortunately for Friedrich, the Spatz car was not nearly as invasive. Just 1,588 examples of the four-wheeled joy machine were built and sold. It was mechanically quite similar to the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller 200 microcar, both making 10 horsepower and seating two or three, but to my eye the Spatz is actually quite attractive, while the Messerschmitt looks like an angry grasshopper.
This particularly gorgeous in green example is available for purchase in Italy, with a pre-auction estimate between 25,000 and 34,000 Euros. It is listed as being in number 2 condition, perfect for puttering around your estate.
I was introduced to this wonderful car by the true genius that is @midnightdorifto on Twitter. If you’re still using Twitter, give that account a follow. It’s well worth the click.
