# Little three-wheeled car **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 14, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598 "2005-09-14T14:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/1 "2005-09-14T14:37:11Z")
I just saw the oddest car on the road today. It was very small, like it would only seat one, and I’m pretty sure it had two wheels in front and one in back. It definitely looked like it was newly-manufactured, not an antique, and it wasn’t very aerodynamic looking. It sort of looked like a lump with wheels. I guess the best description would be like a Beetle sliced in half lengthwise. Anyone have any idea what this was? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/2 "2005-09-14T14:40:33Z")
Could it have been a [messerschmitt](http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_messerschmitt.htm)? ---
**Author:** ![d1a1s1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@d1a1s1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d1a1s1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/3 "2005-09-14T14:43:04Z")
Is it any of these? [http://www.ccpc.net/~jaho/on3wheel.html](http://www.ccpc.net/~jaho/on3wheel.html) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/4 "2005-09-14T14:43:38Z")
The “not very aerodynamic looking” comment is throwing me off - otherwise I’d guess it was a [Corbin Sparrow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corbin_Sparrow). Perhaps a [BMW Isetta](http://www.cqql.net/bmw.htm)? ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/5 "2005-09-14T14:44:31Z")
- - - The BMW Isetta is another one, the “Erkel car”. [http://images.google.com/images?q=bmw%20isetta&num=30&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wi](http://images.google.com/images?q=bmw%20isetta&num=30&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wi) ~ ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/6 "2005-09-14T14:53:36Z")
I think **scr** nailed it with that Corbin Sparrow. Though I don’t quite understand your (scr’s) comment that my “not very aerodynamic” bit threw you off that. The Sparrow (now that I have a closer look) looks like a nose. I’m no aeronautical engineer, but I tend to think of aerodynamic as something like the Tri-Magnum, Fire-Areo or Badsey Bullet from **d1a1s1** ’s link. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/7 "2005-09-14T14:55:23Z")
A [Reliable Robin](http://www.irkutsk.com/home/london2002/1231_reliable_robin.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![leandroc76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@leandroc76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leandroc76)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/8 "2005-09-14T15:10:49Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Perhaps a [BMW Isetta](http://www.cqql.net/bmw.htm)? I wonder if people remember this car showing up on several episodes of “Family Matter’s”. Steve Urkel used to drive one on the set. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/9 "2005-09-14T15:30:52Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > The Sparrow (now that I have a closer look) looks like a nose. I’m no aeronautical engineer, but I tend to think of aerodynamic as something like the Tri-Magnum, Fire-Areo or Badsey Bullet from **d1a1s1** ’s link. IANAAE either, but the Sparrow looks very aerodynamic to me. It has a smooth rounded nose and a tapered tail, and no major components sticking out from the smooth body. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-three-wheeled-car/321598/10 "2005-09-14T16:19:11Z")
Morgan is another marque that produced three-wheelers (until the early 1950s). Here’s a [link](http://www.mog.org/threewheelers/).