| With a more environmentally conscious world than | | | | Europe's war-torn nations meant that production of |
| ever before, manufacturers are continually looking for | | | | raw materials began to rise again, and within a |
| new ways to give people less car for their money. | | | | decade, consumers wanted to drive bigger cars that |
| But in the world of motoring, less can often mean | | | | reflected the growing wealth of the people. |
| more; less weight means more fuel efficiency, smaller | | | | And so a period of growth began where cars got |
| engine sizes mean lower fuel consumption, and lower | | | | bigger, bolder and brasher, leading right up to the 90s |
| fuel consumption combined with more fuel efficiency | | | | with the current, so-called "Soccer Mums" driving |
| means less money needs to be spent on fuel. | | | | massive petrol guzzling Sports Utility Vehicles |
| However, thinking small isn't a new thing; it was the | | | | (nicknamed Chelsea Tractors) in inner city areas just |
| lack of materials and fuel after WW2 that first | | | | to do the shopping and drop off the kids. This |
| prompted the development of the Bubble Car. The | | | | excessive consumption of fuel has led to a public |
| crippling shortages meant that car manufacturers had | | | | backlash, with pressure groups campaigning for the |
| to think small, and it was talented engineers - many | | | | banning of such vehicles in city centres, citing that |
| of whom had worked in the former military aircraft | | | | they produce unnecessarily high carbon emissions, |
| industry - that decided to downsize the family motor. | | | | aggravate already severe traffic conditions, heighten |
| Known as Bubble Cars due to their dome-like rounded | | | | parking problems and are purely fashion accessories |
| shape, these vehicles became a common sight on the | | | | rather than necessary modes of transport. |
| roads of Europe during the fifties and sixties. | | | | Now, however, the car industry is looking to |
| Because these cars cost less to make than larger | | | | downsize once more, and we could soon see a |
| vehicles the barrier to entry was smaller, and a | | | | revolution in micro-cars. Of course, there have always |
| number of small manufacturers enjoyed a brief | | | | been several small cars on the market - the ever |
| period of success before being squeezed out of the | | | | popular Mini being one example that is still going |
| market by the big boys of the time such as German | | | | strong, but it seems that more and more |
| engineering company Messerschmitt. | | | | manufacturers are developing smaller cars, such as |
| But the Bubble Car was more than just an | | | | the Aptera, the Tata Nano, and of course the Smart |
| automobile. It symbolized a new dawn for Europe, | | | | Car which has now been in production for over a |
| and signalled a renewed energy and prosperity for its | | | | decade. |
| people, striving to recover from the rubble of a | | | | The micro-car craze is yet to really take off in North |
| bombed-out civilisation, who needed cars but who | | | | America, where over sized engines have always been |
| couldn't rely on the savings or car credit options we | | | | the order of the day, but in Europe, drivers are |
| enjoy today, to buy one. | | | | welcoming the smaller vehicles and appreciate that |
| However, the Bubble Car boom was to be short | | | | where cars are concerned, small really is beautiful. |
| lived; rising standards of living and the rebuilding of | | | | |