Commercial Biscúter 100
The Biscúter 100 is a microcar produced by the Spanish manufacturer Autonacional, S.A. in the middle of the 20th century. Its total production is approximately 12,000 units.
The car has its origins in France, in the late 1940s, where Gabriel Voisin, aircraft designer and owner of the prestigious Voisin automobile factory, designed a minimal car called the Bi-scooter. The name implied that it was the size of two scooters or one scooter with four wheels. In France, the idea did not attract the interest of manufacturers or the public, but quite the opposite occurred in post-war Spain, and he eventually sold the license to the Spanish firm Autonacional S.A. from Barcelona. When it was introduced to the market in 1953, the car had no formal name and was simply called the '100 Series', but it soon became known as the 'Slipper', due to its sneaker-like profile. A common joke was "ugly as a Biscutter."
Technical information
The "Slipper" was really stripped down to a bare minimum, with no doors, windows, or reverse gear. The Hispano Villiers one-cylinder, 197 cc, two-stroke engine developed about 9 hp, was crank-started and had transmission to the right front wheel only. Braking was done with an unusual three-point system, which included the transmission and cables to the rear wheels. A really advanced feature was an all-aluminum body, although steel would later be used. Over time they would end up adding doors to the body, an electric start and reverse gear. The soft top was an optional equipment.