The Peel P50 held the Guinness World Record for the smallest drivable car for over half a century. While its variant the Peel Trident is slightly larger, it still holds the record for the world’s smallest two seater. It’s probably quite uncomfortable to drive, but the interesting and unique design clearly makes up for it. There is no door and the roof has been replaced by a clear plastic dome. The whole dome, together with the front of the car, has to be tilted forward for the driver to get in and out.

With advertising lines like “saloon car comfort with scooter cost” and “almost cheaper than walking”, you can’t really expect anything significant on the technical side. Still, the 49cc engine could achieve a top speed of 61 km/h and boasted fuel efficiency figures of 100 mpg (2.8 litres per 100 km). The three-speed gearbox lacks a reverse gear, but its small size and light weight mean you could probably just lift it into and out of any type of tight parking space.

The example in the photos is chassis number E185 and will be up for auction at the RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey, California on August 18 to 19. It was built in 1965, sold new in the United Kingdom and restored few years ago before the current owner purchased it in March 2014.