Microcar

Microcar
legal form
founding	1980
resolution	2008
Reason for dissolution	Sale to Automobiles Ligier
Seat	Les Herbiers , France
Number of employees	155 (2008)
sales	EUR 61 million (2007)
Branch	Automobile manufacturer
Website	www.microcar.fr

Microcar is a formerly independent French automobile manufacturer specializing in the production of light vehicles without a license . In 2008, Microcar was bought by Ligier , which continues Microcar as its own brand.

Company history

The boat manufacturer Constructions Nautiques Jeanneau from Les Herbiers began producing light vehicles in 1980 . The company has belonged to the Bénéteau group since the purchase of Jeanneau in 1996 ; in April 2008 the company was sold to the competitor Ligier.

vehicles

The range of types consists of the MC 1 (2.80 m long) for two people and the MC 2 (3.10 m long) for four people or more luggage. Both vehicles are 1.49 m wide and 1.42 m high, have front-wheel drive and a fully automatic transmission.

As light vehicles, they are equipped with diesel engines. One option is an engine of Lombardini 505 cc engine capacity and an engine from Yanmar with 523 cc displacement. The motors provide 4 kW. The Yanmar engine has a higher consumption, but also a higher torque. The maximum speed is given as 45 km / h. The MC 2 can also be a four-stroke - gasoline engine are equipped with 505 cc engine and 15 kW Lombardini, but then is not among the light motor vehicles, but subject to the provisions for normal cars with the license Class B. With this engine, the maximum speed is 115 km /H.

As a light motor vehicle, the microcar can be driven in Germany with a class AM driving license . The old moped classes 4 and 5 from before 1989 can be converted to class AM at the driving license offices .

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  MC2

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  MC2 rear

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  Virgo

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  Virgo Heck

literature

• Harald H. Linz, Halwart Schrader : The International Automobile Encyclopedia . United Soft Media Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-8032-9876-8 .
• George Nick Georgano (Editor-in-Chief): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 2: G – O. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 . (English)

Web links

Commons : Microcar  - Collection of Images

• Company website (French, accessed April 6, 2013)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Voitures sans permis: Bénéteau cède Microcar à Ligier. Ouestfrance, April 1, 2008, accessed October 26, 2016 (French). 
2. ↑ Harald H. Linz, Halwart Schrader : The International Automobile Encyclopedia . United Soft Media Verlag, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-8032-9876-8 .
3. ^ Georgano: The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile.