Now I’m all one for not spending money on expensive, usually
over complicated, solutions to simple problems, this though has to one of
either the best applications to cost saving for a military vehicle or,
depending on where your looking from, one of the worst!!!!
The basic premise was to produce a light weight vehicle that
would be parachuted in to an armed conflict and no doubt cause as much damage
as possible. For the British this may have been the lightweight Land Rover or
for the US a Jeep. France though had other ideas. To be fair this looks far
more terrifying!!!!!
We all know Vespa produce the most iconic scooters over their 50+ year history, but during the 1950’s they also produced a small car, the 400. Debuted as a concept in 1952, it came into production in 1954 with room for two adults and two small children, to try and compete with the Fiat 500. It was powered by a 2 stroke 400cc engine producing 14bhp. Between 1956 and when it bowed out in 1961 some 28000 were produced. It stands as the only 4 wheeled car Vespa produced, and therefore for its rarity and quaintness deserves a mention on here.
