Biscúter
The Biscuter was a small Spanish car. The Bubble Car was built in 1953-1960 in Sant Adrià de Besòs, near Barcelona.
Motorization in Spain in the fifties
In contrast to the more industrialized countries of Europe such as England, France or Germany, the automobile was in the Spain of the 1950s outside the big cities still a relatively rare phenomenon.
An essential part of Spanish industry was concentrated in Catalonia since time immemorial. Thus, the internationally renowned vehicles from Hispano -Suiza produced Sant Andreu de Palomar, before the factory was renamed in 1945 in Pegaso and only produced trucks.
The lack of raw materials and the economic situation after the Second World War brought in many European countries an increased demand for small cars. In Spain, however, the situation was more difficult. Together with Portugal Spain was regarded as a relic of fascism in Europe and isolated from many countries of the West and the former Soviet bloc and cut off economic aid. As Kriegsverbündeter of the Axis Powers Spain was particularly excluded from backups by the Marshall Plan. The Francoist regime found himself obliged, with limited resources to develop their own technologies at a lower level. The Biscuter was a product of this economic constraints and even when compared to other small cars small, simple and cheap.
Origin of Biscuter
The French designer Gabriel Voisin had already designed in the 1920s, a small two-seater that was powered by two originating from the scooter "Scooter" engines. However, this " Sulky " said draft did not go into production. After the war Voisin took the idea up again and presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1949 on the state of Gnôme et Rhône a model before. He called it in line with the two 60 cm3 scooter drive motors " Biscooter ". Although 1,500 orders were received for the experimental vehicle Gnôme et Rhône pulled the car model back. Meanwhile in France, the triumph of the Citroën 2CV and Renault 4CV had begun.
After the separation of business Gnôme et Rhône Gabriel Voisin sold his rights to a group of Catalan industrialist. They were convinced that the " Biscooter " the ideal vehicle was to motorize Spain. 1953 this was the company car Nacional SA Founded in Sant Adrià de Besòs. That same year, the small car at the fair in Barcelona under the name hispanisierten " Biscuter " and with the new engine Hispano Villiers of 197 cm3 was presented. The following year, production began under the official name Biscuter car Nacional Voisin. It soon got the vehicle because of its shape the nickname " slipper " ( " Zapatilla " ), and the term " ugly as a Biscuter " became a household word.
Characteristics of Biscuter
The Biscuter was originally a really reduced to the minimum vehicle without doors, windows and no reverse gear. The two-stroke engine developed with a cylinder and 197 cm3 7 kW. The engine is started with a recoil starter rope and the drive was only the right front wheel. The only advanced feature was the body made entirely of aluminum. Later steel sheet was used.
The popular Biscuter 100 was a small two-seater with a fabric top. He was 2.56 m long and 1.14 m wide. As he weighed only 200 kg, he could be parked without much trouble by lifting it. A reverse gear was the only Biscuter 1955. He reached a top speed of 75 km / h
In the following ten years, we saw the Biscuter more frequently on Spanish roads. Gradually, doors and windows were added and there arose various models, such as the four-seater van Biscuter Comercial 200 C with wooden body or presented as the last model 1957 Coupe 200 F with plastic body.
End of Biscuter
The Spanish government approved in 1950 the Italian automaker Fiat in Spain to open a branch with the name SEAT. First, even the cheapest locally produced Italian replicas were still an unaffordable luxury. With growing prosperity, however, slowly increased the production figures. Gradually entered the market, the Seat 600 1957 and the Citroën 2CV panel van 1958 demand collapsed together after Biscuter. Beginning of the 1960s ended the sale and production. Between 1953 and 1960 a total of about 12,000 Biscuter were produced. Almost all Biscuter were eventually scrapped.
The Biscuter today
Today there are an estimated 250 Biscuter. The vehicle is little known among collectors outside of Spain, although it is also present in several museums abroad.