Beschreibung
Biscúter (Spanish spelling for the pronunciation of BiScooter) is a microcar manufactured in Spain, by Auto Nacional, SA, from 1953 to 1960, totaling about 10, 000 units in all versions.
Background
Raw material shortages and general economic difficulties in Europe after World War II made very small, fuel-efficient cars popular in many countries. In Spain, after the Spanish Civil War and the United Nations embargo against the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, the situation was even worse. The combination of relative underdevelopment, war devastation and an international trade embargo meant that for nearly two decades the country operated at a much lower economic level than the rest of Western Europe and was forced to develop domestic replacements for hard-to-get imported products and technologies. Small, simple and cheap even by microcar standards, the Biscúter was a product of this economic environment and was well suited to its time and market.
Origin
The car originated in France in the late 1940s, where aircraft and car designer and manufacturer Gabriel Voisin had designed a minimal car called the Biscooter for Avions Voisin. The playful name suggested it was about the size of two motor scooters, or a four-wheeled scooter. However, the design attracted no interest from manufacturers or consumers and he eventually licensed it to the Spanish company Autonacional S. A. from Barcelona. By the time it was introduced in 1953, the brand had been renamed Biscúter in Spanish. The first car had no formal model name and was simply called the Series 100, but soon became known as the Zapatilla, or small shoe (clog), after a low-heeled peasant slipper popular at the time.
Technical information
The Zapatilla was indeed minimal, with no doors or windows or reverse gear. The 1 cylinder, 197 cc two-stroke engine produced 9 hp (7 kW), had a starter motor and only drove the right front wheel. It had a large oil-filled cylinder head to compensate for overheating at stoplights and prevent overcooling when driving at higher speeds, creating a 'temperature buffer' effect. Braking was done by an unusual three-point system with the transmission and zip ties on the two rear wheels. A truly advanced feature was an all-aluminum body, although later steel was used.
This Voisin presented here is still a completely unrestored micro car in aluminum. The engine is also original. It is a convertible and the roof is still there. A very nice microcar for the real enthusiast.
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