BK Micro Car Collection BK GROUP - Helsinki
Almost one hundred motor vehicles from 1920´s to 90´s
BK CAR COLLECTION It   all   started   with   a   bubble   car.   This   collection   grew   during   30   years   from   one   scooter to   over   50   vehicles.   The   charm   of   such   bubble   and   micro   cars   with   175   -   250   cc engines was reason for specializing. A briefing about our vehicles below. When   the   economy   improved   in   Europe   in   the   fifties,      there   became   a   growing interest   for   upgrading   from   two   wheels   to   something   covered.      German   scooter   and motorcycle   manufacturers   having   suitable   engines   and   a   faithful   clientele   where among   the   first   offering   inexpensive   solutions.      BMW   and   Heinkel      offered   bubble   cars with   3   or   4   wheels.   Goggo   known   for   scooters   offered   a   4-wheel   GOGGOMOBIL   based on   their   250   cc   engine.      VESPA   joined   in   with   a   4-wheel   micro   car   manufactured   in France.    Zundapp    and    NSU    known    for    motorcycles    and    scooters    also    started manufacturing 4-seater micro cars.  An   exception   to   the   motorcycle   manufacturing   background      was   the   MESSERSCHMITT   a 3-wheeler   created   by   the   famous   airplane   manufacturer.     This   bubble   with   2   wheels   in the   front   and   a   single   wheel   in   the   back   seating   two   'in   a   row'   was   one   of   the   kind. BMW   Isetta   is   assumingly   the   best   internationally   known   bubble   car.   The   3-wheel solutions   were   mainly   aiming   at   the   British   market   where   these   had   a   tax   benefit. There   were   several   British   made   micro   cars   as   well,   all   3-wheelers   none   of   which originating from motorcycle manufacturers. France,   Great   Britain   and   Italy   never   really   had   any   larger   number   of   micro   cars. They had   their   own   inexpensive   small   cars   seating   4.   Best   known   would   be   FIAT   TOPOLINO, starting   from   1936.   RENAULT   4   CV   and   CITROEN   2   CV   from   France   as   well   as   AUSTIN and MORRIS from Britain. The   German   market,   stepping   up   with   the   improving   economy   in   the   sixties,   offering     also inexpensive 'real cars' such as OPEL KADETT and FORD TAUNUS 12 M. The   collection   has   also   in   addition   to   the   above   a   representation   from   the   sixties   of the   growing   Eastern   European   manufacturing.   All   inexpensive   low   quality   vehicles. East   Germany   with   IFA      F8   and   F9,   later   followed   by   ZWICKAU   and   TRABI.   The   SOVJET UNION made MOSKVITSH. Czechoslovakia  with SKODA. ALL   THE   ABOVE   ARE    COMMON,    INEXPENSIVE    CARS    NOT    USUALLY    REPRESENTED    IN COLLECTIONS. THIS COLLECTION IS HOUSED IN HELSINKI, FINLAND. BK GROUP, HELSINKI
Photos mainly by Matti Kreivilä. Historical facts and technical details of the vehicles provided by Wikipedia. Movies YouTube.