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Hoffmann (automobile)

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1951 Hoffmann
Overview
ManufacturerHoffmann
ProductionSeptember 1951
Model years1951
Body and chassis
ClassIndeterminate
Body style2-door
LayoutEngine mounted on rear wheel which steers
Powertrain
EngineAir-cooled 200 cc (12 cu in) ILO single-cylinder 2-stroke 4.8 kW (6.5 hp)
Transmission3-speed manual

The 1951 Hoffmann is a three-wheeled car created by Michael Hoffmann.[1] It is considered by some[2] to be the worst car ever made, owing to its pervasive bizarre design decisions.

Design

The car is notable for its numerous extremely unconventional and user-hostile design elements.[3] These include:

  • Windows that are raised or lowered with a strap that the user pulls, and held in place with eyelets and pegs
  • Suicide doors and driving position that make ingress and egress nearly impossible
  • A fuel filler tube which goes through the cabin of the car
  • Front wheels that are farther apart than the length of the wheelbase
  • A linear rather than H-shaped shift pattern
  • Rear-wheel steering
  • An engine located on the same pivot as the rear wheel steering mechanism, so that the engine moves with the wheel when the car is steered
  • Rearview mirrors positioned so that they are perfectly blocked by the A-pillar

References