There are many classic cars out there that manage to combine, iconic styles, with adrenaline pumping power and speed. However, there have been a few examples of both classic and modern cars over the years, which unfortunately have been somewhat lacking in terms of speed. Many have even garnered a reputation for being almost too slow.
So, we wanted to take a look at 5 of the absolute slowest…
Smart ForTwo CDI
It was heralded as the most economical production car in the world, and the diesel-powered, rear engine and rear wheel-drive car, can certainly boast when it comes to lowering emissions. The car emits 88g/km of CO2, which is the lowest of any other production car. However, despite its appeal to those facing the daily grind of a city commute, the car’s turbo-charged diesel engine with a semi-automatic gearbox, can only achieve 0-60 mph is around 19.8 seconds.
Fiat Qubo 1.4 Natural Power
This compact multispace car is one of the slowest in Europe. Powered by the FIRE-series petrol engine from Fiat, the car manages to churn out 76 hp, and was very much marketed to city based families. It’s estimated that the Fiat takes approximately 17.7 seconds to go from 0-60 mph.
Renault Twizy
The ultra-compact concept is classed as a two-seat electric ‘quadricycle’, and comes across as something between a car and motorcycle. Designed by Renault as an urban runaround, it originally debuted in the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009. It has a 17hb electric motor, is only 2.3 metres long, and just 1.4 metres wide. The car can manage around 45 miles between charges, and boasts an impressive initial acceleration boost, but can only achieve a maximum speed of around 40-50 mph due to the tiny engine.
Peel P50
This little microcar, holds the title of the world’s smallest and ultra-compact car. The three-wheeler was originally manufactured from 1962 to 1965 by the Peel Engineering Company, and listed as the smallest production car ever made in the 2010 Guinness World Records. Only one person can fit inside it and it only has one door, one headlight and one single windscreen wiper. Both the petrol and electric versions have very similar specs, and the top speed of both is around 28 mph.
Chevrolet CMV
Powered by a modest 796cc, 0.8-litre, 3-cylinder engine, the commercial pick-up can manage to squeeze out a maximum of 37 hp. The vehicle has been rebadged a couple of times, starting out as a Suzuki, then a Daewoo, and finally to a Chevrolet. It can go from 0-60 mph in around 27 seconds, and that’s even without having a payload.
John Dalton at the English language Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
