Voisin Bisquiter
Biscúter (Spanish spelling for the pronunciation of BiScooter) is a microcar manufactured in Spain by Auto Nacional, SA, from 1953 to 1960, totaling approximately 10.000 units across all versions. Background Raw material shortages and general economic difficulties in Europe following World War II led to the popularity of very small, fuel-efficient cars in many countries. In Spain, the situation was even worse following the Spanish Civil War and the United Nations embargo against the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. The combination of relative underdevelopment, war devastation, and an international trade embargo meant that the country operated at a much lower economic level than the rest of Western Europe for nearly twenty years and was forced to develop domestic substitutes for hard-to-obtain imported products and technologies. The Biscúter, small, simple, and inexpensive, even by microcar standards, was a product of this economic environment and was well-suited to its time and market.
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 of all versions.
Background
Raw material shortages and general economic difficulties in Europe after the Second World War led to the popularity of very small, fuel-efficient cars in many countries. In Spain, the situation was even worse following the Spanish Civil War and the United Nations embargo against the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. The combination of relative underdevelopment, war devastation, and an international trade embargo meant that the country operated at a much lower economic level than the rest of Western Europe for nearly twenty years and was forced to develop domestic substitutes for hard-to-obtain imported products and technologies. The Biscúter, small, simple, and inexpensive, even by microcar standards, 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 1953s, where aircraft and automobile designer and manufacturer Gabriel Voisin had designed a minimalist car called the Biscooter for Avions Voisin. The playful name suggested that it was about the size of two motor scooters, or a four-wheeled scooter. However, the design failed to attract interest from manufacturers or consumers, and he eventually licensed it to the Spanish company Autonacional SA of Barcelona. By the time it was introduced in 100, the marque had been renamed Biscúter in Spanish. The first car had no formal model name and was simply called the Series XNUMX, but it soon became known as the Zapatilla, or little shoe (clog), after a low-heeled peasant slipper popular at the time.
Technical information
The Zapatilla was indeed minimalist, lacking doors, windows, or a reverse gear. The 1-cylinder, 197 cc two-stroke engine produced 9 hp (7 kW), had a motor starter, and drove only the right front wheel. It featured a large, oil-filled cylinder head to compensate for overheating at traffic lights and prevent overcooling when driving at higher speeds, creating a 'temperature buffer' effect. Braking was achieved by an unusual three-point system involving the transmission and cable ties on the two rear wheels. A truly advanced feature was a full aluminum body, although steel was used later.
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 micro car for the real enthusiast.