The Peel Trident is the second three-wheeled microcar built by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. An all-new design from its one-seat counterpart the Peel P50, the Trident has two seats.

History

The Trident was launched at the 1964 British Motorcycle Show held at Earls Court. The seat, stated as being 31 in (79 cm) wide, was intended to provide for use as an occasional two-seater.

A completely new design from the earlier side-engined Peel P50 microcar, the Trident was manufactured in 1965 and 1966.

In 2011, Peel Engineering Ltd. reinstated manufacture of the Peel Trident and P50, in Sutton-in-Ashfield, near Nottingham, England. All vehicles are hand-built to order in petrol and electric form.

Description and specifications

The glass-fibre shell was a monocoque with coil-sprung, undamped wheels. It featured a clear bubble top and either two seats or one seat with a detachable shopping basket.

The Lakeland Motor Museum observes that the Trident's bubble top constituted grounds for its sobriquet "The Terrestrial Flying Saucer." Like its predecessor, it was marketed as a "shopping car"[citation needed] or a "Saloon Scooter".

The car is 73 in (185 cm) long and 39 in (99 cm) wide, with a weight of 330 lb (150 kg). Like the P50, it uses a 49 cc (3.0 cu in) DKW engine which generates 4.2 hp (3.1 kW), and a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). It was advertised that the Trident got 100 miles per imperial gallon (2.8 L/100 km; 83 mpg‑US), "almost cheaper than walking". The original retail price was £190.

All engines supplied to Peel from Zweirad Union (for both the P50 and Trident) were of the 49 cc 3-speed 4.2 hp 804–1600 type. Uniquely, however, the Peel engines had the 8th digit as a 4, thus being of the form 80416004***.[citation needed] This car is one of the smallest in the world.

Gallery

  • Peel Trident next to a Peel P50
  • Rear view
  • Trident with its three-pronged Trident badge, exhibiting how the shell opened to permit entry, unlike the P50 which had a side-door

External links

  • at MicroCarMuseum.com
  • , includes photographs at their hometown in Isle of Man
  • P50CARS.com
  • Peel Owner's Club - Website for owners of original Peel Tridents and faithful replicas, a source for history, image gallery and spare parts.