image via microcars.ch
(first posted 1/17/2015) In an e-mail exchange with my older sister this morning about microcars we used to see in Innsbruck back in the 50s, she brought up the Libelle. Yes; the Libelle! Long dormant memories of the odd little dragonfly-shaped microcar suddenly popped back to the surface again. I remember seeing one regularly that was often parked near the marketplace by the Inn. And when I Googled it, I was quite surprised to learn that the Libelle was built in Innsbruck. And that out of some 50 that were ever built, only one still survives. This subject may be a bit obscure to many of you, but I need to pay a bit of homage to Innsbruck’s only hometown car, even if it is a bit modest.
image via microcar.org
The Libelle (Dragonfly, in German) comes by its name quite honestly, what with its long tail, bulging head and green color. The tail hides its Austrian 199cc Rotax two-stroke air-cooled single cylinder engine that made 8.5 hp, and drove the single rear wheel through a four speed transmission.
image via microcar.org
This one, the only Libelle left, has made appearances at some microcar shows in Austria and Switzerland, but I rather suspect it wasn’t driven to them. Here’s an article (in German) about one of those meets, with pictures of other microcars of the times.
My sister reminded me that whenever we saw a microcar, we used the expression goggoisebelle, an amalgamation of the Goggomobil, Isetta, and Isabelle. We’ve covered the Goggo here, and the Isetta here, so we’ve now made the microcar triumvirate complete.
Doesn’t audi/vw still have a rather large factory in innsbruck? Very cool little car tho!
I’ve never heard of a car factory in Innsbruck. The industrial part of Austria is centered more in the Graz area. Innsbruck has little or no heavy industry. University/medicine, government, and tourism are the three main industries.
Perhaps you are thinking of Ingolstadt in Germany, Audi’s HQ and main plant?
I should probably mention that I know someone that is currently restoring an Isetta, and has 2 other Isetta corpses, I mean parts cars.
Cute little car , but I wonder how it would handle those snowy Austrian winters. Didn’t Austria produce an all wheel drive vehicle ? It was a small cab over van like truck , with a 4 wheel locking differential. I saw one on youtube, and it looked like it could go just about anywhere.
I believe you’re referring to the Pinzgauer.
http://www.buypinzgauer.com/index.html
Here’s a vehicle for you, Paul, from your home country.
Wasn’t the Haflinger the Pinzgauer’s smaller brother? Or perhaps I have that backwards…but I know they came in two sizes. They were Steyr products, were they not?
You are correct, Chris M. Both named after horses. Steyr still construct cars for others, actually made most of the Saab cabriolets. (Only the last couple of years of Saab cabs were made in Sweden.)
That is a weird looking car. Kind of resembles the Isetta from the front, but I’ve never seen that aircraft fuselage looking rear end on any other car.
Just when I thought I’d seen every microcar! But I’ve thought that before and been wrong. Sobering to think there would have been far fewer to learn about and enjoy had there not been a terrible war that made them possible.
My wife owned an Isetta when she was young. IIRC there were actually two rear wheels placed very closely together. This car would actually be a trike/bike in some states. Steering wheel and seat make it a car in Tx. Interesting the different was different places approach the same vehicle.
Interesting article.
That one is a bit odd even by microcar standards… (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Saw this on a piano at my sisters, it has an actual BMW part number and was bought thru a Rover/BMW dealer
If I’m not mistaken Audi is based in Ingolstadt, in Germany.
Hopelessly cute!
The tubular chassis and bumper show a style of design that doesn’t appear anywhere else in the Auto Kingdom. More like bicycle thinking, but not quite there either. It has a flavor of pure mathematics. Reminds me of Mobius strips and Klein bottles.
Actually, for what is a minimal microcar (as opposed to a Isetta which bordered on being carlike), the Libelle is designed rather nicely. They made the smart move of putting the two wheels up front for stability, the top looks (at least in theory) of being reasonably weather proof, and the minimalist design is quite sharp. It’s definitely an improvement over some of the horrors the British came up with at the time, some of which bordered on a bicycle with a gasoline motor for technological sophistication.
“Hopelessly cute”- I like that term. The arm rests were probably taken from a desk chair. There is another safety feature: the roll cage.
Look what Peugeot is tinkering with here:
That looks like a Carver.
I respectfully disagree. The Carver (new to me) is a frog design, the Libelle and the Peugeot in my picture are tadpole design. The frog designs have 2 wheels in the back and the tadpoles have 2 wheels in the front.
The carver is interesting though. It is a frog design but it tilts like 2 wheeler which should keep it from tipping over as the Bond and the Reliant Robin do.
Another “compact”, the BMW C1-series.
Another super cute Micro Car ! .
I never get tired of them .
The Unique Little Car Show , held annually , is in Phoenix this year , I may go again , I had a great time last time , get to see some really rare Micro Cars I never heard of before….
I’ll drive there of course .
-Nate
“I never get tired of them ”
I totally understand. Micro cars provide infinite smiles per gallon.
The only thing is : they’re not only Death Traps , they’re so tiny others on the road don’t see them , making it doubly scary to drive and enjoy them .
At this point , I guess I’ll never buy that Isetta I always wanted after riding in them in the 1960’s , my buddy just sold his way over restored Fiat Multiplia because he was scared to drive it anymore .
Nevertheless , I still drive my little Met almost flat out all the time and a big grin the whole time =8-) .
-Nate
That is absolutely true. I would never use one as daily driver, not even a 2CV or Renault 4. But I would venture on a tour with others as there is safety in numbers.
Wolfgang,
Safety in numbers? You better believe it!
In the mid 1990s I hosted the CAAR [Club Ancient Autos & Rallyes] group from Europe, they brought over about 150 vehicles and drove from Washington DC to Chicago, where they met up with Rt66, and drove all the way to Santa Barbara, California, about 3,600 miles.
Every morning before the sun came up, the first car to leave the campsite along with a few other slower cars, was the little Gogomobile. And this same Gogomobile was always the last car to arrive at the next meeting point, usually after nightfall! But that little car made it all the way to the Pacific Ocean!
What a beautiful little insect car. Here’s a link to a “CC in Classic[al] Music Videos,” “Die Libelle,” op.204 Polka mazur by Josef Strauss, with Carlos Kleiber directing the Vienna Philharmonic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dunn_2wAs0o
I can hear the Libelle darting through the streets of Innsbruck and wonder, why do drivers want 600 hp cars?
In the mid to late 1980’s I drove a 1959 Citroen 2CV AZ (with the ‘ suicide doors) as my daily driver in Los Angeles , I loved it but it was too slow for the Freeways so I had to send it on down the road .
-Nate
Just think, the little Dragonfly had only 3.5HP less than your 2CV… it must have been a screamin’ hot rod!
Adorable car, fitting name, probably a blast to drive. In addition to a dragonfly, it also reminds me of the shape typical of early helicopters (Bell 47, Sikorsky R-4).
I saw this 2CV driving around a few months ago, no problem keeping up with traffic on 2nd Avenue, although I’m sure L.A. freeways would be a nightmare!!
Most of the running 2CVs are 602 cc versions with 26/29 hp, and are a good for 70-72 mph; about the same as the old VW 1200.
IIRC (doubtful) mine was 425 C.C. ~ it went just fine , it was just geared so low it had difficulty exceeding 55 MPH .
I rather liked the centrifugal clutch although it was a bit jerky in take off .
! clutchless up shifts ! =8-) .
-Nate
Wow never seen any micro car like that….how interesting though I’ve heard of all the others but honestly never this. Plus 50 made and 1 remaining oh man makes you kind of wonder what happened where did they go and how did they get there I tend to question how really old cars get to the places they are now. This some how interests me though. I mean I’ve always been a big fan of mostly big cars but this is just way to cool. Plus I like that design.
Hi, I live in Innsbruck but only since 1967, my year of birth…. I would be really interested on where the “factory” of the Libelle was situated? Who was standing behind the ‘Libelle Fahrzeugbau- und Vertriebs GmbH’ (ie Libelle vehicle manufacturing and distribution ltd)? When did the sister of the opener see the Libelle at the market place? And other facts about the car too!
…and sorry for my lack of English….
Hi Georg,
I’m sorry, but I have no additional information on the Libelle to answer your questions.
Paul
The question about the factory leads to a correlation of sorts. It seems that cars built in “unlikely” places leave no remnants, while factories in “automotive” places tend to get re-used by other carmakers. I’m thinking of the Great Smith, which had true synchromesh in 1906. Built in Topeka, and nothing remains from a large factory. The Geronimo was an “assembled” car built in Enid in the ’20s. Just a vacant lot. The Leata was built in Post Falls in 1976. Nothing left. By comparison, the Bantam was built in Butler PA, more of an automotive place, and its factory was still there in the ’70s when VW took it over.
This looks like it was built with left over ski lift parts (lift chairs).
Not to slander the Libelle, but it seems best Innsbruck stuck with government and tourism thereafter.
It does have at least one distinction – the biggest ratio of Jesus bar to car ever made, as the entire front is cross to hang on to. A car where frontal safety is matter of faith.
That Rotax engine interests me. Weren’t they built in Austria? My wife has a 650 cc Rotax engine on her BMW motorcycle. Her 650 cc seems like a fairly well made engine, although the oil changes are Rube Goldbergish.