Vehicle Description
1960 Messerschmitt KR200 Kabrio Roadster for sale! Motorcar
Classics is now selling this charming and rare 1960 Messerschmitt
KR200 Kabrio Roadster featured in red with black interior and
matching black folding fabric soft top. It has covered 43,966
miles. Options include white sidewall tires and rear luggage rack.
Produced for less than a decade, the Messerschmitt bubble-top
microcar featured tandem seating for two in a tiny three-wheeled
body powered by a Fitchell amp; Sachs 191cc two-stroke engine
capable of producing less than 10 horsepower. Power flows to the
single rear wheel through a 4-speed sequential transmission that
offers all 4 speeds in both forward and reverse by virtue of the
engine having two sets of contact breaker points so that the engine
was stopped and restarted rotating in the opposite direction to
engage reverse. Its aerodynamic design and overall light-weight
meant that it was still able to run at 55 MPH while getting an
extremely economical 60-100 MPG. Its handlebar steering wheel is
reminiscent of the fighter planes of World War II; appropriate
similarities as the Messerschmitt brand is better known for being a
German aircraft manufacturing company. Its short stint in vehicle
production was limited only to the KR200 and the earlier (but very
similar) KR175. Known as Kabinenroller (loosely translated to cabin
scooters), the cars were designed by aircraft engineer Fritz Fend
after the company was forbidden to produce planes. Though
production ceased in 1964 with demand for the tiny economical cars
dying out, their popularity with collectors has steadily grown
thanks to their novel appearance and place in history. Our car is
an older restoration of the rare KR200 Roadster variant that
without the window frames of the more common Kabrio. It has been
recently serviced and is in excellent all-around condition.
