Lilliputians In Epaulettes: Very Small But Very Important Cars

2023 Author: Natalie MacDonald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 13:59

The cars of the emergency services should inspire the rest of the traffic participants with respectable awe and the desire to immediately give way. For example, the cavalcade of red ZIL firefighters with sirens, flashing lights and the roar of gasoline "eights" rushing through the streets is an extremely convincing sight. However, war paint and special signals are sometimes tried on by cars, from which you expect this in the last turn. Here are some of the most striking examples.

Subaru 360

Meet the 1970 Subaru 360! The tiny three-door has served its entire life as a police patrol car in New Zealand. Apparently, she did not have much work, because now on the odometer of the 360th there are only 12,015 kilometers, that is, every year the car drove no more than 240 kilometers.

By the way, this particular car will be sold by the auction house RM Sotheby’s in May. A pair of police caps will also be given along with the car.

Subaru sambar

And the 360 isn't Subaru's only small special-purpose vehicle. Take, for example, a Sambar that serves as a fire engine in Tokyo. The tiny van has been produced for the domestic market in Japan since 1961 and has already managed to change eight generations. True, since 2012 it has been produced under the Daihatsu brand.

In the service of the fire brigade, it is used to transport all kinds of equipment, essential in order to quickly begin to extinguish a fire. For example, fire pumps. Plus, it can deliver several people to the scene. The toddler turned out to be unexpectedly effective.

Police BMW Isetta

An egg-shaped BMW Isett from the late 1950s, painted in the signature green of the German police, a few years ago shone at the famous Pebble Beach Elegance Contest. It's hard to believe it, but an extravagant little car with a single door in the front and a folding steering column was popular not only among the poor inhabitants of post-war Europe, but was also actively exploited by government agencies.

Judging by the stickers on the sides, this car was once in the service of the police department in the small German town of Duderstadt. It is unlikely that it will be possible to deliver several criminals to the department on Izetta at a time, but the crumb has a baton, adjusting rods and … a telephone!

Fire Department BMW Isetta

Isett looks even more touching in the fire version with a siren, flashing beacons, a ladder and with a trailer on which a drum with a fire hose is fixed. We do not know how effective this machine is in extinguishing fires, but it looks convincing, despite its cartoonish appearance.

Why turn Izetta into a fire engine if it is impossible to transport a brigade of brave guys in it? Budgetary institutions sometimes have the same reason as ordinary citizens: economy. And the Isetta, developed by the Italian company Iso in the early 50s and produced by BMW under license since 1955, was just affordable. Even in spite of the fact that BMW put a more powerful 13-horsepower engine instead of the base one, by 9.5 horsepower.

Firefighter ZAZ-968

If we talk about any special application of the Soviet "Zaporozhets", transport for the disabled comes to mind first of all. It is difficult to imagine him as a fire engine. However, there really was such a version!

One of the projects of the Smirnova KB restoration studio from St. Petersburg is dedicated to a pickup truck based on the late ZAZ-968, which once served as an in-plant fire truck at a toy factory in Leningrad. According to eyewitnesses, in addition to transporting fire equipment, it was also used to tow a motor pump.

During the restoration, the car received a regular color - red with white stripes, was equipped with flashing beacons and everything necessary to fight the fire. By the way, the same motor pump in the Smirnov Design Bureau was also brought back to life.

Postal ZAZ-965S

Another unusual Zaporozhets was produced in the early 1960s at the Kommunar plant in Zaporozhye. The ZAZ-965S modification was intended for use at the post office. Instead of rear windows, it had blank walls, there was no rear seat, but this is not the main difference.

This ZAZ was right-hand drive, and for purely practical reasons. A driver collecting mail from mailboxes scattered throughout the city often has to stop and get out of the car. And it is more convenient to do this from the sidewalk. ZAZ-965S was produced in a small batch. Meet such, be sure to take a picture.

Police "Oka"

Nowadays it is quite difficult to imagine a Russian policeman in something smaller than Grants, but a couple of decades ago the police "Oka" was a reality! Moreover, there were several different modifications! In addition to the standard hatchback, the police also served cars with a compartment for detainees - with bars on the windows. There were even cargo modifications!

However, well-founded doubts about the convenience of using the Oka as a police car sounded even then. Just imagine what it was like for the staff in full gear with weapons and other equipment in this little one. And if you also had to detain the criminal?

Police smart fortwo and GO-4

However, compact police cars are still not uncommon in the world. For example, in 2016, the New York police purchased a batch of smart fortwo for their needs. These vehicles are needed to patrol Central Park or other closed areas with limited car traffic. And don't rush to feel sorry for the New York cops. On the contrary, they must be congratulated! Because before, they used the clumsy GO-4 tricycles for the same needs.

Electric car of the Tula police

In closed areas, electric vehicles of the golf cart format are often used for patrolling. For example, in Tula, the police drive around within the recently improved pedestrian zone on a similar "box" with the Voltus badge, stylized as an extravagant ToyotFJ Cruiser SUV.

The electric car of the Tula police is capable of speeds up to 32 km / h and travel 90 km without recharging. In short, you can only run away from this thing if you are Usain Bolt.

Renault twizy

The Renault Twizy electric car also tried on a uniform. Like Izetta, he can be found in both a policeman and a fireman. Law enforcement officers drive such cars, for example, in Valencia and, surprisingly, in Dubai, where, in addition to the French kid, there are many supercars working on law and order!

The firefighter Twizy was created by Renault in conjunction with the Parisian fire services. Such vehicles should be used as rapid response vehicles. Instead of a passenger seat in the back, a compartment was installed with a pair of fire extinguishers, a fire uniform and a first aid kit.

Citroen 2CV

In France, the history of minicars in service is generally quite wide - the same Citroen 2CV could well be found in the form of the French gendarmerie. Moreover, in a variety of guises. For example, in the form of a van with a large passenger compartment in the back, or as a regular patrol car. However, the roles of the "ugly duckling" were so many that they are worthy of a separate article.