1956 Messerschmitt KR200
It’s hard to imagine just how difficult life in Germany was following World War II. Their entire economy was decimated, factories were in ruins, and the world was rightfully mistrustful. Nevertheless, life went on and people still needed to get around town. Money was scarce because jobs were scarce, so transportation for the masses had to be affordable to buy and own. And since the only functioning factories (those making wartime hardware like Messerschmitt fighter planes) were no longer permitted to make weapons of war, they turned to other products. The first of those products was the Kabinenroller, which literally means “scooter with cabin” and was called the Messerschmitt KR175. The KR200 was a complete redesign that arrived in 1950—bigger, easier to drive, and with a working suspension with shock absorbers, it was a far more usable machine. It proved popular as Germany got back on its feet and almost 40,000 were built between 1955 and 1964, with the Kabrio model seen here being introduced in 1956.
Today, microcars are a red-hot segment of the collector car hobby, and this bright red 1956 Messerschmitt KR200 would be an ideal addition to any collection. Almost overnight, these cars have gone from obscure garage art to legitimate collectables that are at home in the finest collections in the world. About ten years ago, this one was treated to a very high-quality restoration to original specifications, so it delivers the authentic KR200 experience.
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