Rally celebrating world's smallest car takes place

The Peel P50 was available in red, white, blue and yellow

A rally to celebrate the world's smallest production car is set to take place on the Isle of Man.

Organised by the Manx Transport Heritage Museum, a host of rare P50s along with Trident and Viking vehicles will be on show around the island until Sunday.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the firm behind the cars, which were built in the the west of the island in the 1960s, was officially registered as Peel Engineering Limited.

Organiser Brian Diehl said he was excited to see the cavalcade of about 15 cars, including visiting vehicles, "buzzing around the island" as part of the Peel Cars Rally.

Designed and built by Cyril Cannell and Henry Kissack, the Peel P50 has three wheels, one headlight, three gears and no reverse and retailed for £199 when built.

The microcar was listed in the 2010 Guinness World Records as the smallest production car ever made and its 49cc engine allowed a top speed of 38mph (61km/h).

'Warm response'

Motoring enthusiasts from London and Scotland have transported original P50s to the island take part in the three-day rally.

Starting in Jurby, the tour will see the group line up on the Queen's Pier in the north of the island in Ramsey on Friday afternoon.

The cars move to Douglas on Saturday for a display in the pit lane at the TT Grandstand, heading to the former Peel Engineering factory they were made in on Sunday.

Later the same day the cars are set to lead Peel Carnival in front of hundreds of spectators on Sunday.

Mr Diehl said those who were "brave enough" would also be taking on the 37.73-mile (60km) Mountain Course in the cars.

He said he was expecting a warm response as people "always want to have their picture taken with them when we get them together".

"They're so cute, they love them," he added.