Kleinschnittger F-125
The German Kleinschnittger F-125 has no reverse gear or starter motor.
The car weighs just 170 kilogrammes and has to be lifted up at the rear and turned around to change direction. Starting is by pulling a rope, just like on a lawnmower. And yet this aluminium two-seater with its single-cylinder 6 hp 123 cc ILO engine was quite successful in post-war Europe, afflicted by lack of money and materials. The car was exported to 22 countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium and even the US.
Paul Kleinschnittger started manufacturing cars in Arnsberg in the Sauerland region in 1950 on land still covered in bomb craters. In his first year he and his staff of 50 built 100 cars. The company produced a total of 3000 F-125s up to 1959, but a second model never took off and Kleinschnittger lost out to the competition.