Meet The Owner – Phil Caunt and his Messerschmitt KR200

“I owned a (Heinkel) Trojan and three BMW Isettas years ago, but never a Messerschmitt. So, I thought... why not!”. Phil’s KR200 could never be accused of being conventional. Firstly, it is just nine feet long, and to access the cabin, you need to tilt the Plexiglas canopy, which opens 90 degrees to the right. Secondly, the passenger sits tandem-style behind the driver. According to the brochure, “the arrangement of front and back seats, with foam rubber upholstery, is such that it allows an adult and child to sit in comfort behind the driver”.

Thirdly, the steering is via an aircraft-style bar. Fourthly, to start the KR200, Phil needs to open a rear bulkhead-mounted valve controlling the gravity-fed fuel system, pull the choke and fire the ‘Dynastart’ ignition. As Phil puts it: “Four forward gears and four reverse - you have to start the engine ‘backwards’ to engage reverse. This means it will go as fast in reverse as it will forward, and NO, I have not tried it. The KR200 is ‘interesting’ to drive but more than a bit scary; potholes do not help either!”.

To make life even more interesting, the petrol reserve and heater controls are mounted to the offside of the rear seat. The latter employs engine heat distributed to the cabin via a flexible hose. But the bold KR200 owner takes such details in their stride, along with startled glances from other road users and various members of the public.

The Messerschmitt’ Kabineneroller’ (“scooter with cabin”) family resulted from the Allied Powers banning the Augsburg company from building aircraft for ten years after the end of the Second World War. They initially focused their post-war efforts

on prefabricated buildings. In 1952 the engineer Fritz Feld approached Messerschmitt with a proposal to build a mass-market version of his ‘Fend Flitzer’ invalid carriage design.

The KR175 consequently starred at the 1953. Geneva Motor Show and a very reasonable 2,800DM (£235) gained the owner personal mobility powered by a 170cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine. It proved so popular that Volkswagen complained about the “unfair competition”.

In 1955, the 191cc KR200, with a wider track and improved suspension, replaced the KR175, and by 1956, Messerschmitt resumed aircraft construction. From the following year onwards production of the KR200 was under the auspices of FmR.

As for UK sales, the impact of temporary petrol rationing following the 1956 Suez Crisis led to an interest in microcars.

The UK-market promotional copy boasted, “Every motorist will be greatly impressed by the features of this new KR200 model!”. In 1957 Autocar estimated there were around 350 examples in this country, and they found it “a little vehicle which most drivers would be pleased to own”. By 1958, the concessionaire told the motoring public:

The Messerschmitt sports saloon (Model KR200) is available with Perspex top with a folding canvas roof; it accommodates 2 adults and a child; covers over 87 miles to the gallon at a cruising speed of 53 mph.

Yes, with your KR200, you too could enjoy its “sleek design and modern colours” for a mere £339 13s 6d. The fuel economy was quite remarkable, although the tank had only a three-gallon capacity, of which a half gallon was a reserve supply. So, call Cabin Scooters (Assemblies) Ltd. on HUNter 0609 for a test drive. For £367,

you could even enjoy the luxury of the De Luxe version with chrome hub caps, duo-tone paint, a clock and an ivory steering bar.

The importer gained further publicity when James Robertson Justice, British cinema’s favourite curmudgeon, piloted a KR200 in front-of-house stills for the 1959 comedy Upstairs and Downstairs. However, by then, the impact of the German’ Wirtschaftswunder’ economic miracle meant a decline in bubble car sales. Too many drivers wanted a larger saloon, such as an NSU Prinz I. In the UK, the Mini or an imported Fiat 600 was rather more suited to family motorists – and if they held only a motorcycle licence, there was the Reliant Regal or the Bond Minicar.

KR200 manufacture ended in 1964 after around 30,000 units, making Phil’s one of the last sold in this country. “It is a 1963 UK specification model with only two former keepers - the last one for 50 years!”. And for an idea of how a Messerschmitt Kabineneroller startled the Great British Public in the 1950s, take a look at this newsreel...

With thanks to Phil Caunt for his time.

With thanks to Phil Caunt for the permission to use the

images in this blog