Notice anything odd about the car pictured here? Well you should. For starters, it’s parked vertically against the curb like a European Smart Fortwo. Look closer and you will notice there are only 3 wheels putting power to the pavement – 2 in the back and 1 in the front. So, despite the full body enclosure and hatchback design, this car is actually not a car at all. Or at least that’s what the DOT thinks because it’s classified and registered as a motorcycle in the U.S. Say hello to the WF800-C, a Chinese-built trike marketed and distributed by Steubenville, Ohio-based Wildfire Motors. For about $8,000 you get a claimed 60 MPG, seating for 4 and a cruising speed of 45 MPH. Power comes from a liquid-cooled four-stroke two-cylinder engine rated at a lawnmower-like 26 horsepower. So you won’t burn much rubber at green lights but the near 1,400 pound curb weight should ensure you arrive sometime before the next Olympics. Just be careful not to get into an accident – this thing is exempt from a lot of safety regs such as airbags and side-impact beams thanks to its motorcycle classification. This one if for sale in case you’re interested.

Thanks for the great pics Eric

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The VW Bus is the automotive workhorse that helped post war Europe get back on its feet. It’s  also perhaps the most nicknamed auto on the planet, affectionately known by thousands of pet names like magic bus, Mircobus, hippie-mobile, Camper, Eurovan, Caravelle, Samba, Multivan, and Bully. The Beetle mechanicals and extremely versitile platform provided for an endless number of body configurations and variants. The Kombi, for instance, had side windows and removeable seats so tradespeople could transport people as well as goods. We spotted this 1960′s pick up variant in Alphabet City – it’s good for peace, love and trips to Home Depot.

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