‘Micro Cars: Mini Wonders’ opens at Packard Museum

WARREN, Ohio _ “Tiny-mania” has swept America! From tiny houses to tiny vegetables, anything small is popular today! The National Packard Museum will embrace the tiny fad by bringing back its popular microcar exhibit: “Micro Cars: Mini Wonders.”

This special exhibit opened Sept. 3 and will showcase 10 of the smallest and most unusual cars ever built in the United States and Europe. The vehicles on exhibit will include: an unrestored 1949 Crosley Hot Shot, a 1952 Fiat Topolino, 1955 Messerschmitt KR200, 1958 BMW Isetta, 1959 Ford Prefect, and three vintage King Midgets built in Athens, Ohio.

Micro cars are generally defined as vehicles with 1500cc or smaller motors. Micro cars became popular in the United States and Europe just before World War I and flourished again after World War II as an economical transportation alternative to more expensive full size vehicles. “Micro Cars: Mini Wonders” runs through Dec. 23.

The National Packard Museum is open Tues. through Sat. from noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.packardmuseum.org or call 330-394-1899.