The RRR Collection comprises a multitude of strange creatures from the post-WWII era of automotive history. A total of 130 rare scooters and bubble cars that carry exotic names such as Peel, Frisky, Isetta, Tessy, Megu or Colibri. On July 10, 2020, the vehicles will be offered at Dorotheum's Automotive branch in Vösendorf, Vienna - in an auction with no price limits!
The RRR collection is the result of a decades-long project of passion shared by two Austrian childhood friends. Midway through life by then, the two friends reunited in the 1970s to pursue their common interest in the whimsical vehicles that had once lent wheels to their youth exploits. From 2003 to 2019, the resulting RRR Collection was on public display in Eggenburg in Lower Austria.
The compact bubble cars were all manufactured in the 1950s and 1960s and provided the optimal combination of the minimalism of the motorcycle with the comforts of the car at a time where financial means were tight. Bubble cars are the very antithesis of today's popular SUVs: Modest, efficient, charming, small - and wonderfully quirky to boot.
Necessity is certainly the mother of all invention, and especially the British manufacturers outdid each other in the imaginative peculiarities department. The collection's two Peel models, named after a port town on the Isle of Man, look decidedly more like UFOs than cars. The P50 three-wheeler was considered the world's smallest car back in its day. It fit exactly one person and was eventually discontinued after only 47 P50s had rolled off the factory floor. The slightly larger Peel Trident was designed as a two-seater and also sports an acrylic glass canopy to protect against wind and weather. No more than 86 Tridents were ever produced. The two rarities are offered at starting prices of 10,000 euros.
Tiny transport
At a first glance, the 1954 Messerschmitt KR 175 looks more like an aircraft than a car. For this extremely rare vehicle, which underwent a comprehensive restoration in the 1990s, the bidding will start at 5,000 euros. The successor to KR 175, the 1958-manufactured Messerschmitt KR 200, is also on auction. Austrian actor, singer and entertainer Peter Alexander was once photographed sitting in this particular car, as documented by a polaroid photo from the collection. Considered one of the absolute highlights, the New Map Rolux VB 60 from 1949 is another exclusive proposition from the RRR Collection. Fans of the iconic Puch 500 will have several chances to place a winning bid and secure a flashy ride home. Among the Puch 500, a reed green Steyr-Puch 500 from 1949 deserves special mention. Bidding starts at 4,000 euros. A possibly record-setting Isetta is also on offer. The blue BMW Isetta Export 300 from 1958 covered a distance of no less than 35,000 kilometres in and around Vienna in just 20 months back in 1958/59, a quite unique feat according to the catalogue (3,000 euros).
The collection also includes a wide variety of classic and historic scooters, most striking among them is probably the mighty Maico Maicomobil 175/200 from 1953. The German-manufactured machine has a spare wheel decoratively incorporated at the rear end of the frame and is widely recognised as the king among scooters. The starting price is 2,000 euros. The Vespas must be mentioned too - the most exclusive model offered is a Douglas Vespa 125 2L2 from 1952 (1,500 euros). Another head-turner to highlight is the meticulously preserved and well-kept 1957 Lohner Rapid 200 with sidecar - it starts at 900 euros. Last but not least, the Triumph Tessy Luxus should be mentioned. A featherlight dandy among its peers, the 1956-manufactured machine stands out with its organically flowing design. Bidding starts at 500 euros.
RRR COLLECTION Microcars and Motorscooters
Auction Date: Friday, 10 July 2020, 2 pm
Public Viewing from : 6 July 2020
Venue: Dorotheum Vienna Motor Vehicle Centre, Dr.-Robert-Firneis-Straße 6 - 8, 2331 Vösendorf
Specialist: Mag. Wolfgang Humer, Tel. +43-1-602 04 58 12, wolfgang.humer@dorotheum.at
We provide free photo material for media use. Please quote the stated captions and copyright information. For other forms of use please contact Dorotheum to clarify possible questions regarding terms and conditions of use and copyright.