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Peel P50 Performs Y-Turn Inside a Ford Transit

Ever wondered if the world's smallest road-legal production vehicle can do a three-point turn inside the 2015 Transit van? Neither did we, but Ford did in its latest marketing stunt.
Peel P50 inside a Ford Transit van 1 photo
Photo: screenshot from YouTube
Even though the 2015 Ford Transit features best-in-segment cargo space with up to 473 cubic-feet (13.39 cubic meters) of storage volume, it's hard to comprehend how a Peel P50 can not only fit inside the van, but actually perform a succesful Y-turn, for crying out loud!

As you might remember from an older Top Gear episode, Jeremy drove the 1960s Peel Engineering contraption inside the BBC headquarters in London. He found it difficult to navigate the effing thing through confined areas such as the elevator, mostly because the original P50 does not have a reversing gear.

However, the modern version of the three-wheeled microcar stepped up from the 4.2 horsepower DKW 49 cc engine coupled to a three-speed manual gearbox. Starting from 2011, the revamped Peel P50 comes in EV or petrol & electric flavor along with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that benefits from a reverse gear.

Even with the aid of a reverse gear, the British microcar didn't exactly turn around inside the all-new Transit in your typical three maneuvers. Not even close. We don't want to spoil what's in store for you, so scroll down and press play for a minute's worth of three-wheeled amusement.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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