KR 200

KR 200

Bubble car

** It was in 1952 that Prof. Messerschmitt first came into contact with the ‘Kabinenroller’ or bubble car. **

Fritz Fend from Rosenheim, Germany, who had originally developed the bubble car – nicknamed ‘Karo’ – as a vehicle for disabled war veterans, had continued to work on his design and was now on the lookout for suitable production facilities.

The basic concept for the vehicle was to create a two-seater motorbike with a canopy that would provide protection against the elements and a more stable three- or four-wheel design. With a price tag of DM 2,375.00, this offered a good alternative to other cars, which were much more expensive. The KR 175 was launched in March 1953 and was followed just two years later by the more advanced KR 200. The vehicle had a top speed of around 100 km/h and a fuel consumption of approximately 3 litres per 100 km. In total, around 60,000 KR 200s were built, 12,000 of these in 1955 alone.


MESSERSCHMITT MUSEUM OF FLIGHT


KR 200


SERVICE HISTORY

TWO MESSERSCHMITT KR 200 BUBBLE CARS (YELLOW / BLUE)


The bubble car (yellow) arrived at the Museum of Flight in 1998 on loan from a private lender as part of the celebrations to mark the founder’s 100th birthday. It was bought by EADS in 2000 and is now the oldest registered company vehicle belonging to Airbus (the successor of EADS).

The bubble car (blue) was manufactured in 1962 by the Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau (FMR) Company in Regensburg.
The Messerschmitt Foundation acquired the vehicle body including a large parts package from a private individual in Berlin in 2012. The parts were then handed over to a restorer, who restored the vehicle to roadworthy condition by 2013 and was subsequently able to register it. The KARO was then handed over to the care of the Messerschmitt Museum of Flight.

FACTS AND FIGURES

TWO MESSERSCHMITT KR 200 BUBBLE CARS (YELLOW / BLUE)


KR 200
yellow

KR 200
blue


Owner

Airbus

Messerschmitt Foundation


Holder

Airbus

Messerschmitt Foundation


Operator

Airbus

Airbus


Registration number

M-AU 61

M-TT 262


Serial number

77187

80234


Year of construction

1961

1964


TWO MESSERSCHMITT KR 200 BUBBLE CARS (YELLOW / BLUE)

  •  KR 200

    KR 200

  •  KR 200

    KR 200

  •  KR 200

    KR 200

  •  KR 200

    KR 200

© Airbus

EXHIBITS

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Overview and
Crew presentation

Messerschmitt M 17

M 17
Sport and training
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Me 108

Bf (Me) 108
Sport and touring
‘Typhoon’ D- ESBH

Me 108

Bf (Me) 108
Sport and touring
‘Typhoon’ D- EBFW

Messerschmitt Me 109

Bf (Me) 109 G2
Fighter
(static exhibit)

Messerschmitt Me 109

Bf (Me) 109 G4
Fighter
‘Red Seven’

Messerschmitt Me 109

Bf (Me) 109 G10
Fighter
‘Yellow 3’

Messerschmitt Me 163 BS

Me 163 BS
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Messerschmitt Me 262

Me 262
Jet-powered fighter
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Messerschmitt HA 200

HA (Me) 200 D
Jet trainer
‘Arrow’

Messerschmitt HA 300

HA 300
Jet-powered fighter
(static exhibit)

Messerschmitt KR 200

KR 200
Messerschmitt
Bubble car