1959-60 Microcar Collection
1959 Goggomobil Dart
March 2, 20181957 Mercedes Benz 190 SL
March 2, 2018
Colourful | Roadster, Coupé, Convertible, Sedan, Van | 4 Speed Manual | 200-400cc 2 cylinders | SOLD
By the 1950’s, people were heartily sick of wartime austerity. To own your own mode of transport gave a huge sense of freedom but many households just didn’t have the budget for a full-on car. Manufacturers responded with an imaginative array of microcars with a suitably small budget, some of the cars were very clever, while some were hideously bad, and arguably among the finest ever made was the Goggomobil.
Spurred on by the racing and commercial success of the Buckle GT sports car, automotive engineer, accomplished racing driver and retailer, Bill Buckle “The Goggofather”, formed an audacious plan to partner with German automaker Hans Glass’s Goggomobil and manufacture a unique and Australian made compact car.Launched at the 1955 Sydney Motor Show, the Australian made prototype was a complete monocoque coupe with some significant differences to the German built steel cars in the way of ultra-lightweight fiberglass construction and higher output engines but retained the same popular space-age design.
In response to overwhelming demand, in 1958 the Australian Goggomobil’s entered production- Modern Motor magazine, in its December 1958 road test, concluded "A combination of several factors gives the Goggo its amazing maneuverability in local traffic - its tiny size, tight turning circle afforded by small wheels and more direct steering ratio, snappy gearbox and nippy acceleration give it the perfect combination for fun motoring".
Buckle produced 5 different Australian Goggomobils including the T Sedan, TS Coupe, the T Coupe Cabriolet, the limited edition Carry-All Van and the fabled Dart; the protagonist in one of the most popular television ads in Australian advertising history.
However, the Australian Goggo was short lived. Launched in the early 1960’s, the Morris Mini Minor took the world by storm and decimated Goggo sales meaning that today, these quirky little obscurities are hard to find and incredibly collectable.
Only just released from long-term ownership and the first time ever offered to market, with each of the 5 Australian made models represented this obscure, rare and exceptionally desirable collection forms a truly significant slice of Australian motoring history and a snapshot of 1960’s outside-of-the-box design.
To be sold as a collection, we’ve seen nothing else quite like this anywhere around the world.
In response to overwhelming demand, in 1958 the Australian Goggomobil’s entered production- Modern Motor magazine, in its December 1958 road test, concluded "A combination of several factors gives the Goggo its amazing maneuverability in local traffic - its tiny size, tight turning circle afforded by small wheels and more direct steering ratio, snappy gearbox and nippy acceleration give it the perfect combination for fun motoring".
Buckle produced 5 different Australian Goggomobils including the T Sedan, TS Coupe, the T Coupe Cabriolet, the limited edition Carry-All Van and the fabled Dart; the protagonist in one of the most popular television ads in Australian advertising history.
However, the Australian Goggo was short lived. Launched in the early 1960’s, the Morris Mini Minor took the world by storm and decimated Goggo sales meaning that today, these quirky little obscurities are hard to find and incredibly collectable.
Only just released from long-term ownership and the first time ever offered to market, with each of the 5 Australian made models represented this obscure, rare and exceptionally desirable collection forms a truly significant slice of Australian motoring history and a snapshot of 1960’s outside-of-the-box design.
To be sold as a collection, we’ve seen nothing else quite like this anywhere around the world.