Daihatsu Bee

Bee

Manufacturer	Daihatsu
Also called	ビー
Production	1958
Assembly	Japan
Class	Microcar
Body style	Coupé
Layout	RR layout
Engine	540 cc

The Daihatsu Bee is a three wheeled microcar that was produced by Daihatsu Kogyo Co Ltd from 1951.

Although Daihatsu had been producing motorized tricycles for carrying freight since 1930, and had also produced a small car for military use in 1937, the Bee was the first passenger car the company built for sale to the general public. The car was marketed from October 1951, shortly before the company changed its name from 'Hatsudoki Seizo Co' to Daihatsu.

Photographs show the car with a two door fibreglass body, though other sources state that it had a four door body instead and as a result was popular as a taxi. Power was provided by a rear mounted 540 cc OHV air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke engine.^[1] The car was adapted from one of Daihatsu's three wheeled delivery trucks. It sold very poorly and ceased production after only 90 units were built.^[2]

References

1. ^ Georgano, G.N. (Editor) (1982). Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars. London: Ebury Press. ISBN 0-85223-234-9. 
2. ^ Davis, Tony (2005). Extra Lemon!. Sydney: Bantam. p. 99. ISBN 1-86325-550-8. 

• "Company Milestones". Daihatsu. Archived from (Japanese) the original on 2007-10-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20071027084726/http://www.daihatsu.co.jp/info/gaiyou/enkaku/enkaku1960.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-30. 

External links

• Source of secondary information about the car
• (German) Photographs of the Bee showing the engine and other views
• Daihatsu publicity photograph of their museum car
• Daihatsu archive photograph of the Bee