1951 M Hoffman Prototype

Michael Hoffman was a shop foreman from Munich and if this vehicle is any indication...then he was a very eccentric and creative individual. This rear-engine, rear-wheel drive three wheeler was built using parts sourced from junkyards and hardware stores. Having three wheels meant his unique creation was classified as a motorbike, meaning no taxes and could be operated without a license. Only one example was built and it currently resides in the Lane Motor Museum in Tennessee.

Coincidentally, the Michael Hoffman automobile has similarities to another 'Hoffman' automobile - the X-8 Prototype built in 1935 by Roscoe C. (Rod) Hoffman (no relation). He created Hoffman Motor Developments of Detroit, Michigan in 1934, and his X-8 Prototype used an engine with 'X' configuration and was intended for the European market. It had an all-steel unitized body and frame with honeycomb floor perimeter strengthening members.

The automobile built by Michael Hoffman had a similar swoopy shape as the X-8 Prototype but on a much smaller scale, and a shorter wheelbase and three wheels. Its engine was an air-cooled ILO 200cc two-stroke unit that produced approximately 6.5 horsepower and was paired to a three-speed manual transmission. Power was sent to the rear wheels which was also responsible for steering. The car's extreme front track width, combined with the short wheelbase and rear wheel steering resulted in straight line instability. Turning at high speeds was dangerous.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2025