Though small cars are slowly becoming a relic of yesteryear, a group of friends from Italy decided to take the idea of microcars to a whole new level.
Known as ‘Carmagheddon’ on social media, the content creators achieved a Guinness World Record for the world’s shortest driveable car.
Measuring in at a staggering 59.5cm – or the equivalent of approximately two rulers – in height, Carmagheddon used a Fiat Panda as the donor vehicle for the project.
The Panda 4×4
To achieve the world record, they cut the Panda hatch in half and used the top section to form the main body of the pint-sized hero.
While you might be wondering how the floating car would move, Carmagheddon utilises two small wheels attached to each corner of the car’s bonnet, while the main chassis is built on four small trolley wheels, and uses a lawnmower engine as a propulsion system.
Though you might expect at least one seat and a steering wheel in any car, Carmahgeddon’s crop-top Fiat Panda has removed these traditional car features. Instead, a driver lies on their stomach, side or in a kneeling position on a wooden platform in order to get into the short vehicle.
And when it comes to steering, the Italian-based content creators got rid of the traditional wheel, and instead utilised a makeshift joystick set-up reminiscent of a video game controller.
But it doesn’t stop there. The custom car can be seen with blacked-out tinted windows and windscreen, but before you ask how a driver can visibly see the road ahead, the Italian content creators had a creative solution to this unique problem.
Carmagheddon mounted a GoPro to the car’s roof, with the driver streaming the camera’s view on their phone while piloting the nearly 60cm car.
The Fiat Panda has garnered internet fame since Guinness officially inducted it into the world record books in 2024, with various commenters in shock at the sight of the driveable cropped hatch.
“Ain’t no way that’s road legal?!,” one TikTok user commented, while another remarked, “have they ever heard of claustrophobia?”.
Carmagheddon's chop-top car has become an online sensation that has spurred a range of imitators from other content creators across different countries.
When looking through various social media platforms like TikTok, other car enthusiasts have utilised different vehicles ranging from hatches, sedans and even utes to build their own version of the micro car.
Why are they doing this? Who knows. But we know one thing, they're definitely a head-turner. But don't ask us to review it, because I doubt we'll get it into our Drive garage anytime soon.
What are some other 'short' cars getting around?
Meet the 'Banana Peel', a chopped EG Honda Civic from Taiwan. It's so low that the bonnet has been cut short to match the height of the rear glass hatch, which still operates to allow the driver entry to the car.
And while not quite as low, a team in Russia have lowered the iconic Lada Niva to a slightly more practical level, allowing access through the sunroof!
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
