Velorex Oskar at the Josefuv dul Car Show, Liberecky kraj, Bohemia(CZ), 2015

Originally introduced in 1945, and remaining in production until 1971, the Velorex Oskar was a three-wheeler inspired by the various three-wheel sports cars produced by Morgan (before they transitioned to building retro-styled four-wheel sports cars). Mechanically, the Oskar used various motorcycle powertrains over the years, generally from Jawa and Ceska Zbrojovka, but the performance was rarely impressive. Most of the motorcycle engines produced only about 6 horsepower, which wasn't enough for the car, in spite of its extremely light weight of 205-395kg. A typical top speed of an Oskar would be only about 30km/h (18 m.p.h.). The main selling point of the Oskar was its low price and minimalist design. The most unique feature may have been that its body panels were mostly leather, rather than metal, wood, or plastic. It is thought by automotive historians that the reason for the eventual failure of the Velorex Oskar in the Czech market (to the extent that markets existed under Communism) was that the East German Trabant 601 offered a more modern design, better safety and comfort, and a considerably higher level of performance.