Many carmakers have attempted to develop and sell three-wheeled cars with mixed success depending on the layout, though they will never be as stable as a conventional car they can be fun and practicable.

Some of the more popular and successful designs are based on the reverse trike layout with a single rear wheel providing drive leaving the fronts to handle directional control, a much more stable concept. While there are always exceptions to this rule, the most fun to drive and safest will be built this way.

10 Grinnall Scorpion 3 - Fast & Fun

Autocar

Following on previous versions, the Scorpion III features a BMW K series motorcycle engine and transmission sending power to the rear drive wheel. Constructed from fiber-glass mounted to a spaceframe chassis with an all-up weight of 390kgs gives the Scorpion great balance and handling.

Grinnall III
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Various states of tune are offered with the range-topping 1.2-liter engine packing 130hp, good enough with the existing gearing to hit 125mph. Owners needing more power are catered for by aftermarket tuners BBR Racing who has developed a turbocharger kit boosting power to around 300hp.

9 Bond Bug - Slow & Dangerous

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Mechanically identical to Reliant's Robin three-wheeler the Bond Bug styled by Ogle Design was commissioned as a more sporty model to Reliant hoping to lure younger customers to the brand.

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Uniquely styled with the hinged canopy lid and sloping front profile did little to improve performance with just 31hp from its 700cc engine, 0-60mph taking an incredibly slow 17 seconds and maxing out at 75mph. Fewer than 200 examples remain roadworthy, with weak fiber-glass bodyshells prone to cracking many more Bugs remain stored in barns.

8 Morgan 3-Wheeler - Retro Fun

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Easily mistakable the modern Morgan three-wheeler resembles the companies earlier F-series models from the 1930s although keen bike fans will notice the more modern V-twin motor.

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Launched in 2012 featuring an S&S sourced 2-liter engine boasting 82hp Morgan claim a top speed of 115mph and 0-60 taking 6 seconds, largely due to peak power delivery coming in at 3250rpm and a chassis weighing 525kgs.

RELATED: These 10 Cars All Have Air Cooled Engines

7 Peel P50 - Smallest Car In The World & Dangerous

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Barely big enough for one passenger and a single small bag the Peel P50 launched in 1962 and remained in production as a small city car until 1965. Orginal models are powered by a 49cc engine producing 4.2hp enough to reach a top speed of 28mph which might not seem particularly fast, but considering the diminutive 134cm length and no crash protection makes it more than adequate.

P50 Cars

Currently, Peel Engineering (founded in 2010) produces two variations on the P50 theme with either a petrol engine or a fully electric option.

6 Messerschmitt KR200 - Fighter Cockpit Style Experience - Fun

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After the conclusion of WW2, Messerschmitt had been banned from producing aircraft and turned their attention to building small road cars with the KR200 arriving in 1955.

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Designer Fritz Fend a former aircraft engineer created the KR200 with the foresight to have two wheels at the front greatly improving stability, while the single rear wheel providing the drive. Fitted with a Sachs 2-stroke single-cylinder engine producing 9.9hp gave the KR200 a top speed of 56mph, while occupants gained access via the hinged aircraft-style canopy.

RELATED: 15 Bizarre Car Designs That Made Us Puke Immediately

5 Reliant Robin - Useless Comedy Car - Dangerous

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Dubbed the "plastic pig" Reliant's Robin model remained in production until 2002 claiming to be the second most popular fiber-glass car in history, selling in excess 0f 500,000 cars.

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Designed as a small cheap city car the Robin with its front-mounted 750cc engine could achieve 70mpg and a top speed of 80mph, though these impressive figures cannot mask the car's defects. With the single front wheel and rear-drive layout, the Robin is notoriously easy to roll as proven by Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear.

4 Carver One - Tilting Body / Fighter Jet Road Experience.

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Proving that a single front-wheel design could be fast, safe and stable Carver launched the One in 2003 adopting a unique chassis tilt design to overcome the stability issues normally associated with the layout.

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A fully enclosed tandem 2-seater design the Carver One can lean or tilt into corners at angles up to 45 degrees allowing for higher speeds while keeping its chassis flat. Power comes from a rear-mounted 660cc engine producing 68hp driving the rear wheels to a top speed of 115mph Jet-fighter experience on the roads doesn't come cheap with $35,000 securing the entry-level model, though at least a bike license is all that is required to drive it.

3 Tuk Tuk - Nippy & Dangerous

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Not officially a brand, the Tuk Tuk is a generic term to describe any three-wheeled vehicle with its name referring to the original Tuk Tuk Tuk style engine sound they made.

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Here lies the problem with the Tuk Tuk, though they are manufactured predominantly in Thailand and India, no set design or specification means no two vehicles are ever the same. Designed to be small, agile, and user-friendly they lack any passenger protection or safety features - sure most will never travel fast enough to be a real problem, though they do roll over easily and have been known to catch fire.

2 Polaris Slingshot Grand Touring - Fast & Practicable

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A more civilized modern trike the Slingshot Grand Touring gives all thrills of a three-wheeler without losing out on creature comforts. Most notable for the Grand touring model the inclusion of a hard-top providing its occupants some form of protection from the elements, while Polaris also offers owners bespoke luggage.

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Another modern reverse trike layout again providing better handling allows drivers to make the best use of its GM 2.4-liter engine producing 173hp good enough for a sub-six-second 0-62mph time and a maximum of 130mph.

RELATED: Polaris Spices Up Slingshot With New Design Series

1 Hoffmann 3-Wheeler - Zero Redeeming Features - Dangerous

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Fortunately, just one example of the 1951 Hoffmann was completed, based on the previously more successful Goliath model. Employing a single-cylinder engine generating 6.5hp mounted directly to the rear steering produced unusual handling characteristics much like a modern fork-truck, further impaired by Hoffman's short wheelbase and wide front track.

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Other issues including lack of cooler, poorly located mirrors, and a roof-mounted fuel filler that enters the cabin make this car one to avoid.

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