Dave the Gnome wrote: "Hillman Imp (Imitation Mini with a rear engine. Used to frighten the life out of me thinking about head on collisions!)"

Dave, it was your British preconceptions that caused the problem. When the engine is at the rear, you still drive the car forwards, just like an ordinary car, the Vauxhall Cresta or the Jowett Javelin for example. It's sad nobody told you this at the time. Of course, crumple zones had not been invented then.

You could have chosen a better example of the British car's eccentricities. The Bond 250 for example. With a two cylinder, two stroke engine, it could carry a family, the camping gear and the dog, on holiday from Yorkshire to Cornwall (that's nearly 400 miles), on its three wheels- provided you could get it going: to start it, if the electric starter failed (as it usually did), Father opened the bonnet (hood), put his foot in, and used the kickstart.

This was luxury compared to the motorbike and sidecar that so many families used for Marcopolian explorations.