1963 Goggomobil TS400

You’re looking at the stylish TS coupe here, of which 66,511 were built. While no-one could ever accuse it of having rakishly good looks, it’s undeniably cute and it is a genuine 2+2, offering (limited) rear legroom and is probably one of the most stylish of the microcars of the era. Fitted with suicide doors and multi-function futuristic rear lights, it’s a fascinating amalgam of the old and new.

Sporting a grey roof over a cream body, this example was built in 1963. Repainted approximately eight years ago, it was then purchased by a motorcycle restorer to add to his collection of classic vehicles. He then fitted the Goggomobil with new chromework, along with refurbished suspension and braking systems. It is now in fabulous condition and ready for any discerning collection.

Fitted with a 392cc engine from new, the logbook shows it as having a 300cc engine, while the rear badging states it is a 250cc…

We think that it is almost certainly fitted with its original engine but would welcome potential bidders here at The Market HQ who would like to take a look at it in person in order to ascertain for themselves exactly what we have and what they are bidding on.

We think the grey and cream looks fabulous and suits the car’s lines rather well. The coachwork is in fine condition, and the panel fit is excellent considering this was always meant to be a budget car, albeit one that is uncommonly well built.

The paintwork is in fine fettle too, and is of very high quality and is still almost unmarked bar some slight cracking near the offside door handle and the nearside rear corner of the roof.

Being new, the chromework is as good as you’ve have every right to expect. The weakest areas are the wing-mounted mirrors, which show some slight pitting. However, we think most of that should buff away with a spot of Autosol and the expenditure of only moderate effort.

The light lenses and glasswork are all in good condition, as are the painted steel wheels and chrome hubcaps. The tyres, which match of course, have plenty of tread.

When taken on the road, the wonderful (aeronautically-inspired?) styling always generates warm smiles and positive responses from those around; some microcars look and feel like a cost-reduced tricycle in a ponderous glassfibre suit, the Goggomobil is designed and built to a much higher standard.

The cabin features a metal gate for the gearbox, just like that of the Ferrari 355 we currently have on auction. Offering the very best haptic feedback for a bargain-basement price, we think this might just be the cheapest car on sale today that offers a Ferrari-style gearchange.

The rest of the interior is a riot of red leather, creamy white Bakelite knobs and switches, door cards featuring the cutest pleated pockets you’ve ever seen, a chromed and machine-finished dashboard and pedals, and the most wonderfully period steering wheel and cowl. It really is a wonderful place to be with little bejewelled features everywhere you look, although you will need to be on intimate terms with your passenger if you ever need to change gear.

The floorpans are protected by black rubber mats, which are in good condition. Aftermarket, Goggomobil-branded, grey carpet mats sit on top. Look under the dashboard to the pedals and you will find the spare wheel located at the very front of the car.

The headlining is slightly grubby and stained, and looks to have had a small patch repair made to it at some point in its life, and the red leather trim on the A-pillars is wrinkled. Neither is too bad and could be fairly easily remedied, they just stand out a bit because the rest of the interior is so good. And just as charming, and sophisticated, as the exterior. The level of engineering in that gearchange (from the gate to the change-feel) is just indicative of a very thoroughly developed machine - it has created a great response from all that have viewed it.

The only other problems that we can see appear to be limited to a small tear on the nearside edge of the driver’s seat plus some wear to the centre cloth panels (please see photo for more details).

The former could be professionally repaired very easily but, for what it is worth, if it were ours we’d be tempted to have the front seats retrimmed to match the rear.

The diminutive (it’s small enough that you could probably pop it in your pocket as the ultimate anti-theft measure…) rear-mounted engine is wonderfully detailed and almost hidden beneath a red engine cover. It starts on the button and ticks over and performs well. It looks to have been recently rebuilt or refreshed (along with much of the rest of teh mechanicals) wlthough unfortunately we cannot verify this through the papework.

The underside of the Goggomobil is as well-finished as the exterior and interior. It’s been neatly finished in black underseal, used in this instance to protect rather than to hide all manner of nasties as is too often the case.

The car’s online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s mileage.

The MOT certificate has expired, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

The vehicle also comes with a couple of old tax discs, a Technical Data book, and an Operation and Maintenance booklet that shows the original UK importer’s details, alongside some hand-written notes on its original specification.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this paperwork.

We imagined initially that interest in the Goggomobil TS400 would be limited to the arcane world of the micro-car enthusiast. However, given the staggering attention to detail that pervades the car, we can see it finding a home with a discerning collector for whom great design and the very best engineering are equally important.

And while the guide price of £10,000 to £15,000 might seem like a lot on a £-per-lb basis, the quality of the work that has gone into the Goggomobil, both during its initial design, manufacture, and later restoration, is so high that we think of almost nothing that offers comparable levels of interest and delight for the money.

Sure, its performance on the road will be eclipsed by, well, almost everything but for connoisseurs of design, the Goggomobil offers almost unparalleled satisfaction.

Plus, when are you going to get the chance to buy one in this condition again? We tend to regret the things we haven’t done rather than the things we have, so don’t let this wonderful little car slip through your fingers because you think your money is better invested earning 0.1% interest in the building society…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.