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Microcar

Logo: LIGIER GROUP, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons3

French microcar manufacturer

Microcar was a French microcar manufacturer. The company was founded in 1980 as a division of Jeanneau, a major sailboat manufacturer. Production moved to a new custom-built factory in September 2000.2 It is part of Ligier.1 It ceased to exist in 2008.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1980Founded1

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Microcar MC2 Dynamic HSEi CVT Auto (front) - Flickr - mick - Lumix
Photo: Mick from Northamptonshire, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

Microcar was a French microcar manufacturer. The company was founded in 1980 as a division of Jeanneau, a major sailboat manufacturer. Production moved to a new custom-built factory in September 2000. In September 2008, Microcar was acquired by Ligier Automobiles in a deal backed by the Italian private equity firm 21 Investimenti Partners. The merger created Europe's second-biggest manufacturer of microcars, and largest maker of quadricycles, or "sans permis" (license-exempt) vehicles. The Microcar and Ligier brands were to retain their separate identities and production facilities. Phillipe Ligier, son of company founder Guy Ligier, is CEO of the expanded Ligier Automobiles.2

Corporate structure

Microcar is part of a group headed by Ligier. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • Ligier Abrest, France
    • Microcar Les Herbiers

Built from parent and subsidiary links from GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (CC0); subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0). Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

Founded by Jeanneau in 1980.1

Products and brands

  • Quadricycle

Listed on Wikidata.1

Current models

The current model range consists of the M.GO-3, introduced (in 2015?) to replace M.Go model introduced in 2009. There are six trim levels, all with petrol engines, in the UK. The M.Go was available in conventional, diesel-engined S, S PACK, MICA, SXI, and Sport trim levels, as well as full electric.

Prior to the M.Go, Microcar was known for their long-running MC Series models, sold as the MC1 and MC2. Both where available as a 2-seat, or 4-seat long wheel base version. The long wheel base being 40mm longer than the short Virgo models. The company also sold a small commercial vehicle called the Sherpa, which was a badge-engineered Ligier X-Pro. The Sherpa was discontinued after the Ligier merger, and the MC has been dropped in favor of the new M.Go. The M.Go was only produced with a petrol engine for the UK market.

Former models

Microcar Family Luxe

Microcar Lyra

Read the full text

Microcar ALCO

Microcar NewStreet, NewStreet Cabriolet

Microcar Pratic Luxe

Microcar Virgo

Microcar Virgo 2

Microcar Virgo 3

Microcar Virgo Luxe

Electric vehicles

From 1994, the Alco electric was built.

From 2006 to 2010, the long-wheelbase version of Microcar's MC Series was used as the basis for the ZENN EV assembled in Canada by ZENN Motor Company with an electric drivetrain. It was marketed in the U.S. and Canada under the ZENN brand as a "Neighborhood Electric Vehicle"(NEV), with its top speed governed to 25 mph (40 km/h). Microcar began distributing the ZENN in Europe during 2007 under its own brand, as the Microcar ZENN. ZENN Motor purchased engineless, rolling chassis from Microcar and installed their own electric motor and drivetrain. The ZENNs retailed for $16,900 while actual cost was $65,000. Microcar brought electric vehicle production fully in-house with the M.Go Electric in 2009, and ZENN ceased production of its MC-based vehicle in 2010.

From Wikipedia’s article on Microcar (brand), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Subsidiaries and ownership

Parent company

Owners

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 2008Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1980Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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