The largest production car (6 were built) is the Bugatti Royale type 41 (introduced in 1927), which was 22 feet long.
In the automotive industry, the terms describing size have roughly the following meanings:
| Size | Weight, pounds | Wheelbase, inches | Overall length, inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subcompact | — | < 100 | < 175 |
| Compact | < 3,000 | 100–105 | 175–185 |
| Midsize | < 3,500 | 105–108 | 185–200 |
| Full size | 3500+ | 110+ | 195+ |
For its fuel economy tests, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a classification of sizes based on a car’s interior volume:
| Sedans (based on passenger & luggage volume) | ||
| Minicompact | less than 85 cubic feet | |
| Subcompact | 85–99 cubic feet | |
| Compact | 100–109 cubic feet | |
| Mid-size | 110–119 cubic feet | |
| Large | 120 or more cubic feet | |
| Two-seaters: cars designed to seat primarily two adults. | ||
| Station Wagons (based on passenger & cargo volume) | ||
| Small | less than 130 cubic feet | |
| Mid-Size | 130–159 cubic feet | |
| Large | 160 or more cubic feet | |
| Trucks | ||
| Vans, small Pickups | trucks having a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating less than 4,500 lbs. | |
| Large Pickups | trucks having a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 4,500–8,500 lbs. | |
A car size established by the Japanese government in 1949, and since modified from time to time. called which means "lightr vehicle. Also called Kei-cars, K-cars. no more than 3.4 meters long and 1.48 meters wide. Engine is limited to a mximum of 660 cc, and
espeically the earlier ones, got very good mileage, 60 miles per gallon not being unusual.
Resources
http://www.xs4all.nl/~mjs/index.htm An enthusiast's site, with photographs tracing the history of each manufacturer's K-cars.
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Last revised: 11 August 2004.