Even in the USA, utility cars have been produced in the European way, although they have not been very successful. And it’s not hard to guess why.

In the USA there were no space problems (roads, parking lots, etc.) with the exception of a few urban realities such as New York city or Los Angeles, fuel was much less expensive than in Europe and above all, the American production capacity was such that at the price of a European subcompact it was possible to buy a medium-sized American car complete with power steering, automatic gearbox, radio and many amenities unthinkable in the old continent. Still, Powel Crosley Jr. tried it anyway: maybe he was 60 years ahead of the demands of his time.

The CC Four, the model of this car, was produced for about three years from 1946 to 1948, so those produced are not many and those that survive even fewer. The seller says he bought this car from a collector who owned around 15. The car is powered by a 44.2 cu in (724 cc) 26.5 HP straight-4 engine, mated to a three-speed manual gearbox. It is certainly not very powerful but it has to push a weight of only 1,155 lbs, the seller says that basically everything works but there is some work to be done including a hole in the tank and the brakes to be overhauled. The interior is all in all original although clearly the door panels have been replaced with cardboard panels but the essence is that with a few touches, it can be driven as it is. Find it for sale at $9,900 here in Vista, CA.