Microcar Virgo History
Microcar's best-selling 1990s quadricycle — a 505 cc Lombardini-engined hatchback that represented the bulk of the brand's sales through 2003.
Photo: “Microcar Virgo vr.jpg” by Norbert Schnitzler / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Start with a make and model. Add a year where a detailed guide is available.
Model history available. Detailed year guides are not published for this model.
Browse this model's history and yearsHistory
Introduced in 1996 (sold as the Virgo 1), the Microcar Virgo replaced the earlier Lyra and quickly became the company's volume model. It was a heavy quadricycle under French law — driveable on a motorcycle licence without a full car licence — and targeted the growing 'voiture sans permis' market of young drivers and urban commuters.
The Virgo used a 505 cc Lombardini twin-cylinder petrol engine paired with a CVT, producing around 21 hp. Weighing under 400 kg, it was claimed capable of 70 mph and 65 mpg — respectable figures for a licence-exempt vehicle of the era. Three successive versions (Virgo 1, 2, and 3) kept the model fresh; the Virgo 3 continued until approximately 2003.
A Virgo Luxe trim and various cosmetic updates appeared across the generation's run. The model established Microcar's reputation for practical, fuel-efficient urban transport and laid the commercial foundation for the MC-series that followed.
Generations
Virgo 1
Photo: “Microcar Virgo vr.jpg” by Norbert Schnitzler / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Launch version with Lombardini 502 engine; established the Virgo line as Microcar's flagship (the exact 1→2 cut-over date is not well documented; ~1998).
Virgo 2
Photo: “Microcar Virgo 2 vr.jpg” by Norbert Schnitzler / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Mid-cycle evolution with detail refinements; continued the same Lombardini petrol drivetrain.
Virgo 3
Final Virgo variant before the MC-series; available in standard and Luxe trims.
2001 Photo: “2001 Microcar Virgo Premier LX Auto.jpg” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Body styles
- Hatchback
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Microcar Virgo
Search Amazon across available years, colors, and scales. Exact releases vary, so confirm the listing before ordering.