'Bubble Cars' also known as 'Microcars' were almost invented in the 1940s responding to post-war austerity conditions. In fact there were little more than a 1940s remake of the pre-war 'Cyclecars'. Whereas Cyclecars tended to use Motorcycle engines, Bubble Cars were more likely to use engines from Scooters (Isetta) as well as their wheels. Several models had perspex canopies or roofs and hence the term 'Bubble Cars' was coined. The 1956 Suez Crisis resulted in fuel rationing, and helped to create new demand for these little cars. However, several manufacturers attempted to get into this market with more mature offerings, usually by designing something more sophisticated and the Fiat 500 was probably the most successful of these. Britain's Morris Mini and Hillman Imp both started out as Bubble Car projects before completing as 'small' cars instead.