Was Clarkson right about the Peel P50?

DriveTribe’s Mike Fernie takes the P50 to a race track (and races a G-Wiz).

Drivetribe’s Mike Fernie puts a hard-worked P50 to the ultimate test

When most people think of the Peel P50, they picture a quirky museum piece or a collector’s novelty. But in this episode from DriveTribe, Mike Fernie takes something very different to a race circuit — Alex’s daily-driven P50.

This isn’t a freshly restored show car. It’s one of our oldest builds, a car that’s been used exactly as it’s creators originally intended. Over the years it’s served as a daily driver, driven the full length of the UK from John O’Groats to Land’s End, pushed to the limit by Formula 1 drivers, lapped the Nürburgring and other racing circuits and events, and put through real mileage and real-world abuse.

With worn brakes, battle scars and all, it’s the perfect example of what these cars are actually capable of when used properly.

This car does not belong here — but my god is it fun.

Mike Fernie, Drivetribe

Mike sets out to answer a question that’s lingered since Jeremy Clarkson famously drove the P50 on Top Gear: is the Peel P50 only good for city streets and gimmicks, or can it handle something completely inappropriate — like a race track?

What follows is the first proper performance-style test of a P50, complete with hot laps, handling limits, a drag race, and an honest owner interview about what it’s really like to live with one. Mike also lines the P50 up against a G-Wiz, giving a fun but revealing comparison that shows just how entertaining and surprisingly capable, the world’s smallest car can be.