Microcars have found an unlikely new stage, not in showrooms or marketing campaigns but rather in diplomacy.
The Swiss-made electric bubble car from Microlino has been selected as the official ambassador vehicle of Benedikt Wechsler, Switzerland’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, which comes fitted with a set of diplomatic licence plates.
Wechsler was appointed to the post last year and is based at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters. He will use the Microlino as his permanent ambassadorial car for the remainder of his posting, typically expected to last up to four years in line with standard Swiss diplomatic rotations.
“This is a great opportunity for us to show the Microlino in a diplomatic context and Benedikt is truly leading by example here,” Merlin Ouboter, Co-founder of Micro which is the company behind the vehicle, told Zag Daily.
“We got together with Benedikt because he was looking for a sustainable but practical way to get around for his UNESCO Heritage Tour in Switzerland and what better way to move around than in a Microlino?” Ouboter added.
Wechsler completed the ‘Grand Tour of Switzerland’ using the Microlino last year, a two-week journey spanning Switzerland’s 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites which he undertook in line with the new appointment.
Produced in Turin and developed in Switzerland, the Microlino is classified as a quadricycle. It measures around 2.5 metres in length, weighs approximately 500 kilograms and can seat two.
“Hardly a day goes by without the Microlino prompting delighted amazement,” Wechler wrote in a post-tour report. “A friendly smile or a spontaneous thumbs-up from people on the street. A fellow ambassador recently told me that the sight of the red-and-white Microlino among a sea of black limousines gives her a feeling of happiness every single time.”
Wechsler added that the attention often opens doors to conversation about both the vehicle and Switzerland’s broader role at UNESCO.
“I am very often drawn into conversations by passers-by,” he said. “In addition to explaining the advantages of the Microlino, I can always say a few words about Switzerland’s work within UNESCO and the Francophonie in support of culture, education and science. This is met with great appreciation.
“That is promoting Swiss interests. That creates goodwill. That is part of diplomacy.”
While black sedans and official motorcades define the diplomatic world we know today, the bright red Microlino has emerged as a small but visible departure from the norm that’s turning heads beyond the curb.
