Photo credit: Cool Ideas
In 1943, as the Netherlands struggled under Nazi rule, Hub van Doorne, co-founder of DAF, dreamed up a vehicle so outlandish it could only thrive during these times Meet the DAF Mobile Raincoat, a three-wheeled oddity that blended car and motorcycle with a bold streak. At just 80 centimeters wide, it could squeeze through a regular door—a feature that wasn’t just smart, it was a subtle rebel yell.
Weighing a light 330 pounds, the Mobile Raincoat was a feather in a sea of bulky wartime gear. Its lone front wheel, driven by a 150cc ILO four-stroke engine, managed a peppy 45 km/h—not exactly a speed king, but solid for a motorized tricycle with big ambitions. DAF’s own hydraulic torque converter, a sneak peek at their later Variomatic, smoothed out the ride, modest as it was. The real magic? That front wheel could swivel 180 degrees. No reverse gear needed when your front end could just twirl around.
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Its size and nimbleness turned the Mobile Raincoat into a wartime shapeshifter. At 31.5 inches wide, it slipped through doorways, letting owners stash it indoors—safe from nosy Nazis or grab-happy troops. The foldable canvas roof, a quick escape hatch if it tipped onto its single side door, added a practical edge. Sure, muddy tire tracks on the living room floor might’ve ruffled some feathers, but it was a small trade for keeping the ride secure.
After the war, the Mobile Raincoat found a new spotlight: the circus. Its pint-sized frame and quirky charm made it a clown favorite.Born in a time of fuel rationing, it sipped sparingly—a must when every drop counted.
Hub van Doorne’s goal wasn’t to mass-produce a car; it was to make a statement. He believed everyone deserved wheels, even in the bleakest days. The Mobile Raincoat, now showcased at the DAF Museum in Eindhoven, never hit production, but that only boosts its mystique—a frozen moment of one man’s gritty creativity outsmarting a harsh reality.
History doesn’t celebrate the Mobile Raincoat for speed or luxury; it cheers its guts. This was a ride that smirked at wartime limits, at the notion that innovation should kneel to struggle. Every quirky angle and odd detail spins a tale of grit, of a Dutch engineer who spotted a challenge and crafted a solution that was as practical as it was wild. The Mobile Raincoat didn’t win the war, but it redefined what a car could be—a tiny, three-wheeled proof of human spark, still cruising our minds decades on.
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