The Microdot was a petrol/electric hybrid vehicle with a small 400cc petrol engine powering a 3.5 kW generator[2] and, designed to carry three people side-by-side on short city journeys, with the driver sitting in the central position.

In 1978 William Towns collaborated with prototype vehicle builders at Mallalieu Engineering, Wootton, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, with a view to limited production.

The Microdot prototype, built by William Towns on a cut-down Austin Mini chassis, was given opening doors and a 6-inch (150 mm) longer nose, to accommodate the aluminium Reliant car engine, one of the smallest and lightest UK car engines then available, instead of the original hybrid proposal.

Designers from film special-effects studios in London, who had created the original Star Wars spaceship interiors, created "alive" interior cockpit designs and motor industry experts from Lucas and Ever Ready advised on batteries, power-trains and instruments.

[citation needed] Relying on 8-track stereo tape recordings by celebrities, it was planned that a Microdot would "talk" to its owner.