BORN IN ITALY, RAISED IN GERMANY: The BMW Isetta provided a fuel-efficient solution to postwar needs
May 5, 2016
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Tiny but terrific: the BMW Isetta has quite a story. This fine example of a 1956 BMW Isetta 300 will be crossing the block at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction in June.
You may be forgiven if you look shocked when you first cast eyes on a BMW Isetta – particularly if you have always associated BMW with luxury vehicles.
The old saying “necessity is the mother of invention” certainly applies here. In postwar Europe, fuel was scarce, but the working public needed transportation. Enter Iso SpA, an Italian firm that was building refrigerators and motor scooters in the 1950s. The company’s owner decided he would like to build a small car for mass distribution, and by 1952 his engineers had crafted an egg-shaped microcar using a motorcycle engine and christened it Isetta – meaning “little Iso” in Italian.
The Isetta’s small size even makes it possible to park perpendicular to the curb, open up the door and step out onto the sidewalk.
When the tiny, unconventional automobile was introduced at the Turin Auto Show in 1953, it caused quite a commotion. It literally looked like something from another planet. Only 7.5 feet long and 4.5 feet wide with bubble-type windows, the entire front end of the car hinged outwards to allow entry – with the steering wheel and instrument panel swinging out with the door. Ventilation (and emergency exit) for driver and passenger was provided by a canvas sunroof.
After the car’s impactful debut, licenses were granted to several companies to build their own versions. While the Spanish, French and Brazilian licensed models of the microcar did well, nobody came close to the success of the Germans, who made the Isetta their own. BMW saw the car as filling a gap between their motorcycle range and the luxury 501 models. Engineers got busy redesigning the power plant around a BMW 1-cylinder, 4-stroke, 247cc motorcycle engine that generated a whole 13hp. The major Italian design elements remained intact, but it was re-engineered to the point that no part from a BMW Isetta is interchangeable with those from an Iso Isetta.
Known as the BMW Isetta 250, it first appeared in April 1955 and became the world’s first mass-production car to achieve a fuel consumption of 78 miles per gallon. It was the top-selling single-cylinder car in the world, with 161,788 units built.
In 1956, the German government changed the classes and regulations for motor vehicles, requiring BMW to revise the Isetta to remain in compliance. In October 1956, the Isetta Moto Coupe DeLuxe was introduced. The bubble windows were replaced by longer, sliding windows and the engine size was increased to 298cc – thus the car was given a “300” designation. Power output and torque also increased, which made the microcar much easier to drive.
Before BMW began modifying the design of the Isetta to the slider-window model, it still produced a small quantity of bubble window cars in 1956 – and one of those very cars will be crossing the block at No Reserve at the Inaugural Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction. This 1956 BMW Isetta 300 from the Gannon Collection has an all-electric ignition system, two-tone paint and highly desirable “Z-mold” trim. The engine has been stroked for more power and produces 14hp with a top speed of 53 mph.
The interior of the Isetta is remarkably spacious, easily accommodating even taller individuals.
This exceptional BMW has been completely restored, with the engine, transmission and rear end rebuilt to concours standards. The interior has been updated with ultra-fine-quality custom leather upholstery and dual heated seats, along with matching leather side panels and new Mercedes carpeting. Torpedo headlights and a modified bumper extension complete the overall look.
Said to be the very best microcar of its time, the Isetta may be BMW’s strangest creation ever – but there’s undoubtedly something to be loved. As it makes its way into the spotlight on the Barrett-Jackson stage at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut in June, it is certain to capture the eye of many discerning collectors.
For up-to-date information on this vehicle, click HERE.
The video below takes a look at some other impressive microcars that have crossed the Barrett-Jackson block: