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The BMW Isetta is the microcar icon of the1950s that can be credited with saving the BMW brand.  During the mid-1950s, BMW was rapidly approaching bankruptcy and needed a low-cost and easy-to-produce model that would make fast money for the company.  The 1954 Turin Car Show brought their answer in the form of the Iso Isetta.  Iso Rivolta, the Italian manufacturer of refrigerators and mini cars, had on display a three-wheeled car with a giant door in the front - the Iso Isetta.  BMW saw the potential in the model and purchased both the licensing rights and  the production equipment.  At the start of Isetta production in 1955, a fourth tire was added and the engine was a single cylinder that generated exactly 12 hp.  By 1956, BMW released a higher performance model - the Isetta 300.  It had a 300 cc engine and produced 13 hp. Both versions could reach speeds of up to 53 mph.

The Isetta weighs just 770lbs and is 7.5 feet long with a single door that opens to the front and includes the entire steering column.  Surprisingly, two adults can sit side by side, though there is no interior luggage space.  A canvas roof serves as an emergency exit which was required by law at the time for front-entry vehicles.  Production of the Isetta ran from 1955 to 1962 and had a run total of 161,728 units with over 10,000 sold in the first year.  The success of the vehicle was largely due to its affordability, costing 2,550 German marks, the equivalent of just $1,450 today.

This specific Isetta has 7918km on the odometer and has recently been fully serviced so it’s ready for its next owner.  Contact us today if you’re in the market for this iconic piece of history.