BMW Isetta 250, 1957
BMW Isetta
BMW Isetta•
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Chassis No.: 427993
- Exterior: Yellow
- Interior: Cream
- 250cc/9.5 HP 2-stroke BMW engine
- 4-speed manual transmission
- Single front opening door
- Canvas sunroof
- Cream bench seat interior
- Refreshed in original Yellow
- Restored by previous German owner
A radical departure from anything before seen by the motoring world, the Isetta caused an immediate stir among the press and public alike with its introduction in 1953. The tiny, bubble-like vehicle was an innovative and totally unique approach to motoring, falling somewhere between a luxury touring car and a motorcycle, or perhaps more accurately, marrying the two. With its two-stroke motorcycle engine and totally enclosed body, the car offered the economy (and almost the convenient size) of a two-wheeled vehicle with the comforts of a traditional car and the space for a passenger—in some cases, two.
The first prototypes and production vehicles were built in Italy by a scooter and refrigerator company run by Renzo Rivolta; but by 1954, Rivolta recognized that while there was demand for the vehicles, popularity and sales were diminishing. He made the decision to license the Isetta to BMW, selling them the tooling and all. The deal proved to be an advantageous one for the tiny car’s future, as BMW was able to sell 22,000 in its first full year of production, 1956, after upgrading various aspects of the car’s overall design and functionality, improving performance and reliability considerably. This 1957 BMW Isetta 250 is an admirable example of the world’s most popular bubble car.
The approximately 750-lb car has all the power it needs to shift through all 4-speed gears. Its single front-opening door is as cute and quirky as it is functional and convenient, and the canvas sunroof conveniently pulls back to allow for ample airflow inside the fish bowl-like shape of the car. Refreshed in its original Yellow color and complemented with a Cream bench-seat interior, this iconic microcar would make an excellent addition to any collection, and as a “small” bonus, requires minimal space for storage and display.
