We’re looking at a Borgward Isabella coupe, a rare variant of the Isabella line. Prior to coming up with this attractive design, Borgward’s offerings were a scattered bunch, reflecting the company’s aggregation of multiple makes over the years, including Hansa, Lloyd, and Goliath. But the Isabella came out of the gates selling well, with over 11,000 copies finding homes in the launch year. In 1955, both an estate and a cabriolet joined the sedan in the line-up; the coupe arrived in 1957. All told, over 200,000 Isabellas of various ilks were sold, with most of the production remaining in Europe. Only about 10,000 of these were coupes. This example is located in Plantsville, Connecticut, and its price of $9900 reflects its needs, which include a title. Find it here on facebook Marketplace. T.J. sent us this tip – thanks!
The Isabella sold well because it carved out a new niche in the post-war German automotive landscape: it was a well-appointed car incorporating technological advancements at a reasonable price with an economical engine. Price-wise, it was slotted above the VW Beetle but below Mercedes and BMW models: it looked good and felt good without breaking the bank. Early cars are equipped with a 1.5-liter in-line four, good for 60 hp. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a column-shift, all-synchro four-speed manual. Later cars utilize the same engine, decked with a twin-choke carburetor, boosting output to 75 hp; these are the Touring Sport, or TS, variants. This car’s engine turns, but it has not been started in years.
The swanky two-tone interior was a selling point when the Isabella was new. The white steering wheel, white switch knobs, and gold-trimmed instrument panel conveyed a sense of luxury. The new owner will either need to settle for cleaning the stained upholstery as well as possible, or spring for new material. On the other hand, the trunk is tidy, and the car retains its original tool roll and a few of its tools.
I have come this close to buying an Isabella coupe any number of times. I appreciate details like the beautiful tail and signal lights, the delicate greenhouse, the prominent haunches. The styling is reminiscent of a Karmann Ghia or even a Studebaker, but if you’ve ever sat in one, you’ll appreciate the sensation of quality: the doors are heavy, the switches are positive, the cabin is spacious. While I can’t see restoring this example myself, I can understand the appeal of this project: prices for nice Isabella coupes can breach $30k, and some asking prices are far higher. What do you think – would you tackle the restoration of this rare German coupe?
Got into admit, pops, it’s a sharp looking car,,,where ever you are. I’m sure he’d have no comment, but I think it’s beautiful. Ironically, when I was a kid, early 60s, we had an older Jewish doctor, Dr. Zubatsky(sp?) who made house calls( remember those?) and he drove a Borgward. We thought it was a bit odd a Jewish doctor would drive a German car, and I don’t recall it looking like this,,more of a sedan type. I think he had a Lloyd too, because we made fun of the names. It’s really cool, you can really see the difference in European cars, certainly not British, Italian or French. Each with designs all their own.
I’ve never heard the term “twin choke”, and info is limited. As mentioned it was an option on the “TS” models, and all I can figure is it must be a 2 barrel of some sort. This “Automobile Catalog” I get a lot of my performance specs from, and how do they do that? They have the figures on literally EVERY car made. Mysteries of the innernet[sic], but this car wasn’t as slow as one would think. It did 0-60mph in about 17.8, the 1/4 mile in just over 20sec@,,aw, who cares( the TS a bit faster) but did deliver almost 30mpg, but,,,,it wasn’t cheap. Ol’ doc shelled out about $2500 for that Borgward, about the same as an Impala, but being frugal, it worked for him. Dad missed out on so many nice cars because of his beliefs.
“Twin choke” is an archaic Britishism, Howard and, as you correctly suggest, applied to carburetors, errrrr, “carburetters” with two barrels.
I drove a Borgward years ago and, like most German cars, it would run at its power peak forever, so made for a good Autobahn car, even if a lot of cars could easily outrun it. It was comfortable and beautifully finished, too.
When I was in grade school, a friend’s father had an Isabella sedan. He had traded a Lloyd in for it. Which, in turn, had replaced a Goliath. For whatever reason, he went for a Fiat 1100 after that….
Thanks, Ray, we seem to have lost the thumbs up again, but we didn’t see many in Beer City. Certainly no Borgward dealers I remember.
Ol’ doc Zubratsky had a Lloyd?! They were the poor man’s Volkswagen, topping out at about 600ccs. He must have had some connection to Bremen.
Hi Howard, how you doing? I never managed to own a coupe but I did own two Isabella TS sedans. Much like yourself I have owned many, many cars of all shapes, makes and sizes and the Borgwards were one of my all time favourites. Powerful enough for South African roads, economical, roomy, good road holding, and easy fix cars if required. Always wanted a coupe but I’m now too long in the tooth at 86 to start another restoration. Keep commenting and keep well old man.
Last time I was at one of our local junkyards years ago they had a couple of Borgward Isabellas and a Goliath Tiger rusting away. Probably crushed by now. I’ve read that Subaru’s original flat 4 engine was largely inspired by the Lloyd Arabella flat 4 and Subaru had prototypes running around with the Lloyd engines.
The Borgward bankruptcy was a bit strange as the creditors were paid 100%.
The Borgward bankruptcy was strange indeed. Years later, the lawuer overseeing the liquidation said: Borgward cound easily have been saved. What happened was it was exprememly competitive with Mercedes on a variety of levels including militarily; Borgward produced first rate all-wheel drive trucks and had in WW2 produced a half-track of extraordinary performance characteristics. They were also formidable competitors with VW (Arabella) and Porsche (their racing-sports coupes). They had to go and the Deutsche Bank was the key. The bank was told, you either finance Mercedes and the rest, or Borgward – take your pick.
The Lloyd Frau and Arabella had 2 cyl. engines. When Borgward went belly up, the Goliath assets, including tooling, were purchased by Fuji Heavy industries. The Goliath watercooled 1100 cc flat four became the base for Subaru’s successful flat fours and sixes.
After considering a VW Beetle, my brother bought a new 1958 Goliath Kombi 1100 cc. IIRC, the engine was rated @ 40 Hp. I drove it a number of times and found the 4 on the column easy to live with. At freeway speeds, the engine sound resembled my mom’s Singer sewing machine and not at all like the VW’s aircooled flat 4.
Borgward production tooling was sold to a Mexican firm in 1963. After several delays, production of the Borgward P-100 Big Six (2240 cc,) began in 1967 at a plant in Escobedo, Nuevo Leon. Two thousand two hundred ninety-five Borgwards were also assembled in Argentina from 1960 to 1965. Production in Mexico ceased in 1970.
I recall a strange story in either R&T or Car & Driver of an Austrian car importer/dealer who had acquired a stash of P100 I-6 crate engines originally destined for Argentina. These were supposedly fitted to some new AMC cars that found their way to Austria. Can anyone verify this?
Wikipedia and other sources state the Arabella had a flat 4 engine. The Arabella was also sold as a Borgward.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Arabella
https://fastestlaps.com/models/lloyd-arabella
AMC did have a European presence, mainly through Ramblers assembled by Renault. (I used to know a guy in Switzerland who owned a Renault Rambler.) However I’ve never heard of Borgward engines being installed in them.
I can kind of verify it. I recall a photo in a magazine of a prototype at some European auto show. Some on the interweb is a photo of a newspaper ad for them. I have never seen any other evidence. My understanding about the forced liquidation of Borgward was that the state of Bavaria owned a piece of BMW and wanted competition out of the way.
Michelle got it right: 4 on the tree ! Had a pal who had one back in ’65. Cool little car. :-) Terry J
I’ve read somewhere that the Borgward takeover by MB had something to do with the German government at the time and a rumored collusion with Mercedes. Add to that the fact that the owner of the company was alleged to have had pro-Nazi sympathies during the war (and did quite well, contract-wise). Please feel free to correct any incorrect information you may find. Great cars-I’ve often considered owning one!
Sorry, politics had nothing to do with it. It was strictly money. Furthermore, Borgward was a German patriot, no more no less. He was arrested (for what I do not know), had his gold watch stolen by an American GI, was put into a work camp without trial or charges and otherwise abused. They taught him democracy.
That is one unfettered engine bay.
The Borgward engine bay is the neatest that I have ever seen on a car. There is very little wiring that can be seen because it is hidden on the underside of the flat panel that covers the front wheels. I have owned two of these fine cars but never got to remove a wheel, but I’m sure that the wiring and anything else, will be well contained in order for the dust and wetness not to do any damage.
I’m sure Advanced Auto will have any part you need… Lol
Look to the details…
Sill worth to save it!!!
But still, to expensive….
(or make parts from it…)
sorry for my rusty English
Best regards from Ge
Worked on one in the 60’s and I remember they were well built and had that German solidity like a Mercedes with typical teutonic styling.
My father had one of these, one of the first cars I remember as a kid. Apparently there is a fairly strong network of Borgward lovers out there so a refreshment maybe easier than one thinks.
Just curious. How do we know that there is no title? The listing in FB doesn’t mention much and nothing about a missing title.
Doesn’t look very rusty for a CT car, but there is some strange mess on the inner front fenders under the bonnet. Always liked the looks of this coupe.
Listing clearly says he has some paperwork but no title
I’m not a FB member and when I first looked, there was no ‘see more’ attached to the limited text. I see it now. Thanks.
Vere are you papers? You vill show me your papers.
Ze papers merely state you have not been mistreated here,,
I remember about 30 years ago when I saw an Isabella in the small hamlet of Titusville, NJ, between the canal and the Delaware River. I went there several times over the years to a clock shop. The Isabella was cream color with attractive lines like this one.
I always thought that these were front wheel drive like the Lloyd and Goliath. My ex-father-in-law had a few of these in the past and swore by their quality. He even had a wagon that he used to load up stamping dies in. (Mould and die maker) He bragged about how the suspension held up to the load. But lamented a out how slow it was under load like that. The ex-mother-in-law took the family on a 3 month summer vacation with a friend and 4 kids in the same wagon. Drove all over the country loaded to the gills and never an issue. I know where an Isabella Coupe is at a friend’s house. And I keep looking at it. (The engine is out but on the trunk.,)
Several older friends (all dead now) had these as well. I never heard them say negative word a out them.
What a sophisticated interior. Absolutely stunning
In 1967 in Meredith, NH I acquired a pair of Isabella sedans. As i recall, one didn’t run and the other was very rusty. I owned them for a couple of days and sold them almost as quickly.
Except for the Isabella coupe and convertible, the Borgward was more in the Volvo class, not the BMW class. A step up from the VW for people looking for sturdy workmanlike cars. Heck, you could make a Sloan ladder of VW, Borgward, and Mercedes
Where would Opel and Audi fit?
I’d put Opel between Borgward and Mercedes. Got no idea about Audi.
I have owned all of them so it’s Opel, Borgward, Audi, Mercedes for me.