The Isetta was an Italian-designed, egg-shaped microcar that was built under license in several countries. BMW’s version became the world’s first mass-production car to achieve 78 mph in fuel consumption (take that, 2022 hybrids!). This 1957 BMW Isetta is a 300-cc version (they also built 250s and 600s) that’s been stored indoors since the 1970s. It’s going to need a bunch of work, but you’d likely be the only collector in your circle to have one. Another tip from T.J., this little project car is located in Oxnard, California and available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $6,700.
Except as a kid on vacation in Florida in the 1960s, the last time I saw one of these little cars in person was at the BMW Zentrum at their manufacturing plant in South Carolina. Initially manufactured by the Italian firm Iso SpA, the name Isetta is the Italian derivative of Iso, meaning “little Iso”. BMW stepped up its game with the little bubbles in 1956 after the German government changed how the production of cars in that country could be handled. This led to the 300-cc single-cylinder engine being adopted that same year. It was capable of producing 13 horsepower with a similar number of ft-lbs. of torque. These microcars could now reach 53 mph.
The BMW Isetta would see a production of 161,000 cars, although most have vanished from the landscape by now. This ’57 300 was purchased from an estate, where it had been sitting in a barn for decades alongside some other mini-cars. The engine and gearbox are not in the Isetta but will come with the vehicle when sold. We’re told the engine spins freely and has compression, which is a good sign.
Though the body has its share of scrapes and dings, the only reported rust is in the battery tray along with surface oxidation otherwise known as patina. There is no record of the Isetta in the California DMV as so much time has passed since it was last registered. So, a bill of sale will have to suffice over a title. The mileage is said to be 18,315, which could be accurate given that the car wasn’t available for road use after the ‘70s. Who’s got the itch to restore a bubble car like this?
78 mpg?
Yep, I’ve had a couple of these. The English version was three-wheeled. All the ones I’ve seen this side of the puddle have four wheels.
Knew a girl in High School with one in Harbor City, California.
Don’t remember any excitement over it. Just no comments were made.
Think her parents did not look for vehicle protection.
Right, like you get with bicycles and motorcycles.
I’ve thought about getting one of these, painting it in day-glo “something” (safer to be SEEN even if that means getting strange looks) and then driving it across the USA and beyond. Puttering over the Beartooth highway into Yellowstone? How about the Dalton? Into Yosemite? SURE! I’ve spent the last 30 years doing thing like that all summer in a VW camper which gives most people a “You got here in THAT?!?!!?” moment, but really wasn’t a challenge. There was a optional chrome rack that stuck out behind the rear window which, with the storage area behind the seats would give plenty of space for “backpacking” camping equipment. I’m retiring soon so the time it took for such a trip wouldn’t be an issue….Huh…where’s that listing again?….
Go for it Steve and definitely YouTube the adventure.
My girlfriend Serena had one back in the day. Despite its diminutive engine, it handled the San Francisco streets quite well, but was a drag on the freeways. Even 18-wheelers passed us by, especially on the freeway going north to Santa Rosa. But it was a fun car nevertheless.
Had two of them; the first became airborne one night when I fell asleep at the wheel. It was the BMW with two rear wheels. The second was the British iteration of about 1/2 the HP and a single wheel. Both were electrical nightmares. And as if two of these wasn’t painful enough, I had a Messerschmidt.
The latest ep of Vintage Voltage just did an awesome EV conversion on one of these. I would do the same because they are cute but literally undriveable on our roads today.
Cool, but needs a lot of work, did they all have sunroofs like this one?
Yes, they all had sunroofs so you had a way to get out of the car if you got hit in the front door, the only other way to exit.
Yes It is my understanding that they all had the fabric sunroof. It may well have been that they lacked a press big enough to stamp out one piece of steel that size.
Remember that Europe was still recovering from the war and BMW is an aircraft engine manufacturer first, last and always. They didn’t have stamping presses laying about nor did they have the money to get them.
It is quite the feature
In 1961 my father was driving to work in a snow storm. Along a 7 mile dirt road he was going down a fairly steep hill when he lost control of his car, a 1960 Ford Fairlane. He had a head-on collision with one of these Isettas. The Ford was undrivable. But the guy in the Isetta offered my father a ride home in his bent but drivable car. It would only go into reverse, so they drove about 4 miles back to our home in reverse in the little Isetta.
They had a sunroof as an emergency exit, or entrance, the front opening door could be blocked or damaged in an accident.
These were also built in Brazil during the 60’s. They were built by a company called Romi, licenced by BMW; thus it was called the Romi Isetta.
The Romi Isetta was ’56-’61
Masked high school wrapped rope around a teacher’s Isetta when coming back from lunch. Being confined, he drove around the school till someone figured out to rescue him. True story!