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Rare 4-Seater: 1958 BMW Isetta 600

Rarity is a relative thing. A car can be produced in what might seem like respectable numbers, but when its figures are compared with its natural competitors, the sales results don’t always look that flash. Take the 1958 BMW Isetta 600, for example. Loosely based on the original Isetta 300, the company enlarged the car with a bigger engine and a longer frame to create a vehicle that could seat four people. Where BMW sold 161,728 examples of the 300, they could only find buyers for 34,813 examples of the 600 during its entire production run. However, even this doesn’t demonstrate the scale of the problem, because you need to consider the direct competition to gain a clearer insight. One of the 600’s chief rivals was the VW Beetle. In 1958 alone, Beetle production hit 441,941 cars, and that was a number that had to hurt for BMW. This 1958 Isetta 600 is a barn find that appears to represent a stalled restoration project. It is a solid and essentially complete vehicle that needs to find a new home and an owner who will return it to active duty. If you feel up to the challenge, you will find the BMW located in Frankfort, Illinois, and listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set the auction to open at $7,500, but there have been no bids to this point.

We will have readers who will find the comparison between the Isetta 600 and the VW Beetle to be an unfair one, but this is far from the case. BMW had the Volkswagen lined up firmly in its crosshairs, while the chiefs at VW thought that they had some serious competition on their hands in the form of the Isetta 600. However, this level of competition failed to materialize for a couple of basic reasons. The first of these was performance, and we’ll get to that shortly. The second, and possibly the most crucial, was versatility. Both cars could seat four people in comfort or five (or even six) at a pinch. However, the Beetle offered more versatility and space for carrying cargo or luggage, and that hit the BMW pretty hard. This little Isetta appears to be complete because it seems that any components that aren’t attached to the vehicle are residing in the boxes of parts included in the sale. The body sports a few dings and marks, but there’s nothing that would be considered to be severe. One of the greatest enemies of these little cars can be rust, but things appear to be pretty positive with this BMW. There is nothing visible in any of the supplied photos, and the owner doesn’t mention any problems in the listing. If this is the case, performing a cosmetic restoration should be a straightforward process. Some of the external chrome will require a trip to the platers, but the glass appears to be in good order.

The Isetta 600 and the Beetle shared a few traits in common when it came to the question of drivetrain configuration. Both featured an air-cooled engine mounted in the rear that sent its power to the road via a 4-speed manual transmission. However, the BMW’s engine was literally half the motor found in the Beetle. It featured two cylinders, a capacity of 582cc, and a power output of 23hp. The VW pumped out 36hp from its flat-four, and that was a character trait that turned potential buyers away from the Isetta. It might have been noticeably lighter than the Beetle, but this wasn’t enough to bridge the performance gap between the two cars. If all of that wasn’t enough, the two models were only separated in price by a few dollars, and that banged to final nail into the BMW’s coffin. The seller believes that a previous owner commenced the restoration of the Isetta, but that this stalled fairly early. He believes that the engine may have been rebuilt, but he has no way to be sure. It certainly presents well, which makes a positive impression. The owner hasn’t tried to coax it into life, but he says that it turns freely. That means that the buyer will need to conduct their own investigation before hitting the key.

While the Isetta 600 could be viewed as an enlarged version of the original 300, the fact is that the two cars shared very few common parts. These included the unique front door and driver controls, along with the front seat. Where the tiny Isetta could seat two adults and possibly a small child, the 600 was designed to seat twice that figure. Access to the front of the vehicle was as per the 300, but rear-seat passengers found themselves confronted with a very conventional door to gain access. Once again, the rear seat could seat the same as the front, making it conceivable that you could squeeze up to six people into an Isetta  600. However, you would need to employ good personal hygiene, because life could be seriously unpleasant if any of the occupants had body odor problems! The interior of this BMW will require a retrim, but the foundations are there for it. It appears that both seat frames are present, as is a shiny new dash. The gauge cluster looks like it is a restorable proposition, while a competent upholsterer should be able to manufacture seat covers, side trims, and covers for the wheel arches. For those who might consider following this path, I managed to locate a supplier in the UK that can not only supply the seat covers but can also supply the correct material “off the roll” for owners to tackle a spot of DIY. This supplier is willing to ship parts internationally, so that might be an option for the buyer to investigate. It appears that the remaining hardware is present, although the buyer might also need to perform a search to locate a carpet set.

Over the past 10-years, we haven’t seen many examples of the BMW Isetta 600 cross our desks here at Barn Finds. That makes this car something of a treat. I am surprised that there have been no bids given its overall solid nature and the fact that it appears to be essentially complete. However, with 41 people watching the listing at the time of writing, that situation could change at any time. From a collectible perspective, these little cars don’t usually command mega-dollars. They do still tend to sell for some healthy numbers, and it isn’t unusual to see a pristine example top $30,000. That number represents about the upper limit of what you might expect to pay, which means that they remain a relatively affordable but quirky classic This car isn’t pristine, but it has the potential to be returned to that state. All it needs is the right dedicated owner. Could that person be you?

Comments

  1. Avatar Brian

    Can we please correct what we call this car? It’s a ‘BMW 600’ that is based on the Isetta. It is not, however, a ‘BMW Isetta 600.’ I know I am being persnickety about it.

    I have owned 4 BMW 600s – including 1 sunroof model – as well as 6 Isettas (including a true bubble window convertible). The Isetta is a fun novelty car to enjoy on weekends. The BMW 600, however, is a considerable improvement and features the first time the semi-trailing arm rear suspension was used.

    Keep in mind that the Isetta, BMW 600, and BMW 700 were enough to bridge the gap until the investment was made to develop the Neue Klasse.

    I bet this car gets snapped up quickly (as long as it stays under $10K) and ends up in a shop that finishes putting it on the road. We will probably see it listed again when it has been sorted out and enjoyed a year or two.

    I am glad it’s not conveniently close to me or I would be tempted to make it my next project. :-)

    Like 11
    • Avatar Bullethead

      It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Even when politely corrected people insist on saying “Isetta”, and it’s equally difficult to explain where THAT name came from. Hey Look! It’s an Urkel car!!!!

      I have a couple of 700s, another bit of BMW history lost on most.

      Back to this 600: looks like a straight-forward project that might be had reasonably. Finished examples are priced around the same as the 2 seaters, but at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia auction in 2010, I sat next to the seller of a nicely finished 600 that made $74K. A few resto errors, didn’t have correct badges on it, but two bidders had to have it. The room was rightly astonished, the seller more so… it must still be the world record for one of these.

      Like 2
  2. Avatar sir_mike

    This is the limo version.

    Like 6
  3. Avatar Mike Hawke

    This is a really interesting BMW Isetta 600 project. Gotta see the condition of the floor pan, rockers, etc. to properly evaluate. Last time I checked, floor pans are not available in the US, expensive to buy in Europe as well as ship, and potentially expensive to install for those without that skill set. Some of the usual rust spots are covered in primer.

    Like 2
  4. HoA Howard A Member

    Not sure about the “personal hygiene” part, I’d say a much bigger concern would be actually getting this car moving, much less shifting with 4 people in it. These, unless you live in a gated community, are pretty useless. Just being seen today in an ocean of monster pickups, would have me worried. With wheelbarrow tires and golf kart brakes, and what? 23hp? Lawn mowers today have more hp. Why someone would spend 5 figures on a vehicle like this, confirms, the world has truly gone mad,,,,and leading the way is the classic car hobby.

    Like 4
  5. Avatar dogwater

    I was thinking about buying it put decide I didn’t want to die in a head on.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Jimmy Novak

      Like motorcycles with two less wheels and no body protection whatever.

      Like 1
  6. Avatar Howie Mueler

    I clicked on the ad, now i see why there is no bids.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Will Owen

    Pretty sure I’ve mention seeing one of these on he road, family of four inside, zipping through Boulder CO in November of 1960. I was suitably impressed, but did not necessarily want one. The “real car” that eventually followed however, the 700 coupe and sedan, were a very different proposition, the sedan especially. gave it one of his best-balanced bodies ever, and I wanted it from the get-go. The sports coupe and roadster not so much, as the body came out with a short nose and long tail, which I think looks good only on trucks. My favorite private local collection has a very nice one, and if the owner ever wants to part with it It will probably show up on BaT …

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Will Owen

    That’s “Michelotti gave it one of his best bodies …”

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Rich Cunningham

    I think this Isetta is worth a bid.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar ADM

    Back in ’58, when I was four, I was with my father when he decided to stop at(or near) a Cleveland, Ohio BMW distributor to look at these cars, just out of curiosity. All I remember was that “refrigerator” door opening, with the steering wheel attached. I can’t imagine anyone wanting one of these, especially back then.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar chrlsful

    this is the 1 to have it U ask me due to the 4 wheels. Still the novelty of entrance thru frnt.
    I’d not have more than a 2nd seat in it preferring to have it “station wagon’ style. I really need just the 1 seat but…
    The smaller the vehicle the smaller the problems…
    (I’m w/Scott-o, sm & quirky is far from murky)

    Like 1
  12. Avatar Lou Rugani

    Microcar aficionados are avid collectors.

    Like 0

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