1961 BMW Isetta Lot n° 18

Ingenious concept Rare on sale Fully restored French car registration document Chassis No.: 593756 At the end of the 1940s, after the war, the microcar vogue developed. These small cars, often powered by a motorcycle engine, were more comfortable than a two-wheeler. The Italian brand Iso presents the Isetta at the 1953 Turin Motor Show. It is distinguished in particular by its front door which opens, taking the dashboard and steering wheel with it, giving access to a small two-seater bench seat. An ingenious car, it seduced other manufacturers who chose to produce it under licence, such as BMW in Germany. At this time the brand with the propeller is on the verge of bankruptcy and the development of this small car will prove to be a life-saver. With a length of only 2.28 m and a featherweight of 350 kg, it was more agile than any contemporary car. Adult passengers sat side by side, just like in a real car, an asset that no other micro car could offer. The four-stroke engine of the R25 motorcycle, a 250 cc single-cylinder engine, provided exactly 12 hp to the BMW Isetta 250 at the start of production in 1955. The Isetta presented here was put on the road in 1961. It is coral red and ivory in colour with an interior in beige fabric and brown leather, and is equipped with a canvas sunroof as standard. It was fully restored in 2019 by the garage Atelier 46 in Courbevoie. This charming little car has benefited from a complete restoration, pushed to the smallest details. The bodywork has been completely restored with the chassis repainted with epoxy, as well as all the mechanical parts and the engine. The upholstery was also redone with great care in the choice of materials and finish. Since the end of the restoration, only 140 km have been done to run in the engine and make sure that the car works well. The car is now ready to go for a ride!