Spherical heartthrob turns 70: When the Isetta saved BMW

The smallest, cuddly-shaped people's cars from Italy continue to win hearts with their charm. But this time, it's not about the Fiat 500: The BMW Isetta also has Italian genes. It once ensured BMW's financial survival. A chronicle.

She's a crowd favorite at the BMW Museum in Munich, and at BMW Welt next door, the 70-year-old woman captivates prospective new car buyers. The 2.28-meter-long, usually brightly painted BMW Isetta leaves no one untouched. It's no wonder that the startup Micro is now selling its Microlino model as a modern interpretation of the iconic BMW cabin scooter. The spherical Isetta from the Golden Fifties continues to capture hearts, much like the Fiat 500 Nuova or the Vespa scooters.

The BMW Isetta shares its ancestry with these iconic, minimally powered models. This egg-shaped, cute little car, with its single-cylinder motorcycle engine, a bench seat, and a single, forward-opening front door—the refrigerator model—was originally developed in Bella Italia. Refrigerator manufacturer Renzo Rivolta had turned his Isetta three-wheeler into a successful model among scooter-mobiles there when BMW took notice of the tiny car. A roof over one's head—that was the dream of almost every two-wheeler in the first post-war decade.

BMW had just celebrated its return to the premium brand scene with glamorous V8 luxury models and success in motorcycle racing when the motorcycle boom abruptly ended. While 30,000 BMW motorcycles were sold annually in the early 1950s, this figure had fallen to just 5,400 units by 1957. In addition, the V8 cars weren't generating any profits. What could be done? The Bavarians acquired an Isetta license from Rivolta and modified the motocoupe, turning the tiny car into a bestseller. Thus, the Isetta secured BMW's financial survival for the time being.

Elvis in the Isetta

1954 was the year in which the West German economic miracle took on a new sound: The transistor radio would forever change the music world. Elvis Presley, who recorded his first song, "That's All Right Mama," in the USA, did the same. Little did he know that a few years later, he would become an important brand ambassador for BMW, purchasing a 507 V8 roadster capable of over 200 km/h (124 mph) and also driving the Isetta, which only had a top speed of around 85 km/h (53 mph).

The Bavarian V8 roared for the first time at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show, under the hood of the baroque-style BMW 502. With this world's first light-alloy eight-cylinder, the Munich-based company garnered respect in the prestige class, but the cash registers didn't ring. Quite the opposite: Due to the complex production processes, the entire V8 range was a subsidized business. When lucrative motorcycle sales then collapsed, alarm bells rang. Despite the empty coffers, a new source of income had to be found: a small car, the kind that BMW's motorcycle clientele had been seeking.

It was at the Turin Motor Show, the world's most important design fair at the time, that a BMW delegation found what they were looking for: alongside sporty design gems such as the new Alfa Giulietta Sprint, the two-stroke rattle of the chic Iso Isetta cabin scooter could be heard.

New type of automobile

In fact, Iso hadn't created a shrunken small car, like the German designs of the time, such as the Fend Flitzer or Brütsch Mopetta. Rather, the Isetta was a new kind of automobile, whose everyday practicality and attractive design found fans worldwide. Not only Velam (France), Isetta of Great Britain, and several South American companies acquired licenses for replicas, but also BMW. The white and blue brand also obtained the rights to export the Isetta to other markets such as Austria, Switzerland, and Scandinavia.

But first, the Munich engineers had to optimize the engine and chassis of the 350-kilogram flyweight. Instead of the Italian two-stroke original, BMW installed a 250 cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine familiar from motorcycle production, which produced 9 kW/12 hp and propelled the egg-shaped vehicle to a top speed of 85 km/h. Starting in 1957, the Isetta 300, which produced 10 kW/13 hp but was no more agile, complemented the range.

This top speed made the Isetta suitable for the Autobahn and was even sufficient for a vacation trip to faraway Italy, the land of many dreams at the time. Traveling on four wheels and well-protected – the one-door Isetta featured a folding top that also served as an officially mandated emergency exit – to the places described in René Carol's hit "Sonne über der Adria" or Peter Alexander's chart-topper "Es war in Napoli" (It was in Naples) was affordable even for many young families, with the Isetta costing just 2,550 German marks – almost a third less than a VW Beetle.

Half annual salary

For the average German worker, half a year's salary was enough to fulfill the dream of owning a car, for whom the Brenner Pass to the land of the Dolce Vita wasn't too steep, and for whom, according to BMW advertising, it cost "less tax" than "a city dachshund." At the same time, the agile Isetta appealed to women, especially when the well-off, "somewhat independent husband"—as BMW marketing called it—chauffeured a V8 BMW. The trend toward second cars was set.

Before this, however, BMW had to win a court case against the Rhineland-based Hoffmann works, which had not received a license from Iso and yet produced the "Hoffmann Auto Kabine" – an Isetta copy that differed from the original only by a side door. But then, the smallest BMW car of all time took off on a huge success. No derogatory nicknames like "pothole detector," "asphalt bubble," or "Christmas car" in reference to the swinging front door could hinder the Motocoupe's success. On the contrary, this unique automotive creation gradually achieved cult status – even in the land of road cruisers. Hollywood stars like Cary Grant demonstrated their coolness by stepping out of the Isetta's front door opening, the steering wheel and steering column swinging sideways.

There was even a right-hand drive Isetta variant – and a series of 1,500 Isettas with only three wheels to take advantage of tax advantages in some markets. In 1957, the visually modified and technically upgraded Isetta Export revived business and countered new small cars like the Goggomobil from Glas.

"Move with the times - drive a BMW," blared the advertising slogan, and more than 161,000 Isetta buyers followed this call by 1962. Thus, the best-selling single-cylinder car of all time outlived almost all of its direct rivals, and the cute little car earned BMW enough money to develop the four-seater two-cylinder Type 600 in 1957.

Things were now moving forward in Munich: First, the Type 700, BMW's new pontoon-shaped small car, caused a sensation in 1959. Then, industrialist Herbert Quandt acquired a significant portion of BMW's capital, thus setting the stage for the launch of the "New Class." BMW had now overcome its biggest crisis, and the Isetta could step down and mature into a classic.

BMW Isetta Chronicle

1948 : BMW resumes motorcycle production. In May, the BMW Supervisory Board approves the construction of the luxury model BMW 501

1951 : The BMW 501 celebrates its world premiere at the IAA in Frankfurt on April 17. The series launch of the 501, planned for the autumn, is not successful due to a lack of body production facilities.

1952 : In November, production of the BMW 501 begins, with bodies from the Stuttgart-based body manufacturer Baur. List prices for the BMW 501 start at 15,150 marks, making it the second-most expensive German-made sedan (after the Mercedes 300). The first BMW 501 is delivered to a retail customer in December.

1953 : The 1,000th BMW 501 is delivered in September. The vehicle brand Iso Autoveicoli SPA is registered. Initially, production focuses on the three-wheeled model Iso Isetta Turismo, a cabin scooter, of which around 20,000 units are built starting in 1954.

1954 : The BMW 502 debuted at the Geneva Motor Show, featuring the first mass-produced European V8 light-alloy engine (100 hp from a 2.6-liter displacement). At the same time, dark clouds appeared on the horizon for the previously flourishing motorcycle business. BMW was looking for a new successful model that would fill its coffers. Iso granted licenses for the Isetta model to France (Velam), Spain (Iso Espana), Great Britain (Isetta of Great Britain), Brazil (Romi-Isetta), and Argentina (De Carlo Isetta). But above all, to BMW in Germany, where the microcar, now with four wheels, became a mass-produced bestseller known as the BMW Isetta. BMW employees had previously spotted the Iso at the Turin Motor Show and conceived its further development into a four-wheeled scooter-mobile. BMW was granted the rights to export the Isetta to Austria, Switzerland, and Scandinavia. The Lintorfer Hoffmann-Werke produced a copy of the Isetta (albeit with a side door) after failing to obtain a license from Iso. After producing approximately 100 "Hoffmann Auto Kabinen," production was discontinued, as BMW won a counterfeit lawsuit against the Rhineland-based company. The Iso Isetta competed in the Mille Miglia, achieving a respectable result. On the more than 1,600-kilometer route, drivers reached an average speed of over 70 km/h.

1955 : On March 5, the BMW Isetta 250 motorcycle coupé was presented, with production beginning in April. Its exterior length was just 2.29 meters, its wheelbase 1.50 meters, and its unladen weight 350 kilograms. With a displacement of just 250 cubic centimeters, the Isetta was also aimed at holders of the old Class IV driver's license. The idiosyncratic shape of this originally Italian creation was even considered chic. In June, the Isetta won the beauty contest at the Bad Harzburg automobile tournament in the price category up to 4,000 marks. On November 20, BMW celebrated the delivery of the 10,000th Isetta. Daily production of around 120 Isettas was no longer sufficient; delivery times now exceeded a month. The Isetta secured BMW its first profit after the war.

1956 : Production of the Isetta 300 begins in February. A new feature is the standard handbrake. Production of the modified and better equipped BMW Isetta Export (250 and 300) begins in October. New features include sliding windows on the sides and a smaller rear window made of safety glass. The previous vent windows are no longer available. Friction dampers are now replaced by telescopic shock absorbers on the front axle. In June, Albrecht Graf Goertz, designer for the BMW 507, among others, exports an Isetta to the USA. There it is tested and fitted with different headlights. BMW sells 1,000 Isettas in the USA. The Isetta is the best-selling scooter-based vehicle on the German market. BMW offers conversion versions for the disabled. A pickup model is also designed, based on the convertible version of the Isetta (as a convertible sedan with a folding roof, but a fixed roof frame and no rear window). A four-seater Isetta with two rear doors was created as a study, the first concept for the later BMW 600, which, however, had to make do with only one side door and the front door for cost reasons. The 25,000th Isetta left the Munich-Milbertshofen factory on May 26, with daily production amounting to 180 Isettas. However, after around 30,000 units, the era of the scooter car seemed to be reaching its peak. Potential customers were awaiting the debut of new, fully-fledged small cars. On September 1, BMW unexpectedly had to lay off 600 production employees. The Isettas were put on hold, and 1,500 units were stored at the Strasser shipping company to create space on the Milbertshofen premises. Following a wage increase for employees, BMW had to increase the price of the Isetta by 200 marks to 2,750 marks. A new Isetta delivery van and an Isetta convertible were designed.

1957 : Isetta sales increase again. During January, BMW delivers its 40,000th Isetta. Remaining stocks of the Isetta Standard are sold at a discounted price of 2,490 marks as the Isetta Standard '57. The BMW 600, also with a motorcycle engine (from the BMW R 50), goes into series production in December. A one-off hunting vehicle is built based on the BMW 600.

1959 : After almost two years, production of the BMW 600 ended in November. Its successor was the larger, pontoon-shaped BMW 700. Around 1,500 BMW Isettas were produced as three-wheelers for export markets in order to achieve a more favorable tax classification.

1962 : After 161,728 units, production of the BMW Isetta ended. The Isetta was the most-produced single-cylinder car of all time. The 1962 Management Board report noted: "Isetta production ended as planned in May after inventory was reclaimed."

2016 : The all-electric, two-seater Micro Microlino No. 1 debuts at the Geneva Motor Show, featuring a design reminiscent of the BMW Isetta. The Microlino was developed by Micro Mobility Systems in collaboration with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. The Microlino is expected to cost around €11,000 at series launch, including an 11-kWh battery for a range of 120 km. The production version, however, will cost €19,900. As a lightweight vehicle, the L6e, throttled to 45 km/h, the Microlino lite costs from €17,900.

2019 : In the three-part family chronicle "Bella Germania" broadcast by ZDF, the histories of Iso Isetta and BMW Isetta are the main focus of the story

2022 : The introductory version of the Microlino is produced in Turin. The manufacturer of the Microlino files a copyright lawsuit against the provider of a similar vehicle.

2025 : The Microlino Spider debuts at the Brussels Motor Show, following the Microlino Spiaggina's entry into series production in the fall of 2024. BMW celebrates 70 years of the Isetta with various events. To this day, the Isetta remains the most popular public attraction at the BMW Museum in Munich, and the brand's hallmark, BMW Welt, also continually honors the Isetta with exhibitions of special models, such as an electrified Isetta.