Topic: Motoring Memories: BMW Isetta

[Autos_Editor]

The Isetta is little more than a footnote in BMW's history, but this tiny Bubble Car helped the Bavarian automaker avoid bankruptcy.

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[JohnM]

I'd love to see what sort of fuel efficiency figures one of these could post with a modern diesel engine or even a motorcycle engine.  Add low rolling resistance rubber with a couple of aerodynamic tweaks and you could be north of 100mpg in something that could be tolerably comfortable and just quick enough.

Project #437 now on the list!

Cheers,
John M.

[redman]

It seems clear that Rivolta was way ahead of his time. Evident by our "future" city cars.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/03/general-motors-en-v/

[opg210]

Kind of ironic that this shows up on the website the same day as a review of the new 650. My how times have changed. I find this Isetta ten times more fascinating than the 650. Wouldn't it be great to see BMW focus on something light, simple, fun to drive, and innovative again? Building two tonne, mega-hp machines that corner well due to huge tires maybe works as a business model but they've sure gotten away from their roots.

[redman]

Kind of ironic that this shows up on the website the same day as a review of the new 650. My how times have changed. I find this Isetta ten times more fascinating than the 650. Wouldn't it be great to see BMW focus on something light, simple, fun to drive, and innovative again? Building two tonne, mega-hp machines that corner well due to huge tires maybe works as a business model but they've sure gotten away from their roots.

Could not agree more with your comments as evident from my 650 post in comments.

http://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php/topic,78584.0.html?

[bridgecity]

Saw one of these at the local car show Easter weekend.  I had a short chat with the gentleman that owned it.  It said he still drives it occasionally but keeps it off the highway  .

[JohnM]

redman and opg210

It appears we are all on the same page.  Small and efficient, comfortable and fun to drive is a vastly more interesting area of development than unlimited hp, weight and fuel.

I just finished looking around a friends brand new hemi truck.  It has everything and goes like stink.  He said it will take a month to learn how to operate all of the options.  He might carry one other person in it every few weeks but certainly not any cargo.  This 2.5 ton behemoth won't be doing any actual work.  It is a toy not a tool.  To this point, he is getting 17.5L/100km and this gives him a chuckle because he simply doesn't care. 

But he is past 80 and really has run out of ideas as he will readily admit.  He would probably be very interested in a very high tech machine not just big tech but given his circle of friends and what he is expected to drive, something relevant or new won't fit.  Too bad because 30 years ago he would have been an early adopter.

When do we get the Up! ??  This might be the Isetta's spiritual successor.

Cheers,
John M.

[tpl]

I have ridden in one in my hitchhiking days  and also in the Messerschmidt which I preferred with the aircraft side swinging canopy...just like the real thing. ( Remember this was only 16 years after the war and I was only 16 or so).   

[Bullet Blue]

Wouldn't it be great to see BMW focus on something light, simple, fun to drive, and innovative again?

I think BMW already has that covered with the Mini Cooper S, BMW 1 M, and upcoming BMW i3.

[Arthur Dent]

You couldn't make something like this these days even if people would buy it. Safety regulations make any properly lightweight car impossible. Probably the Smart is as small as one can reasonably get. Shame. Seems silly when one can buy a motorbike with next to no safety equipment but a car even a tiny one needs multiple air bags, stability control, etc.

[opg210]

Wouldn't it be great to see BMW focus on something light, simple, fun to drive, and innovative again?

I think BMW already has that covered with the Mini Cooper S, BMW 1 M, and upcoming BMW i3.

I agree with maybe 2/3 of your point. Mini Cooper is a small car gem (bought one last night!), and the upcoming BMW i3 might be. The 1M to me is not in this category; it's heavy for its size, and has lots of power and cornering grip with the big wheels. Enormously capable, but not my idea of light, simple and fun to drive. I was thinking more along the lines of the new Subaru BRZ - limited power, light weight, all about the feel. As an extreme example I've mentioned before, I've driven a Lotis Elise and to someone who likes driving it felt magical in the first 30 feet, the way it communicated. Of course part of the communication was the sound of parts falling off, which leads me to my original question: why can't BMW build something that feels like that but will last longer than an ice cream sandwich?

I do like the Mini, obviously, but BMW hasn't pushed it forward in that regard in 10 years. Things always tend to get heavier/duller, which is why I am excited to see the Subaru/Toyota machine hit the market. Makes me feel like I'm not alone... Unfortunately with 2 little kids there's no room for one in the garage...

[Bullet Blue]

Wouldn't it be great to see BMW focus on something light, simple, fun to drive, and innovative again?

I think BMW already has that covered with the Mini Cooper S, BMW 1 M, and upcoming BMW i3.

I agree with maybe 2/3 of your point. Mini Cooper is a small car gem (bought one last night!), and the upcoming BMW i3 might be. The 1M to me is not in this category; it's heavy for its size, and has lots of power and cornering grip with the big wheels. Enormously capable, but not my idea of light, simple and fun to drive. I was thinking more along the lines of the new Subaru BRZ - limited power, light weight, all about the feel. As an extreme example I've mentioned before, I've driven a Lotis Elise and to someone who likes driving it felt magical in the first 30 feet, the way it communicated. Of course part of the communication was the sound of parts falling off, which leads me to my original question: why can't BMW build something that feels like that but will last longer than an ice cream sandwich?

I do like the Mini, obviously, but BMW hasn't pushed it forward in that regard in 10 years. Things always tend to get heavier/duller, which is why I am excited to see the Subaru/Toyota machine hit the market. Makes me feel like I'm not alone... Unfortunately with 2 little kids there's no room for one in the garage...

I mostly just put the 1 M in there because it seemed to meet your criteria for 'fun to drive' and it seems fairly raw comparatively to the other M models (six speed manual only, no crazy sport or sport+ settings etc.) and due to its small size.

On another note, congrats on your Cooper purchase! I love those little buggers. Great choice 

[paul246]

Good article, I didn't realize that BMW was that close to failing and this little car saved it.

I remember a fella driving one of these in our neighbourhood in the 60's. Was always fascinated with the sorta "clamshell" front end.

I also recall speeding past a few of these on the autobahn in the mid 70's. We were speeding past them at about 70mph full out in a '67 beetle. The Isetta  looked like a large vacuum cleaner going down the road, it was cute.

[opg210]

Wouldn't it be great to see BMW focus on something light, simple, fun to drive, and innovative again?

I think BMW already has that covered with the Mini Cooper S, BMW 1 M, and upcoming BMW i3.

I agree with maybe 2/3 of your point. Mini Cooper is a small car gem (bought one last night!), and the upcoming BMW i3 might be. The 1M to me is not in this category; it's heavy for its size, and has lots of power and cornering grip with the big wheels. Enormously capable, but not my idea of light, simple and fun to drive. I was thinking more along the lines of the new Subaru BRZ - limited power, light weight, all about the feel. As an extreme example I've mentioned before, I've driven a Lotis Elise and to someone who likes driving it felt magical in the first 30 feet, the way it communicated. Of course part of the communication was the sound of parts falling off, which leads me to my original question: why can't BMW build something that feels like that but will last longer than an ice cream sandwich?

I do like the Mini, obviously, but BMW hasn't pushed it forward in that regard in 10 years. Things always tend to get heavier/duller, which is why I am excited to see the Subaru/Toyota machine hit the market. Makes me feel like I'm not alone... Unfortunately with 2 little kids there's no room for one in the garage...

I mostly just put the 1 M in there because it seemed to meet your criteria for 'fun to drive' and it seems fairly raw comparatively to the other M models (six speed manual only, no crazy sport or sport+ settings etc.) and due to its small size.

On another note, congrats on your Cooper purchase! I love those little buggers. Great choice 

Thanks! looking forward to picking it up. Actually the 128i convertible was on the list (or the 1 series convertible anyway) but the wife and I just love the go cart feel of the Mini, and let's face it she had to be happiest!
Agreed, 1 M is surely fun to drive - haven't had the chance and probably never will. I don't get the chance to get to a road where I can really let it rip (lets face it, southern Alberta has few interesting driving roads) so I have to have something that gives me kicks on the commute or the grocery run. If I lived in NS with all those great driving roads ( I hope to in the near future!) my tastes might be swayed somewhat....