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The
Isetta was one of the
most successful microcars
produced in the post-World War II years—a time when cheap,
short-distance transportation was most needed. Although the project
originated in Italy, it was built in a number of different countries,
including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and the United
Kingdom. Because of its egg shape and bubble-like windows, it became
known as a bubble car.
The car’s origins were with the Italian firm of Iso SpA. In the early
1950s, the company was building refrigerators, motor scooters and small
three-wheeled trucks. Iso's owner, Renzo Rivolta, decided he would like
to build a small car for mass distribution. By 1952 the engineers
Ermenegildo Preti and Pierluigi Raggi had designed a small car that used
the scooter engine and named it Isetta—an Italian diminutive meaning
little ISO.
The BMW 600 was intended as an enlarged Isetta with more power and a
more conventional four-wheel configuration.
The front end of the 600 was virtually unchanged from the Isetta, but
the 600's wheelbase was stretched to accommodate four seats. A
conventional rear axle was added. BMW introduced the semi-trailing arm
independent suspension on the 600. This suspension would be used on
almost every new model for the next four decades. Because of the
increased size and weight, the 600 had a more powerful engine than the
Isetta. The 600 had the 582 cc twin engine from the R67 motorcycle. Top
speed was 103 km/h (64 mph).
In two years, only 34,000 600s were produced, partly due to price
competition with the entry-level VW Beetle. In the late 1950s, consumers
wanted cars that looked like cars, and they had lost interest in economy
models. Sales of the 600 were, however, aided by the energy crisis of
1956–1957.
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