VARIATIONS OF AN ISETTA THEME

by Tony Marshall (published in the Isetta Gazette Feb 1978)

The first Isetta was made by the Italian firm of Iso, who also became well known for the manufacture of motorcycles in the 1950's. It was in 1953 that this then unique vehicle appeared, creating something of a sensation. There had been small cars before, usually with three wheels, but never anything like this! There were four wheels, but the rear ones were very close together, and the rear axle had no differential. Perhaps strangest of all, the door was at the front. The engine was a 236cc two stroke twin, with a common combustion chamber. (Two pistons in the same cylinder??) Iso stopped making the Isetta in 1955, but surely they cannot have realised what they had started.

The German firm of BMW had started producing their own version of the Isetta in Munich in 1954, fitted with a 250cc overhead valve engine based on components already in use on their motor-cycle engines. This was an immediate success, and, in 1957, they introduced a larger, four seater Isetta, the '600', with a twin cylinder engine, and a door at the side for access to the rear seats, in addition to the front door. These two models continued in production until 1962, undergoing various modifications all the time, and a major facelift in 1958. In that year the smaller car received a re-styled body with sliding side windows, and a shallower rear screen in place of the swivelling quarter lights and wrap around rear screen of the earlier models. At the same time, engine capacity was increased from 250cc to 300cc.

BMW also brought out several other less common models based on the Isetta. Although never sold in any numbers in Britain, they may have been imported in small quantities.

The Isetta convertible was one such vehicle. Basically it was the post 1958 type car, with the larger engine, but the rear roof pillars were altered to slope forwards from top to bottom, and the rear screen was replaced by a folding hood which incorporated a plastic screen still used in many soft top cars. Thus the Isetta convertible had both a folding hood, and a sun roof! This must surely be unique.

The same car formed the basis of the van and pick up Isetta's. In these vehicles, the rear hood of the convertible was removed and replaced by a cargo platform, either flat, or with sides and a roof. It appears that the van was available with twin rear doors, or with a drop down flap. These luggage containers extended over the rear of the Isetta, and were supported by props from the rear panel. Even today, how many commercial vehicles offer a sun roof as standard equipment? Further proof of Isetta superiority. It is known that the RAC had at least one Isetta van in use in 1959, which they were testing with a view to adopting as replacements for their motor cycle patrol vehicles. Evidently the replacement was not a success, as the Isetta was quietly dropped in favour of the A35 and minivans. There was one unusual feature on the RAC van, which are believed to have been German built vehicles, and this was the additional direction indicators fitted to the sides of the van body. These indicators were of the old fashioned semaphore variety. Incidentally, the South Eastern Gas Board also used Isetta's, but they were quite normal cars apart from the SEGAS livery. Many other operators may have used Iseta's commercially, and it would not be possible to tell from a glance at the log book. MPHW Sales Ltd, of Woking, Surrey, advertised contract hire of Isetta's, along with several other makes, some years ago.

Two other goods vehicles based on the Isetta was the 'Autorarro 500' and the 'Autofurgone 500'. These were larger vehicles, and used the front ends of the early type Isetta car, but cut short just behind the seat. A different chassis was fitted at the rear, using normal track rear axle with differential, and carrying an open truck body in the case of the Autocarro, and a large van bodyto the Autofurgone. The truck body was apparently a metal drop-side affair, and the van was fitted with twin rear doors. It is not clear whether these were in fact BMW products, or whether they were made by Iso. The engines were 500cc, perhaps developed from the 250cc units on contemporary Isetta cars.

As has already been stated, the Isetta was a great success. So much so that the German firm of Hoffman could not resist copying it. They used a body and chassis which were, without doubt, based on the BMW products, although there were differences, such as the side door of the Hoffman. BMW were not pleased with the imitation, and a court action took place which resulted in the Hoffman disappearing from the scene.

Britain, France and Spain are all countries in which Micro-cars have enjoyed a great deal of popularity. Strangely, Spain seems to have ignored the Isetta phenomenon, but in France they went so far as to build their own version. This was the Velam Isetta. It used the 236cc Iso engine, but had a completely different body, with real front wings, separate from the main body pressing. Even so, it required a licence from BMW to build it.

Lastly, the English Isetta. Over here in this country, we seem to have concentrated on the one basic model. Or have we? An advertisement in a 1959 motorcycling magazine mentions a fibreglass 4cwt van. Was this something different again, or just an adaptation of the German van/pick up? And how about the carriage for disabled drivers, with tiller control'? I have never heard any mention of this rare beast, yet it is supposed to be a product of the Brighton factory. Bearing this in mind, is it really so surprising that one of our members received a new, computerised registration document for his Isetta which showed the taxation class as ' Invalid Carriage'?

The two pedal Isetta was a purely English product, unheard of outside of this country. It used the Smith's Selectroshift clutch, which involved the use of metallic particles activated by an electromagnet which was operated by the driver grasping the gear lever to change gear. It is hoped to explain this system fully in a future newsletter for the benefit of technically minded members.

While I do not claim that this covers all the Isetta models, I feel that it is fairly comprehensive, and hope that it may stimulate members to write in with their own thoughts on the subject. It would be interesting to know whether any of the rarer examples of the Isetta still exist, and, if so, where they are now.