VEHICLE THE AGE OF CRISIS

 

In the early twentieth century this magic little car has become the easiest and cheapest for its time, the FORD-T, which reached tens of millions of copies, such was the pre-war FIAT 500 Topolino became available for almost all segments of the population, and so was post-war, the, perhaps, small cars ISETTA, designed by the Italian firm ISO SpA, and produced at least a dozen factories in many countries.

 

As you know, in the early postwar years the most popular vehicle in Europe was a Bicycle, later on a motorcycle and a scooter, but in the 1950-ies… the Motorcycles had already ceased to hold buyers: after all, the climate in Europe — and especially in the North — not always suitable for riding open to the elements vehicle. Rain and cold make the ride in mere flour. Well, the full car was until the Europeans can not afford.

One of the first to believe that the Europeans need a super compact little micro-car, a kind of scooter with a roof, or, equivalently, a passenger car on the basis of motor units, came a former aircraft designer M. Gobin and R. Rivolta, owner of the Milan firm of Iso SpA, which until 1953 was collected refrigerators, motor scooters and small three-wheeled trucks.

 

The layout of the four-wheeled micro-car, only called ISETTA, and today can not but cause admiration among specialists. The most unusual item was the front wall of the cockpit, she is a single door car. Such planning significantly easier access to the driver and passenger and the sidewall of the body has been very tough. Accordingly, light and durable was the body of the vehicle.

 

 

Front suspension type — Du-Bonnet (like the car or Opel Kadett “Moskvich-400”), rear — solid axle with a pair of episcopacy spring-hydraulic shock absorbers.

 

The dashboard and steering wheel were mounted on the door, after opening which, the “bagel” drove away from the driver, while maintaining the kinematic connection of the steering shaft with the steering gear due to the u-joint and spline connection.

 

Two-stroke engine cylinder capacity of 0.236 liters developed only 9,5 PS, but nevertheless clocked a super-compact passenger car up to 70 km/h!

 

The presentation of the car took place in 1953, at the motor show in Turin. It is curious that the great interest in this car, the Italians showed. It was, apparently, that the Italian climate (the absence of negative temperatures even during the winter months and about 300 Sunny days a year) gave the opportunity to use a much cheaper motorcycles and scooters. Well, for people in more Northern countries low-cost minicar that is closed for rain and snow cabin could be a good alternative to much more expensive cars. Apparently, therefore, great interest in the minicar showed the automobile companies of other countries — Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Brazil — who wished to purchase the license for the production of the ISETTA micro-car, only.

 

 

Minicar BMW ISETTA—the only door was located in the front

 

 

Today cars BMW ITA can only be found in the Museum. The fourth car in the convoy — BMW 600

 

One of the first license to produce the ISETTA were bought by a German firm Bayerische Motorenwerke — BMW. I must say that this company has never “sinned” in the release of such “small fry”, but in 1953 the economic situation was critical at the time, she vypuska luxury car sport — BMW 501 and BMW 502, however, to sell them became increasingly difficult. Besides, the design Bureau was prepared for the production of prestigious cars, but to seek loans and their preparation for serial production was not possible.

 

In such circumstances the leadership of the BMW and decided to launch a series of mass cheap car, the release of which would allow to accumulate the necessary funds.

In the process of preparing the production of the ISETTA in Germany, the management of the Bavarian car company has decided to significantly upgrade the little micro-car. First of all, the car was equipped with new engine — two-stroke of 0.236-liter engine working on a mixture of oil and gasoline, was replaced by four-stroke, with a displacement of 0.249 V. l and a power of 12 HP, picked up four-speed gear box with rear speed. Between the transmission and chain gear, located in oil bath, mounted the propeller shaft, fixed on elastic rubber couplings, and a new worm gear steering gearbox and a more efficient suspension.

 

 

The geometric scheme of the micro-car, only BMW ISETTA

 

As already mentioned, the ISETTA was a four-wheeled machine, but the rear wheels were close together so that their track was only about two feet is allowed, on the one hand, to do without the differential and have also provided inputs to directly affect resistance.

 

Thus, the result is a vehicle with a length of 2850 mm and a width of 1380 mm with a mass of 350 kg Car could accelerate to 85 km/h, although the “pilot” car at that speed, dared few.

 

The first production BMW 250 ISETTA appeared in April 1955. Little micro-car has caused a considerable stir in Germany — in the first year it sold about 12,000 machines. The price of a minicar was 2550 DM, that was fine with buyers — and that’s when the salary of a skilled worker — 90 marks a week. The growth of sales minilecture modernized — equipped with a 0.3-liter engine, the side Windows have sliding vents supplied and already in 1957 the firm was able to sell 40,000 BMW ISETTA 300.

 

I must say that BMW was not alone in the production of such machines. Moreover, under license with Iso little micro-car produced in a number of European countries, many companies have developed their own “kabinenroller” of the same class and organized their mass production.

Interestingly, in post-war Germany for several aviation firms, find themselves out of work, have also started to build compact cars — the idea of production of such machines, as can be seen, hovering in the air. In particular, the famous aircraft firm Heinkel had designed a little different in appearance from the little micro-car three-wheeled ISETTA Heinkel-Kabine, and the famous Messerschmitt company developed the tricycle in which the driver and the only passenger were arranged in tandem in the cockpit, closed the transparent canopy is almost the same as the double attack aircraft. A completely independent design was developed by German company Glas — it was a compact sedan, the Goggomobil two-stroke 0,25-liter engine.

 

1957 ISETTA was first produced under license by BMW in the UK — of course, in right-hand drive version and, unlike the countries on the other side of the English channel, with three wheels. However, the driver and engine were on the right side minicar, and for optimal weight distribution on the wheels designers had on the left side to accommodate a 27-pound load. Well, the removal of the car two wheels due to the fact that in England, three-wheeled vehicle with a motorcycle engine and no reverse gear was equal to the motorcycle with the appropriate tax incentives and simplified licensing.

 

 

The chassis of the BMW ISETTA micro-car, only

 

 

Layout scheme of the micro-car, only BMW ISETTA