1960 BMW Isetta 300 Coupe

The Isetta was the work of a Milan based refrigerator manufacturer, Renzo Rivolta, who produced the car for only a coupe of years - beginning in 1953 - and endured disappointing sales. Later, the rights were sold to BMW who would make it one of the most successful Microcars of all time.

The BMW Isetta was produced in numerous countries including Spain, Belgium, Germany, France, Brazil, and Britain. It was a two-seater coupe 'Bubble Car' that offered modest room for luggage. A three-wheeled version was popular in the United Kingdom as it was not levied an automobile tax; it was considered a three-wheeled motorcycle.

This Isetta is a late-model European 300 sliding-window example. It has a single-cylinder overhead motor that displaced 298 cubic-inches and produces 13 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and drum brakes in both front and rear.

In 2008, the car was offered for sale at the Hilton Head Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by the Worldwide Auctioneers. It was estimated to sell for $15,000 - $25,000. Bidding failed to reach the vehicles reserve and the lot was left unsold.

In 2009, this BMW Isetta was offered for sale at the Automobiles of Amelia Island auction presented by RM Auctions. It was expected to sell for $20,000 - $30,000 and offered without reserve. It sold for a high bid of $22,000, including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2009