In 1957, BMW brought out a 4-seater development of the Isetta. The 600 (named for its engine size), has two doors: the swing-up front door as on the Isetta, and a door on the right side for passengers.
The little-known and rarely seen BMW 700 Coupé is arguably one of the most important models in BMW’s post-war history. The first of the series and highest-selling variant in the 700 family (Coupé, Luxus LS, Limosin, Cabrio), the 700 Coupé was the brainchild of Austrian BMW importer and racer Wolfgang Denzel.
BMW’s Bavaria model was a US-only model, derived from Europe’s 2500/2800/3000/3300 series of sedans. Known as the E3 among aficionados, it shared everything under the skin with the E9 Coupe, which many consider BMW’s most beautiful design.
One of Germany’s well-known car makers, BMW began building engines for airplanes. Forbidden to continue making airplane engines after WWI, BMW turned to engines for motorcycles and heavy trucks.
Gebráder Ihle Karosserie und Apparatebau was a body shop and engineering company in Germany. After the first world war it supplied vehicles for fairground operators. In 1934, they designed a sports-car body to be mounted on a BMW Dixi chassis.
Driven by the need for post-WWII affordable transportation and restrictions placed by post-war agreements, in 1955 BMW decided to supplement slow sales of their larger models with an inexpensive car.
Driven by the need for post-war affordable transportation, BMW decided to supplement slow sales of their larger models with an inexpensive car. In 1955, BMW acquired the license from ISO (an Italian refrigerator company) to make this “bubble car.”
BMW had only been building motorcycles for a few years when the world’s economy crashed. Timing and design were perfect, and the R2 quickly became a people’s favorite.
The car seen here is one-of-one; it was designed, built, and raced by Frazier Sibbald, George Olsen, and Howard Bliss, all of California. A triangulated square-tube frame was utilized, with a fiberglass nose and tail, aluminum doors, a hot-rodded BMW “airhead” from a 700 Sport Coupe, and LeGrand Formula car suspension were blended into this miniature Lotus 23B.
This is a custom bicycle put together by Aaron Amstutz. “At the time it was new, this bike was considered a street/park/dirt jumping setup. It was not intended to be raced, however adding a padset, number plate, and removing the pegs is all that is needed to race. Even then, at over 30 lbs, it would be a disadvantage. The bike was built more for brute strength.”
Lawrie Bond designed his first three-wheeler in 1948. His most famous was the Bond Minicar–the longest-lived and most successful of Britain’s minimal motoring cars. The replacement for the minicar was the Bond 875.
