An unlikely car called the Isetta saved BMW from dying
- This tiny microcar from Italy once saved BMW
- Even though it’s small, it’s surprisingly not cheap
- And it isn’t even the smallest car in the world
Published on May 17, 2025 at 8:48 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 15, 2025 at 1:27 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Most people may have never heard of it, but Isetta, a small microcar from Italy, once saved BMW from potential bankruptcy.
This little-known microcar gave BMW a lifeline when it definitely needed one.
Believe it or not, it’s the reason the German Marque exists today.
It’s still available on the second-hand market, but it’s surprisingly expensive.
DISCOVER SBX CARS – Bid now on supercar auctions powered by Supercar Blondie
During the 1950s, BMW was facing financial ruin after World War II.
At that point, in desperation because they were out of ideas, BMW higher-ups decided to license the Isetta, a tiny microcar designed in Italy and shaped like an egg.
Launched in 1955, the BMW Isetta debuted with a market price of 2,550 Deutsche Marks, equivalent to around $7,000 in today’s money.
It wasn’t that cheap, but still cheaper than most cars available at the time. And it immediately began flying off the shelves.
It was small, just less than 2.3 meters, or 90 inches in length, and it was light, tipping the scales at just 794LBS – that’s just 360KG.
The Isetta was also quite slow, with just 12HP. But that didn’t matter because it was still fun to drive and quite nippy, as it was so puny.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Isetta proved fairly popular, and BMW sold over 160,000 units. That was enough to keep the company afloat.
Despite being so tiny, the Isetta isn’t actually the world’s smallest car.
That particular title belongs to the Peel P50, a tiny three-wheeled microcar from the UK.
And, for once, the word ‘title’ can be used literally and not just metaphorically, because the Peel P50’s record was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
That record also explains, at least in part, why the Peel P50 can be so outrageously expensive.
A while back, a pristine example sold at auction for $176,000.
But the BMW Isetta isn’t particularly cheap, either, considering what it is.
An example in mint condition will easily set you back $30,000-$40,000 or more.
Even if you’re willing to settle for a model that needs some work, you’ll still have to fork out at least $20,000.
But you’d be the proud owner of a small piece of automotive history – literally!
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
