The picture of the 2CV in use giving tours of Paris got me thinking.
Last summer in Portugal, I spotted the beauty below, a BMW Isetta, in a maintenance area for the transit system in Vila Nova da Gaia, across the river from Porto. Unfortunately, I’d gone through the turnstile when I noticed it, and couldn’t get back for better pictures.
When I was a just-barely-teen in the midwest, I used to pass by the dealer once a week and dream of owning one: Not because it was a BMW (who cared?) but because the front of the car was the door, there were only 3 wheels, and it was cheap enough I could dream about owning one by the end of high-school. Never happened…and at a soberer age I wonder what a front-end collision would have been like.
BUT: Does anyone know if you can get a ride in one somewhere? If there are 2CVs in Paris, and Trabants in Berlin…where would I find a ride in an Isetta?
Uh oh. They had to put the door of that car in the front because the back end is missing.
If you hired a guided Isetta. would there only be room for you and the driver ? Cozy
That was Steve Urkels Car on Family Matters!. LOL. There are places like one in Dallas where you can rent these classics.A bit steep but an alternative to buying.
I went the opposite route and liked one of the biggest cars ever made.I wanted a 1973 Chrysler Imperial for years before I got one.That was so big it was banned in demolition derbys because it was unfair to the other cars.
http://dfweliteautorental.com/…/red-1959-bmw-isetta
I deleted my reply by mistake. I was saying that was Steve Urkel’s car on the 90’s hit Family Matters.! Lol.Above is a Dallas rental firm that rents classics.A bit steep.but an alternative to buying.
Definitely only two. What’s over the third wheel is the engine, a two-stroke single-cylinder motorcycle engine. While looking for a picture to show you, I discovered that the BMW version was only one of quite a few licensed for production all over Europe by its Italian developer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isetta
TRob
It would be fun to watch a demo derby with only the Imperial and Isettas. What do you think would happen ? One Chrysler takes out – boom boom bam bam – 4 Isettas and makes for the infield ?! Look at the bomber roll ! She’s gunning for another isetta, a red one this time…..Ooooh ! That makes it 5-0 !
I don’t know about this Beamer.
Seems a bicycle would be a lot safer than the Isetta. I’d rather have a 735 around me, thanks. Anyone have a spare one of those kicking around as a loaner?