[amitk26]

Hi,

Here are two pictures of 3 wheeler BMW showcased in Jai Vilas Palace Gwalior.
I could not gather much information about it but it was miniature sized and little unusual. There is also a Chassis of first Motor of Gwalior state dated year 1902 but it is kept in a dark enclosure with quite dense iron shutters in front of manciple museum so could not take pic.

Mods please feel free to move/merge this thread appropriately

[NullRock]

I didnt even know untill now that BMW were ever three wheeled...very intresting

[ph03n!x]

What the..! Is this one? Isetta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Yup this is the Isetta 300!

BMW Isetta 300
Main article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_300_(Isetta)

In October 1956, the Isetta Moto Coupe DeLuxe (sliding-window Isetta) was introduced. The bubble windows were replaced by longer, sliding side windows. The engineers had enlarged the single cylinder to a 72 mm (2.8 in) bore and 73 mm (2.9 in) stroke, which gave a displacement of exactly 298 cc, and at the same time they raised the compression ratio from 6.8 to 7.0:1. In this way the engine now generated 10 kW (13 hp) at 5200 rpm, and the torque rose to 18.4 N·m (13.6 ft·lbf) at 4600 rpm. The maximum speed remained at 85 km/h (53 mph), yet there was a marked increase in flexibility, chiefly noticeable on gradients.

[Autonorm]

Yep that is indeed the BMW Isetta. If you notice carefully it has a door in front which was the only way for the driver and passenger to get in. I am surprised that there is one in India. It was built by BMW as a low cost people's car. It was also available as Isetta 250 and later a more powerful 600 also. Here are some pictures with the technical data sheet (in German) that I had clicked early this year at a classic motor show in Essen.

The Isetta 250:







The Isetta 600:

[clevermax]

Yes, it's the Isetta, nothing new to t-bhp, as I had posted the pictures of this car from Germany few years back. (I guess it is in the auto-image thread)

[shankar.balan]

the ancient old Isetta
quite a phenomenon in Post war times - interesting bubble car!
half a century old if one thinks about it!

[manishalive]

Oh the Isetta, wow goodto see this car, further later these car became 4 wheelers also.

[artofzen]

I loved the Isetta and always wanted the brilliantly detailed scale model from AutoArt.

Never knew 1:1 existed in India. Great find.

[wasif]

probably the only Isetta to be found in India.

What was that other chassis like the "first Motor in Gawalior". Is there any chance of identifying the make ?

[harit]

Originally Posted by amitk26

Hi,

Here are two pictures of 3 wheeler BMW showcased in Jai Vilas Palace Gwalior.
I could not gather much information about it but it was miniature sized and little unusual. There is also a Chassis of first Motor of Gwalior state dated year 1902 but it is kept in a dark enclosure with quite dense iron shutters in front of munciplal museum so could not take pic.

There was one more BMW Isetta in the same colour scheme in Mumbai and I was told that it belonged to the Scindias. But it was in a better shape, therefore not sure if this is the same car. It was lying with Garware, moved on to a petrol pump on Peddar Road, now I do not know where she finally ended up.
Besides this, there are atleast 4 more Isetta's in India, I have seen them all, some only in pictures. The one in Delhi was even lying in a showroom.

Cheers harit

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by harit

Besides this, there are atleast 4 more Isetta's in India, I have seen them all, some only in pictures. The one in Delhi was even lying in a showroom.

Hmm - One red and white in Bombay, one blue and white in Delhi showroom, one green in Goa - and the 4th?

[wasif]

Originally Posted by harit

There was one more BMW Isetta in the same colour scheme in Mumbai and I was told that it belonged to the Scindias. But it was in a better shape, therefore not sure if this is the same car. It was lying with Garware, moved on to a petrol pump on Peddar Road, now I do not know where she finally ended up.
Besides this, there are atleast 4 more Isetta's in India, I have seen them all, some only in pictures. The one in Delhi was even lying in a showroom.

Cheers harit

Great four more in India ....never saw one personally. Maybe someone will start a dedicated thread for these cars with pictures !!

[manishalive]

The one in Delhi, does that belong to Kashyap Automobiles? The 4th one is that in Chennai?

Also had this image from google many years back, looks cool

[harit]

It just struck me that the name of the thread has to be changed because these are not three wheelers. They have 4 wheels, the rear two wheels are placed very close together. You could call this thread "BMW Bubble Car", or simply "BMW Isetta's in India".

Cheers harit

[john a milne]

I am delighted to find that the Isetta found it's way to India.

An unbelievable fun car to drive and be seen in.

I purchased one during my last year of University in 1960 as they were being used as a sales promotion by a used car lot. "Buy a used car, and for $300, take home a new Isetta". I purchased an old Austin A40 for $50 and then the Isetta. Scrapped the A40 and drove the Isetta for almost 3 years. It should be noted that it has 2 wheels at the back about 12" apart.

Driving it in the winter was challenging as the rear wheels had no snow tracks no follow so the rear end would find itself moving to either side to fall into the snow ruts. Hills were impossible but no problem finding people to help push. The heater was all but none existent. The gear shift was on the left and when you opened the front door the column shift was hinged to follow the door. I lost count of how many times I would come out from shopping or a movie to find my car moved onto the side walk or turned around.

It was my daily driver and I put on about 13,000 miles on it with a few trips from Toronto to Windsor of about 240 miles one way. It would cruise at 50-/+ comfortably and on one trip I pulled in behind a big transport truck and drafted along reaching close to 70 mph for a little while and then "Chicken out".

When I moved to Essex, near Windsor, I used to spend the weekends at a friend cottage 60 miles away and in one of the small towns en-route there was an Isetta dealership who had the 600 four seater.

These cars have become hot collectors items with well restored examples going for $9-15,000 in N.A.

A friend of mine who owns a chain if Pizza Stores in Ontario has his painted up to match some ot the company cars the have orange flames running from the front towards the back. The flame paint job on the Delhi Isetta looks like it being bar-be-qued. All the Isettas that I saw back then where single colour.

It was many years later that I discovered it was built by BMW and had helped them stay in business.