• Year of manufacture 
    1959
  • Car type 
    Other
  • Lot number 
    167
  • Reference number 
    MU22_c0016
  • Condition 
    Used
  • Location
    Germany
  • Exterior colour 
    Blue

Description

  • Part of The Bavarian Legends Collection
  • Powered by a single-cylinder 247 cc R52/3 motorcycle engine
  • Finished in two-tone grey and blue, with a blue plaid cloth interior
  • Accompanied by its original 1959 German “Kraftfahrzeugbrief”

Please note this lot has entered the EU on a temporary import bond, which must be cancelled either by exporting the lot outside of the EU on an approved Bill of Lading with supporting customs documentation or by paying the applicable VAT and import duties to have the lot remain in the EU.

Bitte beachten Sie, dass dieses Fahrzeug mit einer vorübergehenden Einfuhrgenehmigung in die EU eingeführt wurde, die entweder durch die Ausfuhr des Fahrzeugs aus der EU mit einem genehmigten Frachtbrief und den entsprechenden Zollunterlagen oder durch die Zahlung der geltenden Mehrwertsteuer und Einfuhrzölle aufgehoben werden muss, damit das Fahrzeug in der EU verbleiben kann.

Developed and manufactured by the Italian company Iso Autoveicoli SpA, the Isetta made its debut in November 1953 in Turin. Though its cute appearance and frugal fuel economy generated significant interest, it didn’t translate into sales, and Iso sold the license to BMW in 1954.

Powered by a 247cc single-cylinder engine from the R25/3 motorcycle, BMW completely redesigned the Isetta, but retained the charming Italian styling. The BMW Isetta, as it became known, first appeared in April 1955, with production running until May 1962. Under BMW’s stewardship the Isetta became the best-selling single-cylinder car of all time, with more than 160,000 units sold.

This BMW Isetta 250 was registered on 17 March 1959 by its first owner, Reinhold Schmitt. He retained the microcar for seven years before selling it to Ernst Endres on 5 August 1966. Endres took the Isetta off the road in December 1967, as detailed in the original German “Kraftfahrzeugbrief” that accompanies the car.

In 2014 the Isetta was acquired by the consigning owner, when it entered a museum exhibition. As a result of its time on static display, this car will require mechanical inspection prior to returning to road use. Today, it is finished in a charming two-tone colour scheme of grey and light blue, with a blue plaid cloth interior. The odometer reads 80,368 kilometres at the time of cataloguing. To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mu22.


RM Sotheby's
5 Heron Square
Richmond
TW9 1EL
United Kingdom
Contact Person Kontaktperson
Title 
Mr
First name 
Augustin
Last name 
Sabatie-Garat

Phone 
+44-2078517070