Powertrain families
BMW 247 cc single · BMW 298 cc single
Isetta (Isetta) — Microcar
1955–1962
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- Isetta
- Production
- 1955–1962
- Body style
- front-entry microcar
- Platform
- historic BMW platform · model-specific layout
Body variants
Isetta → Isetta → Microcar
Isetta Isetta: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected microcar fits into the family.
BMW obtained a licence for Iso's front-entry microcar and substantially re-engineered it for German production. The BMW version replaced Iso's two-stroke unit with a single-cylinder four-stroke motorcycle engine; series production began in March 1955 with the 247 cc Isetta 250, followed later that year by the smoother 300.
The range was not one unchanging body. The 1956 Export revision gained a continuous roofline, sliding side windows and telescopic dampers, while small-volume convertible, delivery and three-wheel export variants also existed. BMW Group Archive records 161,000 BMW Isettas built through May 1962, making the model a material part of BMW's post-war recovery.
The 250 and 300 share the same catalogue generation but remain distinct mechanical derivatives. Production country, wheel count and body style also matter: UK-built three-wheel cars and non-German licensed Isettas must not be mixed with Munich-built four-wheel BMW production totals.
1955–1962generation lifecycle
1body branches
2engine/drive families
2range designations
Isettafactory code
historic BMW platform · model-specific layoutarchitecture
Microcar: dimensions and packaging
Dimensions can change with body, market and model year, so this page keeps them tied to the exact factory branch.
Length2,285 mm
Width1,380 mm
Height1,340 mm
Wheelbase1,500 mm
Luggage≈ 230 L
Fuel tank13 L
Seats2–4
Doorsfront-entry microcar
| Body | Code | Production | Doors / seats | Length | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microcar | Isetta | 1955–1962 | front-entry microcar / 2–4 | 2,285 mm | ≈ 230 L |
Engines and powertrains
The generation could span very different engines and drivetrains. The table keeps output, gearbox, market and production period together.
Factory modification matrix
Documented microcar applications; output and availability remain market- and model-year-specific.
| Model | Years | Engine | Output | Transmission | Drive | Market | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isetta 250 | 1955–1962 | 247 cc BMW single-cylinder | 12 hp | 4MT | RWD | Global range | BMW Isetta model series |
| Isetta 300 | 1955–1962 | 298 cc BMW single-cylinder | 13 hp | 4MT | RWD | Global range | BMW Isetta model series |
Factory designations
Isetta 250 · Isetta 300
Petrol engines
Inline and V engines are grouped by engine family, displacement, induction system and emissions specification.
Diesel derivatives
Where diesels were offered, output, injection generation and emissions hardware are recorded market by market.
How power reaches the road
Gearboxes, driven wheels and final-drive hardware changed with engine, market and production date.
Transmissions
Gearbox type and unit code follow engine, market and production date. Gear count alone does not identify the transmission.
Driven wheels
Catalog architecture: historic BMW platform · model-specific layout. All-wheel-drive availability and hardware remain derivative-specific.
Final drive
Ratio, differential type and electronic control belong to the exact derivative and can differ on performance models.
What changed underneath
Suspension, brakes, safety systems and electronics evolved across the range, even when cars shared the same basic architecture.
Body-branch dimensions
- Isetta: 2,285 mm × 1,380 mm × 1,340 mm
Body & suspension
- Mounting points and geometry follow the body branch
- Springs and dampers follow axle load and chassis package
- Wheels and permitted loads follow the factory label
Brakes & steering
- Brake size follows engine and equipment
- Assistance type and steering ratio can change
- ABS/DSC generation follows model year
Passive safety
- Airbag count varies by market and year
- SRS parts are VIN-specific
- Structural repairs require factory procedures
Electronics
- Vehicle-bus generations changed during production
- Control-unit software levels must remain compatible
- Retrofits are recorded separately from factory equipment
How the generation evolved
The important launches, additions and updates did not always happen at the same time for every body or market.
BMW production begins
The 247 cc Isetta 250 entered series production in Munich.
Isetta 300 joins
The 298 cc derivative expanded the BMW range later in the launch year.
Export revision and utility bodies
The revised Export body arrived, alongside low-volume convertible and delivery derivatives.
BMW Isetta production ends
BMW Group Archive dates the end of the model series to May 1962.
The versions that stood apart
Performance models, option packages and regional editions may look related, but their engineering and production identity can be very different.
Microcar
IsettaIsetta Isetta is a distinct Isetta body branch. An ultra-compact post-war vehicle architecture with front entry and model-specific seating arrangements. Engines/drive: BMW 247 cc single, BMW 298 cc single.
Inside the car
Cabin technology and standard equipment changed by country and year; a build sheet remains the best guide to one individual car.
Cabin & comfort
- Trim and seats follow option codes
- Climate systems vary by market
- Audio and navigation changed by model year
Lighting & assistance
- Lamp technology and modules follow production date
- Driver assistance cannot be inferred from buttons alone
- Regional rules affect lighting and warnings
What to check today
A practical starting point for inspecting and maintaining a car from this generation — not a diagnosis of an individual example.
Identify first
- Match VIN on body and documents
- Obtain the factory option list
- Confirm market and production date
Inspect the structure
- Check repairs and corrosion
- Assess suspension, brakes and tyres
- Compare fitted parts with factory specification
Mechanical history
- Read faults with compatible diagnostics
- Verify engine and transmission maintenance
- Separate invoices from unsupported verbal history
| Item | Interval / trigger | Catalog note |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | CBS/factory schedule; time and mileage for historic cars | Oil approval follows the exact engine and market. |
| Brake fluid | Time-based factory schedule | ABS/DSC-compatible bleeding procedure is required after hydraulic work. |
| Coolant | Factory schedule and condition | Fluid specification and bleeding method are generation-specific. |
| Transmission & final drives | Unit type and operating conditions | Use the exact approved fluid; no one interval fits every derivative. |
How to identify the exact car
The badge and registration year tell only part of the story; production date, body code, engine and factory options complete it.
- Factory body codes
- Isetta — Microcar
- Range designations
- Isetta 250, Isetta 300
- Powertrain families
- BMW 247 cc single, BMW 298 cc single
- VIN
- Identifies model, plant and production branch and keys the parts catalog and factory equipment record.
- Production date
- More useful than first-registration year when choosing parts and locating technical revisions.
- Type code
- Refines engine, body, market and transmission combination.
- Option codes
- Confirm factory equipment; later retrofits are recorded separately.
- Unit number
- Supports engine or gearbox originality checks and component applicability.
Where the information comes from
The story is mapped through English Wikipedia and its bibliography, then important dates and technical claims are checked against BMW material.
- 01IsettaWikipedia contributors
Secondary overview of the Iso design, licensed manufacturers and BMW derivatives.
- 02BMW Isetta model seriesBMW Group Archive
Factory-archive production period, licensed origin, engine change and total production.
- 03BMW Isetta ExportBMW Group Archive
Factory-archive scope for the 1956 Export revision and its production.
Notes and limitations
- Research revision dated 2026-08-10: English Wikipedia was used as a subject and bibliography map; key claims were checked against the listed primary BMW Group material.
- BMW 600 is catalogued as a separate model node; its four-seat body and flat-twin specifications must not leak into this Isetta record.
- Exact figures for three-wheel, CKD/SKD and non-German licensed production must be reported separately from Munich-built four-wheel Isettas.
- Tree years describe the worldwide generation lifecycle; individual market dates may be narrower.
- Exact dimensions, power, weight and emissions belong at body, engine, market and model-year level.
- Known-issue guidance is editorial context and never replaces inspection of the individual vehicle.
3 primary references · market differences documentedPhotography: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Rights checked 2026-08-06; wikimedia commons 1,800 px derivative downloaded; local 640 px and 1,280 px avif versions created without cropping.Updated 6 August 2026