The BMW Isetta Is the Strangest BMW of All Time

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Of all the cars BMW has ever made, the BMW Isetta is the most ridiculous -- and the most unique. This video shows exactly why the Isetta is so crazy.

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[dfa]

"what appears to be the problem officer?"

"please step out of the refrigerator sir"

[trvr]

Mid engine, rear wheel drive, lightweight, manual BMW. What more do you want?

[Lord.Kiltridge]

The Isetta is a BMW for men who have no need to compensate for anything.

[davidleighton]

I passed my test in one of these in England at 17 years of age. The guy testing me couldn't face the prospect of giving me a retest. It jumped out of third gear every 20 seconds, and when it hit a pothole, developed a vibration that grew and grew and would not stop until you reduced speed to 3 mph. We got three teenagers in this car -- 2 side by side, and one between sitting on the parcel shelf with half his torso out through the sunshine roof. The car had a yellow interior and a matt brown (hand painted) exterior. I used it to go to school. One day the headmaster called me in and asked me to never park the car near the school again. The local residents had complained it was reducing the value of their houses! It ended its days when the engine blew up as I was pushing it at top speed going down hill. Max speed turned out to be 55. My father rowed me home and we gave it a decent funeral.

[DelvingDeeper]

This is the last video I watched with my dad before he passed away the same night. He used to be a car mechanic before he became a policeman and eventually retired so it was interisting for him. He couldn't understand English so I had to translate for him but he was astonished by this vehicle and explained to me in full how the choke mechanism actually worked. We had a few laughs because of it and the video always brings out quite a few fond memories when I go back and watch it. Thank you, Doug!

[bella]

Imagine getting honked at and then you turn around and see this car behind you

[stevienguyen]

“Wait where’s your speedometer?”
“That’s what this chalkboard is for. You write down how fast you think you’re going.”
-urkel

[bobo]

Doug is a true BMW driver. Just look at the way he parks.

[RobloxLovar]

Doug: This is the stupidest thing I have ever driven!

The owner that let him borrow his car: 😔

[snowvalleyrat]

"Hey Baby, wanna go for a ride? I'll pick you up in my BMW

[fardnia]

When you tell her you drive a bmw and you pick her up in an isetta

[customjohnny]

The original owner of this car:
“Back in my day, when you got in a car accident you just died, and you didn’t complain.”

[zerogravity]

"Daddy, i want a BMW on my birthday"

"Sure son, I just saw one right for you"

[sweetssweeter]

So basically you're driving a vintage Coca-Cola machine!?

[johnmorgan]

"What happens if you get in an accident in the Isetta and the door won't open?"

Well unless the other vehicle was a bicycle, you'll be dead so it won't matter.

[MichaEl-rhkv]

A small, but true Isetta story from the cold European winter of 1962/63: A woman in a small village came into labor, and her husband drove her in his Isetta into the town to the clinic. The child was born on the way (while driving over a railroad bridge, about 1 mile from the clinic). As they arrived at the clinic, the clinic staff decided it was too cold outside to open the car, so they ordered him to drive directly into the bed elevator. Arrived at the 2nd floor, they now opened the front door and got mother and healthy child out of the car.

[EAPoeProductions]

My uncle drove the Isetta from Germany to Italy taking the old Gotthard road in the 1960ies. He managed to store my aunt and my cousin, a big tent, an inflatable boat, clothes and what else was needed for a two-week-holiday inside (!) the car. He did this four years in a row except that in the second year he got a luggage rack that was placed on the spare tire on which he put the boat on. These guys were real adventurers!

[terenceting]

12:50
Doug: I'm flooring it and the car is not moving an inch!
Car: **moves backwards**

[vimalsobhee]

Doug was so much happier driving the isetta than the chiron

[skidogyt]

Doug, In about 1965, was 16 years old living in Southern California. I purchased an Isetta from a neighbor, who was moving, for $25. I had that car for 20 years, and wish I still had it. Was the most fun ever! They actually only had only a couple major problems, one was the shift linkage, that was likely what happened to you on your test ride, I bet it was stuck in high gear. Low gear was actually a very low gear ratio and it could climb a decent grade. The cornering roll was caused by the rear wheels being so close together, because it had a solid rear axle, and if the wheels where further apart it would take too much power to corner, so you just had to deal with the roll. It was the best chick magnet I ever owned everybody wanted to ride or drive that car. I used to drive it on the sidewalks because they where smoother and it fit fine. Dispite all the antics that happened with that car, I never got a ticket .... everybody just had to smile when they drove by.