Vintage Cars: little old cars name, bmw isetta, little old car

Question
Hello,
I wonder if you could help me with this...
I saw a very lovely little car about 25 years ago in Europe, it was an oldtimer that time as well, so made in 50-s, 60-s I guess.

It was very small, something like the Mini Cooper, and there was something that made it unique: the door.
It had 1 door, at the front. That's all. Not one at each side, one at the front, where the stearingwheel is. Maybe the steering wheel opened along wit hit as well, I am not sure.

I was pretty young that time :)

Thank you if you can tell me what it was.

Gabor


Answer
No doubt, you're referring to the Isetta.  Believe it or not, most of them were built by BMW, but a few other companies made them as well (I think Fiat may have made some, along with another Italian company who's name escapes me).  One door at the front, to which the steering wheel was attached.  Many of these were three-wheelers (two wheels at the front, one at the back), with four-wheelers arriving in the late 50s.  Do an Internet search for "BMW Isetta" and you'll be surprised at the amount of information that will pop up!  Also, visit your local BMW dealer for a model of one; the parts department actually stocks a very nice miniature in white.  The Isetta actually saved BMW from bankruptcy in the 1950s.