The BMW Isetta 600 ‘1959 was a microcar produced as BMW’s first post-war 4 seat, economy car. The design team based this automobile on its predecessor, the BMW Isetta 2-seater, but changes were made to accommodate more passengers. A longer frame, a larger engine and a different rear suspension were added. The 582 cc, two-cylinder engine delivered 19.5 horsepower and was installed behind the rear wheels. The top speed for this vehicle was around 64 mph. A semi trailing arm design was used for the rear suspension; this type of suspension had not been used by BMW before. To enter the back seat, the passenger used a door on the right side of the car.
Although sales of the BMW Isetta 600 ‘1959 did not meet expectations (partly due to competitors, such as the Volkswagen Beetle), the vehicle design did play a part in future BMW automobiles. The BMW 700 (which enjoyed more sales success) was based on the 600, but used a longer chassis. The semi trailing arm rear suspension was used in almost every BMW vehicle until the 1990s.
