Developed by Renzo Rivolta’s Iso works in Italy as an efficient and affordable form of transportation following World War II, the Isetta was licensed by BMW for manufacture in Germany. Introduced by BMW in 1955, the Isetta’s ovoid shape brought the nickname “das rollende eei” – the rolling egg. The timing for BMW was perfect as mini was now “in”, and before long the Isetta began to experience a strong following in both Europe and the United States.

The engine for the Isetta is a single-cylinder four-stroke 298cc air-cooled unit borrowed from a BMW motorcycle. With a weight of only 770 pounds, this power plant was able to take the Isetta to speeds of over 50 miles per hour, while achieving 40 to 45 miles per gallon. It is hard to believe something so small and idiosyncratic actually helped save BMW from being bought by Mercedes in the late 1950s.

The one door micro-car has sliding side windows and a four-speed manual gearbox. No expense was spared on the restoration of this example; it has been redone to the highest standards. The Isetta has been fully sorted post restoration and is the model with the very desirable sunroof.