Bubble car refloated
FIFTYSIX years after BMW stopped making its Isetta, the eggshaped twoseater is being recreated by Swiss brothers Oliver and Merlin Ouboter as the Microlino. A 20hp electric motor replaces the singlecylinder petrol one, but it still has its frontopening door.
WITH its quirky egg shape and minimalist interior, the bubble car was a symbol of cheap and cheerful mobility on European roads in the 1950s and ’60s.
Today, two Swiss brothers are developing a new version of the twoseater, 56 years after BMW stopped making its famed Isetta.
Oliver and Merlin Ouboter have more than 7200 orders for their Microlino, a modern version of the Isetta that swaps the old singlecylinder petrol engine for a 20hp electric motor but keeps the frontopening door.
The brothers plan to launch the car in December.
‘‘The average modern car is way too big for normal use,’’ said Oliver, the project’s 24yearold operations chief, citing statistics showing the average car journey involves 1.2 passengers driving less than 35km.
They built two prototypes in China and displayed one at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, where enthusiasts received them warmly.
‘‘We started a reservations list with 500 spots on it, and in three or four days it was filled up,’’ said Merlin (22), the chief marketing officer.
The Microlino will be built by Italian manufacturer Tazzari, which has a 50% stake in the project and eventually plans to produce 5000 of the vehicles a year.
With the car retailing for ¤12,000 ($NZ20,700), preexisting components keep costs down. The engine is a modified version of a forklift powerplant, and the door handles come from the Fiat 500.
The standard vehicle has a range of 120km and a top speed of 90kmh. It charges in four hours from a normal plug, its trunk holds up to 300 litres and the instruments are barebones. And at only 2.4m long, it is easy to park. — Reuters