Jay Leno has driven some unusual vehicles over the years, everything from a Ferrari V-12-powered Jeep Wagoneer to his Chrysler Turbine Car to a 1-of-1 1966 Duesenberg Model D prototype. But it wasn’t until recently that he got behind the wheel of one of the oddest machines ever: a 1958 BMW Isetta 300.
If the name Isetta doesn’t sound particularly German, that’s because it isn’t. It translates to “little Iso” — Iso as in the Italian company that built the Grifo (the last of which we profiled here). Ten years after the end of World War II, Europe was still recovering from its physical and financial devastation. German citizens had disposable income, but affordable transportation was still important. According to BMW Pressclub Canada, “It was on a visit to the 1954 Geneva Motor Show that a BMW dealer unearthed what was then something of a rough diamond. The Munich-based manufacturer then acquired the Isetta license from Italian firm Iso, gave the ‘smooch-ball’ a new drive unit — from a BMW single-cylinder motorcycle — and re-trimmed its Italian robes, before bringing its new car onto the market around a year later.”
The original BMW Isetta had a 250cc four-stroke one-cylinder engine that pumped out a mighty 12 horsepower. The following year, BMW expanded the model range with the Isetta 300, which had a 300cc engine with 13 horses, and could be upgraded with options such as a soft top, removable cargo platform, and stronger suspension. That front door (aka the only door) with the integrated steering column/wheel? Standard equipment.
Leno’s guest Danny Patlin owns a blue and white Isetta 300 with the soft top, which he calls an “escape hatch.” Given Patlin’s height, it’s surprising that he doesn’t need to open it for extra headroom. In fact, considering that the Isetta is the equivalent a scooter with a cab, it’s a marvel that both Patlin and Leno can sit next to each other without warring for elbow room.
Once both men are situated, Leno sets off, shifting through the four gears of the Isetta’s chain-drive motorcycle gearbox as the tiny engine putters along. Can they survive the potholes in the road ahead? Will the Isetta pull them up the hill that’s part of their route? Watch to find out.
