Sir Stirling Moss's car for sale

The name of F1 legend Sir Stirling Moss is not often linked to bubble cars, but in fact he owned one and taught his son Elliot to drive in it. This car with its deep bi-generational links to the Moss family is for sale at £50,000 - £60,000 with Silverstone Auctions on November 12-13. 

The Italian-designed Isetta microcar was built under licence in a number of different countries, including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and here in the United Kingdom. Produced in the post-World War II years, a time when cheap short-distance transportation was most needed, it became one of the most successful and influential city cars ever created. Because of its egg shape and bubble-like windows, it became known as a "bubble car', a term later used to encompass a wide variety of similar vehicles.

With space for two and their luggage, the Isetta was perfect for the UK's urban and rural roads and, in 1957, Isetta GB began producing the 300 model at their factory in Brighton under licence from BMW. The British cars were right-hand drive with the opening front door hinged from the right hand side of the car and the steering column moved across to the right as well. This meant that the driver and engine were on the same side, so a counterweight was added to the left side to compensate. Lucas electrics replaced the German Hella and Bosch components, a different headlamp housing was used and Girling brake components replaced the ATE brake parts. 

However, with only two seats, the Isetta's market, particularly in Germany, was limited and BMW felt that they needed something larger. Management had already committed to making an entirely new model - the 700 - and resources were limited, so the decision was made to create a lengthened Isetta for the time being until the 700 arrived in 1959. Deriving its name from the BMW R67 motorcycle-sourced 700cc 'boxer' engine, the four-wheel 600 looked just like other Isettas at the front but featured a new perimeter frame and the first ever use of semi-trailing arm suspension on a BMW motorcar. A second row of seats and a right-hand side door added space and usability. The resultant design, with some input from Michelotti apparently, was clean, well-presented, well constructed, and reasonably quick and, with a wheel at each corner, handled well. It was rather expensive, however, costing more than a new Beetle and consequently sold in limited numbers as customers awaited the arrival of the more conventionally-shaped 700 in late 1959.

The stunningly presented BMW Isetta on offer here is indeed one of those 600 models and enjoys some remarkable provenance. It was bought by the late Sir Stirling Moss at a Beaulieu auction in a rather sorry state and, once acquired, Sir Stirling set about a restoration with his chosen Isetta specialist. Well known for his love of gadgets, innovation and experimentation (the majority of his road cars were tweaked and improved), Stirling decided that the 600 would benefit from a bit more power and, with his legendary charisma, talked BMW into parting with a 700 engine (an enlarged version of the flat-twin used in the R67 motorcycle offering 697cc and over 30bhp)  which was duly slotted in to the little Isetta. There is a letter in the accompanying history file from Stirling to the next owner confirming he asked BMW to help him with the engine. When the rebuild was complete, Stirling used the car around London and his son, Elliot, learned how to drive in this very car as you can see in the accompanying photographs.

The restoration finished in the summer of 2021 and we understand that over £30,000 has been invested over the years which we wouldn't doubt given the sheer quality of the result. Once the restoration was finished, the Isetta was included in the Sir Stirling Moss parade at the 2021 Goodwood Revival as a tribute to the great man and, in 2022, the car featured in an ITV television show called ‘The Car Years’ in which it was selected to argue the case for the best city car in 1957 against a rival Fiat 500.