This is not a car!
03/02/2016
"This is not a car", it says in large letters on the pedestal on which a cute car is positioned, the shape of which immediately reminds you of the BMW Isetta, yes, of the cabin scooter whose basic design the Bavarian Motor Works once took over from Renzo Rivolta.
However, the white and blue "Knutschkugel" is not a BMW, but is called the Microlino. And it is not from the 1950s either, but from the modern era. Nevertheless, it has more to do with classic cars than you might think based on the year of construction (2016) and the drive (electric motor). In fact, the prototype 01 of the Microlino was built in the same way that special bodies were made decades ago. The chassis is fitted with a body that was painstakingly hammered out of sheet steel by hand. This is exactly how the beautiful cars from Frua, Pininfarina or Ghia were created back then.
Wim Ouboter and his team at the Microlino stand at the Geneva Motor Show are happy to admit that the BMW Isetta was the model for the shape and concept. Maximum use of space was required, a low weight and the smallest possible footprint were sought.
However, the Isetta was developed a little further in terms of both design and construction. The external dimensions were increased slightly and the rear wheels had a wider track (now approx. 70 cm). The steering column was redesigned to allow even more comfortable entry through the front door.
The drive is provided by an electric motor located at the rear axle. Depending on the battery, the range should be around 100 km, with a top speed of 80 or 100 km/h, depending on the configuration. Not bad for this cute vehicle, which of course benefits from the nostalgia bonus of the BMW Isetta and is not painted in white and blue for nothing.
Incidentally, the prototype 01 has a very special history: it fell off a forklift truck during reloading at Zurich Airport and received a large dent on the roof, which has of course since been repaired. The fall also proved the solid basic construction, as the Microlino will of course one day be equipped with seat belts and an integrated roll bar and crumple zones will ensure the survival of the occupants.
The production vehicles will have a plastic body; for cost reasons, sheet steel was only used for the prototype. In future, trendy city dwellers will be able to purchase a Microlino from around 10,000 Swiss francs (or 9600 euros), which is not a car but a quad, i.e. a four-wheeled motorcycle that can also be used with a motorcycle license (depending on the country).
The Microlino, which was developed in collaboration with the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, can also be seen as a nod to the 60-year-old Isetta concept. And the further development has certainly been a success. As tradition-conscious classic car fans, we are of course glad that the gasoline engine is not being ripped out of legions of original Isettas and replaced with an electric drive. Better to build something new like Wim Ouboter.
You can find out more about the Motor Showand the old sheet metal on display in the specially published article.
