1958 BMW 600
BMW’s stretched microcar retained the original Isetta’s front-opening door and front suspension layout while adding a conventional right-side door, second-row seating, and a new perimeter frame.
This configuration allowed four-passenger capacity despite compact overall dimensions, with a 66.9-inch wheelbase positioning the wheels near the body corners for improved stability.
Independent rear suspension used semi-trailing arms, an arrangement that would later become closely associated with BMW engineering for decades.
The air-cooled 582cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine was derived from the R67 motorcycle unit, producing about 20 bhp at roughly 4,500 rpm through a four-speed manual transmission. Top speed was approximately 62-64 mph under favorable conditions.
Production ran from August 1957 through November 1959, totaling approximately 34,800 units before the more conventional BMW 700 arrived.
Pricing positioned the model roughly 200 Deutsche Marks above the entry-level Volkswagen Beetle, limiting sales despite efficient packaging and usable interior space. The four-seater served as BMW’s transitional economy offering during the company’s postwar recovery period.
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