The sales success of the BMW Isetta 300 was a momentous windfall for BMW in the late 1950s. The liquidity-strapped company was desperate for saving grace, and their re-engineering project proved to be a blessed boon. Soon after work began on a slightly lengthened variant that would become known as the 600, denoted by its enlarged displacement engine. The front suspension and door assembly were taken directly from the Isetta 300, and then BMW built everything new from the front bench seat back. This provided room for four with an additional side-mounted door, a larger engine bay to house the air-cooled 582cc flat-twin motor, and bespoke rear suspension. However, the prosperity of the 300 remained inherent only to the 300 and three years after the 600s promising inception production was capped and closed at a mere 34,813 units.
Today we have a fabulous example that was a prominent museum piece for 17 years of its life. The BMW 600 on our block is finished in a beautiful fifties style of two-tone paint. A white roof pleasantly contrasts the bright red bodywork, and although this was repainted during the restoration, the colors are still true to the original factory selection. The seller specifies that some paint bubbles are present in the coating but that there is no flaking since the paint is of high-quality. Also original to the vehicle are the BMW roundels, the lighting, the U.S. standard reflectors, and the override bumpers fitted for the U.S. market. The steel-stamped 10” wheels with the BMW roundel centers are currently mounted with Dunlop tires from 2014, but all have adequate tread on them. Underneath of the car, the floorboards and chassis frame components are finished in a protective black powder coating.
During the restoration that took place only 150 miles ago, the odometer was reset. At the same time, the interior also underwent refurbishment. The forward swinging door opens and closes gracefully, but the seller informs us that there is fracturing in the upper portions of the connected dashboard. The front and rear seats were recovered in red tweed cloth that is correct to the period and is dressed with white vinyl across the upper portion of the backrest. This fabric and vinyl coloring nicely compliments the exterior color and extends to the armrests, headliner, and paneling. The current owner states that there is a stain present in the fabric of the front seat but that it is less pronounced when viewed in person. A set of bright red lapbelts have also been installed for safety reasons. Below, the floorboards are protected from water and soiling by black rubber matting.
The impetus is provided courtesy of the numbers matching 582cc air-cooled flat-twin motor that sends power to the rear wheels by way of a four-speed manual transmission. In preparation of the sale, a standard tune-up service with the replacement of all the fluids has been performed. The current owner reports no issues with starting or operation since the 600 has continually been watched over and maintained first by the museum and then in their collection. Provided with the sale are the original black Californian license plate, the current Nevada license plate, and a clean Nevada title. Let the bidding begin!
