Borgward Isabella
Borgward Hansa 1500 ( Isabella; 1954-1956)
The Borgward Isabella is a medium-sized car of Carl FW Borgward GmbH in Bremen- Sebaldsbrück, the most successful model of the Borgward group, which initially ran from June 10, 1954 under the name " Hansa 1500" by the band.
The later name "Isabella" was not the result of market research, but a spontaneous inspiration of Carl FW Borgward himself asked what they should write to the still top-secret pre-production, if they do test drives on public transport, to have replied Borgward " I do not care; Isabella wrote my account of it. "
From 1957, the original code name was to be read in the Borgward rhombus of the grille.
The modern design and the pleasing appearance of the Hansa 1500 ( Isabella ) were greeted enthusiastically at the idea in 1954. The car hit the public taste and was from day one sales success. The car was initially fraught after a development period of just ten months, with many teething problems, but these were gradually turned off.
- 5.1 See also
Conception of Isabella
With the new unibody Borg Ward left the severity of smooth pontoon shape of the previous model Borgward Hansa 1500, which was introduced in 1949 as the first newly constructed after the war German car. Bulges at the wheel arches, emphasized the door sill and a side chrome trim left the car appear elegant. The U.S. company BorgWarner complained early 1958, the tip of the rhombus - Borgwards trademark - the company name on the hood in Borg and was separated and cause confusion with their names could. They therefore threatened with a lawsuit, and then the rhombus so that the optical resolution of the company name was reduced at the Isabella models from mid-1958 and avoided.
The front wheels are suspended by unequal length double wishbones with coil springs and stabilizer (like the racing car Borgward RS). Rear Isabella has a swing axle with coil springs and push rods.
The 4-cylinder in-line engine with three bearing crankshaft and parallel overhead valves has a lateral camshaft via a spur gear with gear made from fabric reinforced phenolic resin ( Novotex ) is driven. It was new then, the hydraulically operated clutch. The 4- speed gearbox with steering wheel gearshift is fully synchronized.
The price was 7265.00 DM over the competitors Opel Rekord or Ford 12 M, but well below the Mercedes 180 In the first year of production Borgward Isabella 11,150 put forth.
Borgward Isabella TS
Borgward Isabella TS Deluxe ( Interior )
Borgward Isabella Sedan (1959/1960)
Development and variants of Isabella
Wagon and Cabriolet
In the fall of 1955, the two-door sedan, a three-door station wagon and a convertible were asked to the side. In addition, the Isabella TS with more engine power (55 kW (75 hp) instead of 44 kW (60 PS)) was put on the market. For the model year 1957, the Isabella learned further modifications, making the vehicle reached a satisfactory level of maturity.
The convertible designed Beeskow John, who had already built a coupe based on the Borgward Hansa 1500. Difficulties in the production of convertibles in German in Cologne prepared the low stiffness of the self-supporting Isabella body. According to extensive and expensive were the interventions in the original construction. 9,950.00 DM cost the Cabriolet.
The combined cost 7565.00 DM
Borgward Isabella Coupe Cabriolet
Borgward Isabella TS Cabriolet from German
Borgward Isabella Coupe
In 1956, sales of Isabella had declined compared to 1955 by almost a third, Carl Borgward decided to build a " nice car " with a shortened roof. Then, the Borgward Isabella Coupe, came from the first four prototypes in the public and aroused the interest of the press was born. One of these handmade prototypes gave Borgward his wife Elizabeth, who drove him to the 1980s.
The series production of the coupe ( with the TS engine) began in January 1957. Karl German in Cologne also transformed this model into a convertible to that but the word " coupe " kept at the rear. The coupé - cabriolets cost 15600-17000 DM
On request, the coupe was available with the popular in his time tail fins and incorporated therein, compared to the standard version larger lures.
Coupe with the 1959 available on request tailfins
Rear of the Isabella coupé without tail fins
Isabella TS Coupe from 1960 in Bremen Focke- Museum
Borgward Isabella Coupe TS
View of the interior
Cockpit
Borgward Isabella Pickup
Exclusively for export, mainly to the U.S., a pickup truck was produced.
Rear view
Police vehicle
The police used the Isabella, among other things, in Bremen as patrol cars and in Frankfurt as a speed measuring carriage.
Specifications
Isabella in Motorsport
From the outset, Borgward Isabella is a motorsport. In the Carrera Panamericana in October 1954 Adolf Brudes started with the standard 60 -horsepower engine in the class of " European touring car to 2 liters of displacement ," in which the work team of Alfa Romeo with several 110 hp " 1900 TI " took. Also, drove seven VW Beetle with 30 -horsepower engine. According to the balance of power Brudes finished sixth behind five Alfa Romeo and before the VW beetles, all managed the 3070 km long route. Brudes finished the race with an average of 113 km / h In the following years, the Isabella was with uprated engines seen in touring car races, including the Framework Programme of the European Grand Prix on August 6, 1961 at the Nurburgring with Jochen Neerpasch and Robert Francis ( pseudonym) on the steering wheel.
End of the production
1961 Borgward group was insolvent. Many vehicles were stockpiled; nevertheless remained the Isabella to 1962 in production. By the end of production a total of 202 862 copies were made . The production facilities were eventually sold to Mexico, where even ran some of these vehicles from the band during the 1960s. The position, which had taken the Isabella, filled with the BMW 1961 BMW 1500 from.