BMW 600

The BMW 600 was a microcar produced by BMW from mid-1957 until November 1959. It was a four-seat car partially based on the BMW Isetta two-seater, with more power, a longer wheelbase, a back door, and a more conventional four-wheel configuration.
The front end of the 600 was similar to the Isetta's, but the 600's wheelbase was stretched to accommodate four seats. A single side door was included on the right side for rear seat access. The Isetta's A-shaped tubular chassis was replaced by a more conventional perimeter frame using box-section side members and tubular crossmembers. BMW used a semi-trailing arm independent suspension for the first time on the 600. This suspension would be used on almost every new model for the next four decades. Because of the increased size and weight, the 600 had a more powerful engine than the Isetta. The 600 had the 582 cc flat twin engine from the R67 motorcycle but used an H-pattern transaxle instead of the R67 sequential transmission without differential. The engine was rated at 14.5 kW (19.4 hp) and accelerated the 600 to a top speed of 103 km/h (64 mph). The car had no fuel gauge but had two fuel taps, one lower in the tank than the other to be used as a reserve when fuel starvation with the higher tap is felt.
In three years, only 34,813 BMW 600s were produced, partly due to price competition with the entry-level VW Beetle. In the late 1950s, consumers wanted cars that looked like cars, and they had lost interest in economy models. Sales of the 600 were, however, aided by the energy crisis of 1956–1957. The 600 was replaced by the BMW 700 in 1959.