Two
of the most important new cars ever are about to ‘bubble’ to the
surface – and in a world exclusive head-to-head, Auto Express has
brought them together for the first time!
These are the
clearest illustrations yet of BMW’s new Isetta and its sister, the Fiat
Topolino. They are the result of a new deal between the two firms,
which will also be extended to include next-generation versions of the
MINI and Alfa Romeo MiTo.
The
Isetta and Topolino are crucial to BMW and Fiat’s attempts to reduce
the overall CO2 emissions of their ranges – but they will also offer
buyers 100mpg fuel returns! Reviving a name not seen since the bubble
car of the Fifties, the Isetta will take BMW into a new sector of the
motoring market.
It will be joined by the Fiat Topolino – which
we featured in Issue 1,013. Both machines will offer incredible fuel
consumption and low emissions, as well as tiny dimensions, and rival
the imminent VW up! and Toyota iQ.
The
Isetta will be hugely important, because it will help BMW comply with
the European Commission’s plans to impose an average 120g/km limit on
the model ranges of all firms selling cars across the Continent by
2012. And, as there are plans for an electric version, it would also
enable the manufacturer to meet California’s upcoming zero-emissions
vehicle legislation.
As you can see from our artist’s
impression, the Isetta harks back to the original bubble car shape. But
it has been given a modern reworking by the design team, with the
addition of some BMW-style chunkiness. The body is made up of simple
panels, likely to be fashioned from plastic to save weight and help
resist parking dings.
Meanwhile, the Topolino gets a retro look
inspired by the 500, with a cheeky front end featuring a smooth nose
and large headlights. Under the skin of both models lies an all-new
platform that places the engine in the rear and sends drive to the back
wheels.
With an electric-only Isetta some way off,
small-capacity petrol and diesel engines will feature initially. And as
Fiat is using a new 900cc two-cylinder petrol motor in the Topolino,
the Isetta could benefit from the same unit.
The new powerplant
was previewed in Fiat’s Panda Aria concept at last September’s
Frankfurt Motor Show, and it arrives in dealers under the bonnet of the
500 later this year. While two outputs will be offered in this car – a
105bhp turbo and a normally aspirated 65bhp unit – it will be the
latter that powers the Topolino.
Twin-clutch
semi-automatic gearboxes are likely to be used by both models, as is a
stop-start set-up which switches off the engine when the car is
stationary in heavy traffic. Combine this technology with a lightweight
body, and the newcomers will be incredibly efficient. Expect combined
fuel economy of 100mpg and CO2 emissions of less than 90g/km.
The
interior layout is still up for debate, but there is likely to be
enough room for three occupants with an occasional fourth seat,
allowing owners to juggle luggage capacity with passenger space.
It
will be interesting to see if BMW and Fiat can make the rear-engined,
rear-wheel-drive layout work efficiently. An insider at VW recently
told Auto Express that a similar mechanical layout in the up! is being
ditched in favour of a front-engined, front-wheel drive format, after
it was found that the layout was too costly to develop and made the car
unstable in cross winds.
Although official production dates have yet to be decided, the Isetta and Topolino are set to arrive some time in 2010.