Stretch-limo ’58 BMW Isetta 600

Everything’s relative, according to Einstein. Therefore, if you stretch the wheelbase and add a side door to your tiny BMW Isetta microcar, you are well within your rights in calling it a limousine.

Thusly, the Pick of the Day is called a 1958 BMW Isetta 600 Limo, with room for four moderately sized humans instead of two, an effort to turn the Isetta into a family car. The Limo still has Isetta’s signature forward-opening front door, in which the steering assembling moves out as well, but another door was added to the right side for the convenience of rear-seat passengers.

The large-size Isetta is still miniscule by any standard, though, with a wheelbase of just five-and-a-half feet and an overall length of nine-and-a-half feet. Compare that with the 1958 Volkswagen Beetle, which is about 13 feet long.

The 600 was not just a stretched Isetta, though, but a car with significant structural differences, including a new frame design and improved rear suspension, and a larger, 582cc flat-two-cylinder engine from a BMW motorcycle set in the rear.

The Limo does have Italian styling going for it, with designer Michelotti having something to do with its appealing looks, according to the Denver, Colorado, dealer advertising the car on ClassicCars.com. It drives well, too, the seller adds, and with a weight of just 1,236, the 600 can hit 62 mph and climb hills without losing too much steam.

This Isetta is a rust-free survivor driven just over 30,000 miles, the seller notes, and is in good, clean condition and ready to roll. These cars are fairly rare; just 35,000 were sold worldwide in less than three years of production. The raging success of the VW Beetle apparently took all the attention away from the Isetta 600.

The asking price is $26,900, which is not bad for an entire limousine. Although, this limo might not be the greatest choice for prom night.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.