Miguel Sánchez
During the XNUMXs, the mobile fleet in Spain was not going through its best moments. Conditioned by the postwar period, many of the economic problems inherent to the first period of Francoism were visualized in it. To get started, the three years of civil war had caused not a little damage to the industrial fabric. Obviously in a physical sense. But also in its organization, leading to the disappearance of Hispanic-Suiza and its high-end models. All this after having even manufactured cannons and war material to later sell his capital goods to ENASA in 1946.
In addition, the fall in production and the high poverty rates did not help to generate a stable demand with which to attract foreign investors. A situation aggravated by the years of autarchy. In part chosen by the nationalism of the Falange, but above all imposed by the international isolation to which the Franco regime was subjected after the defeat of fascism. That's the way it is, the shortage of raw materials needed by the automotive industry was a constant drag. At least until the signing of the first agreements with the United States from 1953 given the repositioning of the dictatorship within the Cold War.
With all this, it is not difficult to understand how the Spanish fleet was more than reduced during the forties. In need of state support and its extensive network of public companies, as well as more focused on industrial vehicles than on passenger cars. Also, since most of the population could not afford a car, Mobility needs were covered thanks to motorcycles, motorcars and mopeds. In this way, in the Spain of the forties, a multitude of companies focused on the world of two wheels and small displacement engines flourished.
A situation very similar to that experienced in Italy. Where Ducati put aside the production of spokes to embrace the manufacture of small devices with which to propel bicycles. In this sense, Isotherms did something similar in 1948, changing the refrigerators and heaters to land in the segment of urban motorcycles. From here appeared the ill-fated Furetto scooter and the more capable Isoscooter 125, but above all the Isocarro tricycle with practical applications in the day-to-day life of delivery men and small businesses. Undoubtedly a range of vehicles easily applicable to Spain, where they arrived in 1952 through Iso-Motor Italia SA
ISO-MOTOR ITALIA SA, MANUFACTURING UNDER LICENSE IN CARABANCHEL
At the beginning of the 1959s, Franco's Spain was gradually abandoning the era of ration cards. In this way, the consumption capacity was gaining muscle. Taking the steps prior to the economic explosion experienced after the Stabilization Plans of XNUMX. However, the truth is that there were still obvious gaps in technology. In fact, although the industrial fabric was recovering production capacity, everything related to patents was not advancing to the same extent.
Due to this it became necessary to resort to the licensing system. Something especially common when talking about Italian brands and their massive landing in Spain in the early fifties. A visible phenomenon in motorcycling, with the founding of Madrid's Motovespa, Moto Scooter and Motor Italia in just two years. And that's not to mention the Basque Lambretta Locomociones, the Asturian Avello or the Catalan Moto Guzzi Hispania and Mototrans. All of them dedicated to production under license thanks to its agreements with Vespa, Rondine, Iso, Lambretta, MV Agusta, Moto Guzzi and Ducati respectively.
At this point, the best thing would be to place ourselves in the Madrid of 1951. A city still marked by the wounds of the war, although at the same time open to the industrial expansion fed by the families of the rural exodus. Thus, in the popular district of Carabanchel, Motor Italia SA was founded in January of that same year. A small company dedicated to the modest task of manufacturing bicycle engines under license from the Turin company Itom. Nevertheless, During 1952 he managed to reach an agreement with Isothermos in order to produce his scooters and motorcars in Madrid.. Something similar to what, just in those months, Moto Scooter -with Rondine- and Motovespa -with Vespa and the support of Banco Urquijo- were negotiating for the installation of their workshops in Ronda de Toledo and the San Blas neighborhood, respectively.
With all this, when Isothermos became a shareholder of the company, it was renamed Iso-Motor Italia SA although, for a time, it did not cease its agreements with Itom for the manufacture of small mechanics. From this moment on, the Iso scooter 125 came out of the Carabanchel workshops first, followed shortly after by the first Isocarro. However, since the pace of the Italian economy was faster than that of the Spanish soon the first disengagements began to take place. In this way, in 1953 the Italian matrix changed its name to Iso Autoveicoli. Something that already gave undoubted clues about his ambition to jump into motorsport.
And so he did, presenting that same year his first vehicle with four wheels. Neither more nor less than the Isetta. A microcar that the company's engineers had been maturing since 1950, combining in it a good price, excellent handling in the city and interesting solutions such as the door located in the front. Also, since in Italy the Isetta was going to have a difficult time due to the appearance of the much more practical FIAT 600, Iso granted the patent for his design to BMW in 1955. Exactly the same year that the popular Dante Giacosa model was launched on the market. Thus, what impact would all this have on the Iso-Motor Italia workshops in Madrid?
THE ISETTACARRO APPEARS
Due to the popularity of the Lambretta and Vespa, the Isoscooter did not sell very well in Spain. In addition, producing tourism models was not a very profitable business for Iso-Motor Italia either, since, after all, Montesa and Lube already dominated the two-stroke market with an eighth of a litre. With all this, only motorcars could be more or less competitive, expanding their range to models with 150 cubic centimeters. Nevertheless, the arrival of the SEAT 600 in 1957 offered an excellent mobility alternative. Not only for families but also for businesses when its van variant appeared in 1961.
At this point, the truth is that the Carabanchel company was on the ropes. Even more so if we take into account how the Italian parent company was leaning towards high-end sports cars. Completely abandoning the world of two wheels when the sixties arrived. However, although in Spain it would not have much fortune to manufacture the Isetta tourism due to the SEAT 600, Iso Autoveicoli had commercial variants halfway between a motorcar and a light van. Equipped with the single-cylinder two-stroke Puch, 236cc and 9,6CV, they were viable for a market where there was still a certain gap for commercial vehicles with a motorcycle engine.
In fact, in Italy the Isetta Autocarros enjoyed good sales in the absence of the 600 T derived from the Multipla becoming popular during the second half of the fifties. With all this, Iso Motor Italia seriously considered the possibility of having its own Autocarro. And he did. Premiering it in 1954 under the name of Isettacarro 500 because that was the recommended number of kilos to carry as cargo. Regarding the engine, far from using the one mounted by the BMW Isetta -derived from the R25/3 motorcycle- it equipped the same Puch installed in the Italian versions.
All this on an extended chassis to support the cargo space, supported by a rear axle equipped with leaf springs and differential. Something important, since the lack of the latter made some motorcars of the time very dangerous, such as the Rondine Titan manufactured in the Ronda de Toledo. Not very successful commercially, gaining a reputation for easily capsizing during necessary turns on urban delivery routes. In addition, the interior continued to enjoy the comforts represented by an Isetta compared to any motorcar. Counting on the traditional two-spoke steering wheel and, of course, the everlasting front-opening door.
Produced from 1954 to 1958 with some 4.900 units -according to the archives of the now defunct Microcar Museum in Georgia-, the Isettacarro 500 became one of the last exponents of that Spain in which motorsport was not yet a massive fact. All this thrown into the gutter of history thanks to the economic development that appeared at the end of the fifties and the arrival of the SEAT 600, the R4 FASA and the 2CV assembled in the Citroën de Vigo.
In fact, after partnering with Germany's Borgward to manufacture Perkins-powered light vans, Iso-Motor Italia SA ended up closing its workshops in the mid-XNUMXs. Nevertheless, It still continues to surprise many that there, on the hills of the popular Carabanchel, these models were manufactured. Not only the Isettacar, but also around 100 or 900 -the sources are quite confusing in this regard- Isetta Turismo assembled from 1956 to 1961. Something we will talk about in future articles.
P.D. The unit chosen to illustrate this article left the factory in 1957. After that, it spent many years in the hands of a Catalan family, still keeping plate B-158073. Later, he was in the Microcar Museum from Georgia at least from 2002 to 2013. Year in which RM Sotheby's first auctioned it. Subsequently, last 2020 it went up for auction again as part of The Elkhart Collection. Regarding its state of conservation, we must indicate how certain original elements have been replaced by others that do not match. However, the general condition is exceptional, including the original wooden box.
