Turning the Isabella's unibody into a cabriolet took serious re-engineering to keep it rigid without a roof, and buyers paid a steep premium for the trouble.
Median 75 hp across 43 similar cars
Lead trim: Isabella Coupé TS 1493 cc four (75 bhp, 1957–1962)
Borgward Isabella TS cabriolet and CoupéTS · 1955–1962
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Borgward Isabella TS cabriolet and Coupé yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactTurning the Isabella's unibody into a cabriolet took serious re-engineering to keep it rigid without a roof, and buyers paid a steep premium for the trouble.
In 1955 Borgward introduced a two-door cabriolet, the Isabella TS, with a more powerful 75 bhp (56 kW) motor; production was contracted to Karl Deutsch in Cologne, converting the early monocoque design to a cabriolet needing considerable modification, and the resulting cost was reflected in a much higher selling price. Responding to a sales decline of almost a third in 1955 and 1956, Carl Borgward decided to produce a restyled Isabella with a shortened roof line, the Isabella Coupé: four hand-built prototypes were well received (one given to his wife Elisabeth, who drove it into the 1980s) and commercial production of the coupé, powered by the TS version of the engine, commenced in January 1957. By 1958 the 75 bhp TS motor had also found its way into the Isabella sedan and estate versions. English racing driver and tuner Bill Blydenstein raced an Isabella in the 1950s. Wheelbase 2,600 mm (102.4 in), length 4,390 mm (172.8 in), width 1,705 mm (67.1 in).
Collectors Spotted in the Borgward Isabella Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Borgward Isabella yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabella Coupé TS 1493 cc four (75 bhp, 1957–1962) | 1957–1962 | 1.5 L Inline-4 | 75 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Isabella TS cabriolet 1493 cc four (75 bhp, 1955) | 1955–1956 | 1.5 L Inline-4 | 75 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
In the Community
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Photographs
Turning the Isabella's unibody into a cabriolet took serious re-engineering to keep it rigid without a roof, and buyers paid a steep premium for the trouble.
The Isabella was supposed to launch as the "Borgward Hansa 1500" — but engineers and the press liked its internal test-car nickname so much it became the official name instead.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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