My BMW Isetta 300

The Mille Miglia, the famous road race for veteran cars that runs from the town of Brescia in Northern Italy to Rome and back, takes three days to complete. A dream for any driver. And strenuous too. Because the route covers winding passes and interminable country roads. The engines of these veteran cars (only models from the twenties to the fifties are admitted) are often taken to the limits of performance. As are those who take part in the rally, in their non air- conditioned cabins. The sun over Italy can burn mercilessly, especially in summer. The spectators lining the route love the sight of these antiquated beauties. There are Italian sports cars, English battleships and some fine German specimens, including many BMWs. “But weren’t people amazed to see us!”, laughs Luca Ferrari, who was also taking part in the famous rally, together with his wife. The year was 2005 and it was in a car that you would not have believed capable of such a record performance – an Isetta, the famous “bubble car” from the fifties. “People kept breaking into spontaneous applause as we passed”, recounts Ferrari. There is a lot of popular support for such a midget car. “When we arrived in Rome, the procession came to a standstill. We had to take a break and my wife and I got out of the car.” Spectators stamped their feet enthusiastically as the door of the Isetta swung open and the Ferraris exited the car through the opening at the front. And what about the strenuous exertions? “The car really isn’t as cramped as it looks from the outside”, says Ferrari, “we had more room than many of the couples who were doing the trip in a sports car.” The only problem was that there was no longer room for any luggage, which is normally strapped to the back of the Isetta. The Ferraris were carrying cans of petrol instead, as “you can only fit ten litres of fuel into the tank of the Isetta and we had to top-up every 75 kilometres.” They needed the contents of the spare fuel cans too, particularly for the passages in the mountains, where there were no petrol stations to be seen. The Isetta almost came through the Mille Miglia without any difficulty. “A mere 15 kilometres from the finish, the engine suddenly went on strike”, recounts Ferrari. “I solved the problem with a screwdriver.” Not difficult for a man who works with speedboats for a living. “And the best thing about it is that nowadays, an Isetta usually costs around 15,000 euro. So we got home with the cheapest car in the entire field.” And also, one can assume, having had the biggest laugh. “We would take part in the Mille Miglia again anytime – but only in an Isetta.”