BUSCH 43118 - Borgward Isabella Coupé, blue/cream

BUSCH 43118 - Borgward Isabella Coupé, blue/cream

In 1921, engineer Carl Friedrich W. Borgward, born in 1890, started his own business by taking over the Bremen radiator factory. Just three years later, he built his first car, a small three-wheeled truck. In 1931, he took over the Hansa-Lloyd works, which built trucks and armored vehicles during the Second World War. Shortly after the end of the war, in 1949, Borgward presented the Hansa 1500, the first German car with a pontoon body. With the Borgward model "Isabella," released in 1954 and designed by the company founder himself, the Bremen Borgward works consistently continued the proven pontoon line. The most beautiful body variant is considered to be the Isabella Coupé, available from 1957. This was not actually a variant, but a new development and thus a new car. From mid-1958, two visible details were changed compared to the first edition: the Borgward diamond in the radiator was smaller, and the Borgward lettering on the front fenders was "slid" forward. The Isabella Coupé became the pinnacle of the Borgward image, a car myth, and the only truly successful attempt to break into the luxury class. A novelty was that Borgward fulfilled all optional extras, even those not listed on the price list. Among the bizarre, but official, extras were the attached tail fins and the electric steel sliding roof. With a base price of 10,925 DM initially and later 11,725 DM, the target audience was well-off men and women. A hefty price for a rolling luxury item with only two full-size seats, claimed the critics. But this did not diminish its popularity.

With just under 10,000 units produced, the Isabella Coupé is still a sought-after collector's item today, significantly rarer than, say, a Mercedes 190 SL, of which 26,000 were produced. Initially, one had to pay 15,600 DM for this beautiful convertible, and later even 17,000 DM – it was arguably one of Carl FW Borgward's most successful creations. This convertible was one of the few German automobiles that reflected the spirit of the times and the aspirations of the 1950s.
The 1:87 scale model, with its 30 individual parts, is one of the most elaborately constructed, but also perfectly formed miniatures, like its original from 1958. The body alone consists of three parts: the lower section with fenders and doors; The upper section includes the hood and trunk, and the roof includes the B- and C-pillars. The interior, with its seating section and separate dashboard, is split into two parts. The steering wheel is a color-contrasting insert. The 16 characteristic chrome parts are all individually mounted or inserted. These include the decorative strips on the sides and hood, the front and rear turn signals, the headlights, and the two windshield wipers. The radiator grille, bumpers, and rims are also individual chrome parts. The "Borgward" logo is finely printed on the front fenders.

In addition to its technical refinements, what is truly special about this model is that it perfectly captures the style and charm of the original, allowing every collector to capture the atmosphere of automobile manufacturing in the 1960s. Just like the larger models, the miniatures are available in the original single-color paint scheme as well as in contrasting two-color paint schemes.

 

Characteristics:

Manufacturer:	BUSCH
Item number:	43118
number of pieces:	1 piece
EAN:	4001738431186
Product Type:	Vehicles
Age recommendation:	from 14 years
WEEE No.:	DE 41143719