Ramblings of my curious mind

There's rumour that Fiat and BMW may be joining forces to create a new small car platform.The BMW Isetta and Fiat Topolino might be born as twins, with their own distinctive styling cues of course. The cars will be rivaling the Volkswagen Up! and Toyota iQ. Both cars will be economical on fuel and meet ever increasing emission requirements both in the US and European countries. There is further talk of making fully electric versions of both models.

The Fiat Topolino will be sold in Europe exclusively, while the rear-engined BMW Isetta will most likely come to the states by 2011 or 2012. The release date will correspond with California’s laws that would require major car manufacturers to produce a certain amount of zero emission vehicles.

Following its Frankfurt debut, the Isetta could surface in BMW showrooms as early as 2011. The Isetta will use an electric motor rather than a conventional gas powerplant, with the MINI E reportedly using the exact setup that will be featured in the new city car.
Although earlier reports indicated the Isetta would be offered as a three seater, new reports suggest the Isetta will offer seating for four. Moreover, future versions of the electric car could use in-wheel motors, which would greatly improve interior space.
In keeping with BMW’s premium image, the Isetta will likely carry a price tag more in line with a mid-size sedan rather than a tiny city car. Don’t be surprised to see pricing at or above the $25,000 mark

Which one will you choose?

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