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Borgwards
Today |
| In the United Kingdom, the most popular model is the Isabella and although the Saloon was at one time the most prevalent of the range, the Coupe is now definitely seen in far greater numbers. Driving a representative Isabella today, especially a TS, immediately instils confidence and actively encourages the driver to drive with exuberance and flair. Everything works as it should, with total precision and total lack of vagueness. The handling of the car is very modern and it always feels like a driver's car. It is a car that wills you on with precious little restraint. The engine is always willing, right from cold, and revs quite happily at the top end, just surging the big car forward. It is always difficult to believe that a mere 1500cc can achieve such a performance and, with such utter flexibility, cruising effortlessly at 82 mph. One can floor the car in third, without any hesitation from as low as 15 mph and then straight on up to 80 mph. Doing the same thing in top gear at around 60 mph shoves the driver back into the seat and the car soars all the way up to around 100 mph. |
| The column change may appear a bit out of touch with the engine at first, but its sheer preciseness, coupled with an excellent all synchro box, makes it a joy to shift gear. The biggest pleasure of all is the handling. The precise steering feeds all the information back to the driver that is needed. The all independent suspension and excellent weight distribution, between the front and rear (nearly 50/50 on the Coupe), endows the car with extremely high cornering powers. |
| The car wills the driver to corner harder and harder all the time, especially in the wet. It will oversteer eventually but provided the driver keeps the power on tap it will always be gradual and easily correctable. Even sudden braking, on a bend, does not exhibit the sudden and vicious oversteer slide exhibited in other swing axle cars. The brakes are good drum brakes, as drum brakes go, but they are obviously not as good as a modem disc system. Having said that, they will stop well from 80 or 90 mph provided the driver allows them to cool slightly before a repeat performance. |
| The only real reservation about the car is the 6-volt electrical system. Although it is very reliable and does everything it should, the headlights are fine until doused by an oncoming vehicle running on 12 volt 100 watt halogens! 6-volt halogens can be bought but if the car is to be used as regular transport at night, converting to 12 volts can be a worthwhile investment and is cheap and easy. |
| In 1956
Mike Hawthorn road tested the new Isabella Saloon TS for the Sunday Express: "If only the German Borgward Isabella T S. were British!". "Top speed was a decimal point below 100 mph". "It goes! And it goes in comfort, and the petrol pumps are spaced a very long way apart". |
| In 1958 John
Bolster from Autosport tested the Isabella Coupe: "The Borgward Coupe is an exceptionally attractive car, thoroughly well made, and with very high quality finish". "Isabella has all the character you could possibly want". "If you drive her flat out mile after mile, fairly flinging her through the corners, she just seems to laugh at you, and challenge you to drive harder!" "I have driven more powerful and faster cars that give me far less pleasure". "In my opinion it is a really good car, and I wish that it were made in Birmingham instead of Bremen." |
Values in the UK 2013 |
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