1959 Borgward Isabella Coupé with Mazda BP Motor

This 1959 Borgward Isabella Coupé, found on eBay in Clarksville, Maryland, USA, is a very unusual vehicle. Although more than 200,000 examples were made between 1954 and 1961, it is very rare to find them outside of Germany. Some Borgward cars were sold at GM dealerships in the States and they reportedly had decent build quality but it was never a sales success in the USA, making them very scarce.












What makes this car even more unusual is the Mazda BP engine and transmission located under the hood. Although the 1.8L motor (from a 1995 Mazda Miata) certainly helps driveability, the non-original engine likely hurts its value and appeal to collectors.









Interested in learning more? Check out the Borgward Owner's Club in Germany.