At the IAA 2017 in Frankfurt, Borgward presented an icon that last ran off the Bremen production line in the 1950s: the Isabella, which is initially just a concept vehicle, but according to the manufacturer, should not remain a pure vision. Lovers of the old Isabella will certainly have to change their taste a little, because the appearance of the cult car has been fundamentally changed. The development goal for its rebirth was to align the company with a characteristic design DNA. So creating a retro car was not the intention of the Borgward designers and so the four-seater coupé study appears in the style of a futuristic super sports car.
The design guideline called "Impressions of Flow" gives the Isabella concept flowing and almost sculptural forms. The jewel of the former Bremen car brand is 5 meters long, 1,92 meters wide and only 1,40 meters high. Aerodynamics play a major role in efficiency, as the concept vehicle is powered entirely by electricity. The classic Isabella hip curve has been adapted for the future and aerodynamically and is emphasized by an aluminum trim strip. Thanks to two free-standing vertical air deflectors behind the front wheels, perfect ventilation of the airflow through the wheel arches and the airflow around the body flanks should be made possible. Optoelectronic exterior mirrors replace conventional rear-view mirrors and ensure even more efficiency. The opposing doors for the front and rear passengers are visually stylish - it is questionable whether they will also be used in a production vehicle. In the interior of the Isabella concept, the front area lives through the futuristic dashboard that appears to float in the room, the so-called "surfboard". A holographic display should show the 3-D navigation and other futuristic functions. A personal and individual user interface should adapt to the driver and front passenger.
The seats are designed in such a way that they are reminiscent of free-standing armchairs in modern apartments - a lounge character in the rear is created with high-quality floor coverings for a real feel-good atmosphere.
The e-drive platform ePROPULSION was presented for the first time in the near-series concept car Borgward BXi7 - now the modular system is built into the Isabella concept.
The battery with a high energy density should enable an electric range of up to 500 kilometers in the coming development. At a fast charging station, the charging process to 80 percent capacity should take around 30 minutes and an inductive charging system is also planned for the Isabella. Thanks to two electric motors - one on the front and one on the rear axle - the Isabella concept becomes an all-wheel-drive vehicle. A total output of 220 kW (300 PS) and a maximum torque of 450 Nm should accelerate the concept vehicle from 4,5 to 0 km / h within 100 seconds. The maximum speed is 250 km / h.
Since Borgward stated in advance that the concept should not remain a pure vision, it will be interesting to see what will open up for the Isabella and when it will be ready for series production.
Addendum:
green car magazine issue VI / 2017
Source and photos: Borgward
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