Borgward Isabelle coupe the Irish assembled Porsche nemesis | Season 2 - Episode 31

👋 Hey friends! In this video, we are featuring the rare Borgward Isabelle coupe designed to be the Porsche nemesis and assembled in Ireland. Welcome to Ireland Made. We celebrate stories of Irish transport past and present. If it has wings, wheels or it floats, we share the story. ⬇️ Do you have any memories of the Borgward Isabelle? Comment below ⬇️ 🛎️ Subscribe to our channel so you never miss an upload go to YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAsRjiVH2Stlh1yuEXXXIA for new videos! It is hard to believe that Borgward, this relatively unknown German car brand outsold all other German automakers except Volkswagen in 1955. Or that in 1958 Borgward very nearly pipped Porsche for the German sports-car championship. We had previously seen an Isabelle Coupé at the Dalkey vintage car show in 2017 and were impressed. Our memory was jogged once again when we saw a similar 1500cc 1960 model at the Malahide Classic & Vintage Motor Show recently. We thought it was about time we would explore this beauty once described as a Porsche nemesis in the ‘50’s. We were particularly interested in the Irish connection when it was assembled here from 1955. More on that later. Based in Bremen, Germany, the company was founded in 1939 by Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Borgward. The model that made Borgward famous was the Isabella, which appeared in 1954. It was a monocoque, stylish, two-door car. Suspension was conventional coil springs and hydraulic drum brakes were on standard steel wheels fitted with 5.90×13 tires. In 1955, Borgward launched convertible and station wagon versions, as well as a hot TS ("Touring Sport") model. The latter had a two-barrel carburettor that could top 90 MPH, leaving Porsche 1300s behind. As the decade wore on and facing competition, Borgward added the most glamorous model yet to the Isabella lineup - the Coupé similar to the one we have seen. It was first shown to the public at the 1957 West German Auto Show and priced at £1,330. The Isabella Coupe had a four-cylinder, 1.5 litre in-line, overhead valve engine which produced 70 bhp (44,7 kW). With it’s four-speed gearbox it could do 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) in 16.5 seconds. Top speed was 150 km/h (95+ mph) and fuel consumption was given as 11.5 litres/100 km (27 mpg) - 1959 'Motor Sport' magazine test drive. So sound was the Borgward engine that, developed for racing, it powered Cooper-Borgwards to many Formula 2 victories in the Fifties and became Porsche's nemesis. Eric Sarre imported and assembled Borgward in Ireland and the Isabella first appeared in about 1955 which was Sarre's own car, a blue 60 b.h.p. saloon. Isabellas were assembled in various locations in Dublin on a small scale and included saloons, coupes and combis. We have read that they were assembled initially in the Coombe area by Eric Sarre and then moved to Prussia Street. They were also assembled at other locations at different times including: 1. Lloyds on the Howth Road 2. Landy's garage in Rathfarnham Village Eric Sarre’s final company Hansa Motors assembled Borgward Isabella Coupe at East Road, Dublin and distributed by Condor Sales Ltd in 1961. Within four years of the launch, the Borgward Coupé was gone. The combination of an economic recession, costly new model development programme and overproduction left the company short of cash. Bridging loans were not available and the City Senate forced him to turn over the company, filing for bankruptcy and laying off 12,600 workers during their summer vacation. The last Borgward to come off the assembly line bore a wreath with the workers' epitaph: "Du warst zu gut für diese Welt." Perhaps it really was "too good for this world". Carl Borgward died a year later, and the story was over. It is estimated that of the 9,537 Coupés built 354 Borgward’s were built in Ireland between 1955 and 1965. Like a fiery comet Borgward lit up the automotive night sky but disappeared as dramatically. Yet all is not lost in recent years the Borgward has been revived as super sleek sporty cope electric of course in a hint to it's roots in "thoroughly up-to-date underpinnings". Do you use a Jubilee clip in your workshop? Check out our downloadable tribute print to this great tool https://irelandmade.ie/shop/ Follow Ireland Made for the latest! Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/IrlMade Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/irlmade/ Check out the Ireland Made website www.irelandmade.ie to view our back catalogue of Irish transport videos. Do you have an Irish transport story past or present you would like us to feature? Email us here info@irelandmade.ie Feel free to share on social media. This post is copyrighted© to Ireland Made® Not to be copied or reproduced without permission. Sources of information 1. Boards.ie 2. Borgward Drivers Club 1984, 3. BorgwardIGSchweiz Facebook 4. Borgward.org.uk 5. Curbsideclassic.com 6. Hemmings.com #irelandmade made #Borgward #IsabellaCoupes

Added 12 Aug 2026