Borgward

The Borgward Isabella was introduced in 1954. It was supposed to have been marketed as the Borgward Hansa 1500 but the Isabella name was used on test vehicles and proved popular with both engineering staff and media. 11,150 Isabellas were produced in 1954, an early indicator that commercially this would be the most successful Borgward ever. The early cars enjoyed an enthusiastic reception in the market place, although they were afflicted by various problems reflecting a rushed development schedule. A year after the sedan, an estate version and a two-door cabriolet were introduced. Initial sales volumes were not maintained and the company went bankrupt in 1961. Nevertheless, the model's production at the Bremen plant continued until 1962, suggesting that overstocking had not been restricted to finished vehicles.