E in German BMW Magazine

[nothingville]

Because of the 50th anniversary of the German "automobile" BMW-Isetta the BMW Group posted two pictures in their BMW magazine.

One is Elvis (I think it's a rare shot), the other one is Cary Grant.

In the text it says "Elvis bought this car for his manager Colonel Tom Parker for Christmas".

Greetings from Germany
nothingville

[pacer1965]

Thanks for posting the pic's nothingville.
Two of my favourite men.

Cary Grant is one of my favourite actors(y)

[ComeBackChick]

Wow! Thanks for sharing!! :D

[Sonny]

Cool pictures... Could you please post the article as well? Just being curious, because I like Cary Grant a lot too!
Here are two more from Elvis with this BMW.

[Andy_M]

Very nice pictures!

[EDOEP]

dear all, i found another 3 pics of elvis with the BMW isetta.

1/ also was shot when he was visiting the BMW headquarter in munich during his stay in germany

2/ the second one shows elvis AND colonel parker in the red isetta that elvis had presented the colonel with for christmas in 1957(must have felt rather crowded in an isetta with the colonel - i am naughty, i know :P ). and he allegedly even was singing at this event. wonder how...

3/ the third one is elvis alone in obviously HIS isetta. unfortunately i have not found any more info on that, but maybe he simply was testing at the car dealer's for while purchasing the colonel's one. this photo is reported to have been shot in nashville.

the report in the paper reads like this:
------------------------------------

Friday, December 20, 1957

"Elvis stops by Sun Records after picking up his draft notice in person.

Later Elvis tell reporters it is a "duty I've got to fill and I'm going to do it."

In the evening Elvis leaves for Nashville to deliver the Colonel's [Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' manager] Christmas present, a red Isetta sports car."

Pictures from Nashville of the car Elvis gave to Col. Parker. These pictures were taken before Elvis was drafted into the Army.

(extra info: The cars have a one-cylinder BMW motorcycle engine with a 4-speed transmission. The top speed is 53 mph, and it gets 63 miles per gallon. In 1958 you could buy one for $1,093)

courtesy of 'nothingville' - thank you for this, nothingville! - now i got the text from the original photo below in german. anybody interested in a translation? if so, let me know and i shall provide a translation.

the german text reads as follows:
--------------------------------
DIE ISETTA WIRD 50
Vor 50 Jahren begann die Siegesfahrt der BMW Isetta. Bis zum Ende der Produktion im Jahre 1962 verkaufte BMW 161.575 von dem bald liebevoll "Knutschkugel" geannten Auto. Selbst in den USA fand das heute ulkig wirkende Gefährt fast 13.000 Käufer. Zum Erfolg trug bei, dass Weltstars wie Schauspieler Cary Grant (links) und der King of Rock'n'Roll, Elvis Presley, zu den Liebhabern der Isetta zählten. Elvis, hier in Uniform als Soldat in Germany, kaufte eine Isetta als Weihnachtsgeschenk für seinen Manager "Colonel" Tom Parker.

hope you enjoy the pics, take care,

e.d.

[Tommy]

Thank you for sharing these photos all. My nephew has a restored Isetta, blue.

Tommy

[EDOEP]

dear tommy,

you're welcome!

OT: with respect to the current gas-prices in the UK and germany, your nephew has made a very wise decision :-) - maybe BMW shoud consider taking up production again. (thx for PMs, still in germany, respond when back in UK).

on topic: please find below the translation - hope there are not too many mistakes in it...

THE ISETTA TURNS 50

50 years ago the triumphal procession of the BMW isetta started. BMW sold a total of 161,575 cars until production was suspended in 1962, the car soon was given the nickname ?knutschkugel? (?smooch bubble?, because it was a relatively cheap car that in post WW2 europe even young people could afford as their first own car ? and which obviously was not only used for driving from A to B but for other purposes as well in the puritanic 50s :blush: ).

even in the US the car - the design of which seems weird to us nowadays ? found almost 13,000 buyers. its success also based on the fact that superstars like the actor cary grant and the king of rock?n?roll, elvis presley, could be counted into the number of its fans. elvis, here in uniform when serving as a soldier in germany, bought an isetta as christmas-present for his manager, ?colonel? tom parker.

everyone sleep well, shall hit the sack now, almost midnight here,

e.d.

[EDOEP]

and one more pic from germany ...

again, elvis at the same venue as named below. this pic was taken by a german photographer who documented elvis' army-years in germany. this pic is copy-righted, the gentleman's name is, take a guess :D, 'mickey bohnacker'.

should anybody be interested in hardcopies of mr. bohnacker's oevre: it's available by snailmail, i can investigate about the prices and assist in dealing with the german language and the purchase-procedure, should it be recquired. let me know.

take care, nice sunday to all of you,

E.D.

PS attached a coloured pic as well ... it's not the original x-mas present to the colones, but the same model.