RENZO RIVOLTA: BORN 1908
designer of the isetta bubble car
In 1939 Renzo Rivolta, and Italian whose family had been in the timber business, founded ‘Isothermos’ a successful manufacturer of refrigeration units. After World War II his company began producing motor scooters and then motorcycles. By 1950, Isothermos was renamed Iso Autoveicoli and was Italy’s third largest two-wheel producer, behind Vespa and Lambretta. Rivolta produced home appliances, and Iso scooters, before moving to car production. In 1952 he developed the Isetta microcar (which he described as "half motorcycle and half car") and sold the car in Italy. The car became famous through the licensed production at BMW and in several other countries including the UK and Brazil. .The company later produced sports touring cars starting with the Iso Rivolta IR 300, using Chevrolet 327ci engines and gearboxes. Rivolta, who died of a heart attack at the age of 58, used to say "At the wheel of a car I enjoy myself only above 120 mph."
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