Looking backward, moving forward: reviving Borgward
The resurrection of buried car brands has become a very fashionable business these days, especially with German companies. BMW has obviously found success with the new MINI; Mercedes-Benz a little less so with the eccentric Maybach; while the VW Group brought back Bugatti like a phoenix from the ashes. These cases all revolved around major German manufacturers buying and resuscitating a brand, but now Christian Borgward is maneuvering to revive his grandfather's car company that bears their family name.
Borgward made cars from 1924 through 1961, when the company went bankrupt. Following Carl Borgward's death in 1963, the tooling was sold to a factory in Mexico that continued building the cars until 1970.
Unlike other revival marques, Borgward is not out to create a media storm. What is known is that the brand is planning to make its comeback from Bremen, Germany, with investment from venture capital firms, an initial two-car line-up aimed in between the Ford Mondeo and BMW 3-Series (two of the biggest sellers in the UK) and an ambitious sales target of 10,000 per year. Manufacturing will probably be contracted to Magna, who build the BMW X3 and contributed to the upcoming Fiat Bravo, although Italian design houses like Bertone and Pininfarina (which also have limited production capabilities) may be thrown into the mix.
Given the historical roots on which the company will be trading and the current popularity of retro styling, we can expect the design to go that route. It will likely be some time before the new Borgwards are on the road, but we'll stay tuned for what could be an interesting alternative to the usual driveway fodder.
[Source: Edmunds' Inside Line]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Marco 9:07PM (9/22/2008)
While growing up in Mexico City in the late 80s, I had a neighbor who owned an old Borgward.
I thought it was a strange vehicle, somewhat reminiscent of a Mercedes Benz, but what really took me by surprise was when my neighbor mentioned that the marque was actually Mexican owned and made.
At the time I didn't really believe him (after all, Borgward isn't a particularly Mexican-sounding name) but low and behold it is at least partially true. It was created by a German and then sold off to a Mexican enterprise and, like everything else that ends up in Mexican hands, eventually went under.
I'm glad to hear that it may be revived, though.
Reply
Avinash Machado 10:45AM (10/04/2006)
Would like to wish them all the best. I also wish some some defunct American brands like Studebaker,Duesenberg,Auburn,Cord,Pierce-Arrow etc would come back.
Reply
Richard Warren 10:44AM (10/04/2006)
Cool!
Reply
Glenn 11:04AM (10/04/2006)
Wow! This was unexpected. If the state of Bremen had given Herr Borgward a bridge-loan guarantee (a la Chrysler, 1980) in 1961, the company would still be with us. Borgward was the #2 selling brand after VW in Germany, in the late 1950's. The group also built Lloyd and Goliath vehicles.
Packard is "supposed" to be coming back, but lack of funds is probably going to make it not happen.
See http://www.globalautoindex.com/maker.plt?no=1950&g=Packard
and also http://www.packardmotorcar.com/
Hey, Hyundai? Here's your luxury car brand, guys. Packard? Fondly recalled world-wide and just ready to be resurrected. Build them in your US plant, okay? A nice 3 vehicle line-up of oh, say, V6 Clipper, V8 Constellation and V12 Caribbean with rear wheel drive would do nicely. Eschew SUV's PLEASE?! A crossover would work - Packard did build woody "station sedans" (station wagons) - perhaps a V6 Station Sedan would work fine? A four vehicle line-up.
Studebaker likewise is (separately) supposedly coming back in the form of a Hummer-like station wagon, through Avanti Motors.
See http://www.globalautoindex.com/maker.plt?no=1118&g=Avanti
Once again, "we'll see...."
By the way, the pictured car? It is the 1961 Borgward Grosser Limousine (large sedan) which suddenly gave Mercedes-Benz a competitor - call me paranoid, but I have always wondered if Daimler-Benz and their bankers strong-armed the politicians and bankers into "letting" Borgward go out of business in 1961.
This car is also the car which was actually manufactured for a few years, from about 1967, in Mexico. It had an inline six.
Reply
Paul 11:41AM (10/04/2006)
Harry Potter crowd will go for it because of its similarity in name to Hogwarts
Reply
Richard Warren 11:23AM (10/04/2006)
Glenn,
I don't think MB had much or anything to do with it. 1960-61 were very bad years in Europe. Borgward while in supposed "bankruptcy" actually paid back all it's creditors and workers were paid up to dat.
You might enjoy this link:http://www.borgward-ig.de/e/borgward45.htm
My Dad had an Isabella, it was a great car, nice looking, comfortable and quiet. Very well built also.
Reply
Tal D 11:39AM (10/04/2006)
#3 Glenn. Thanks for the informative history. I faintly remember Borgward autos but never new why they dissappeared. Good news if some of the other defunct manufactuers revive production. Only hope any product produced is AAA QUALITY grade. Hyundai Luxury line? Why not? They have come a long way since the Excel was introduced in the US. If Nissan and Toyota can create a luxury line, can Hyundai not follow suit? But this is about Borgward. Til then, I say "Good for Borgward"; maybe a bit more competition in the German market will yield better quality and lower prices.
Reply
JC Whitless 11:45AM (10/04/2006)
I'm going to be heading up a team of investors to buy the Desoto and Plymouth name from DCX...
C'mon, imagine the Fireflite Roadster, the Road Runner, and the Sundance.
Wait, scratch the Sundance
Reply
Glenn 12:34PM (10/04/2006)
Wow, Richard, so I was "close" but it was not Mercedes-Benz who killed off Borgward, but (obviously and clearly) - BMW. Thank you for that link, it was highly interesting. (I'm obviously a car buff, car history buff and car engineering buff to boot).
Did you notice the reference to the Glas 1700 car being "identical" to the (planned Isabella replacement)? I'd heard that before. Once in production in the mid-1960's, this car was in competition with the BMW 1600, but had 4 doors. BMW snagged Glas auto werks for a song, including the Glas 1700 car which had a "3rd life" as a BMW built in South Africa. The stuck a BMW engine under the hood, did some "kidneys" on the grill work and shazam.
Apparently the Glas factory itself was needed for the 5-series BMW and a Herr Glas still is factory manager there (from what I understand).
Glas also built the diminutive Goggomobil, but that's another story.
Reply
Daggy 1:16PM (10/04/2006)
My father had two Borgwards, the last one being a 1961 Isabella TS. It was a very reliable car averaging 35mpg and capable of 100mph.
I believe the engine was 1.5 litres and all aluminum with a hemi head.
In those days, Borgward was truly a high mileage car capable of more than 200,000 miles plus.
My father bought the car in Libya and drove it accross the libyan desert through sandstorms and 100 degree heat.
We left Libya by way of Tunisia, took a boat to Siciliy and drove to England. Then we brought the car with us by sea to Canada.
Reply
Richard Warren 1:40PM (10/04/2006)
Glenn,
Thought you'd like that link, yep you were close and BMW did have more to do with it.
Glas also built the diminutive Goggomobil, but that's another story, LOL, yep it is!
Reply
Doc Lucas 5:22PM (10/04/2006)
It should be noted that the Mini name was never "burried". Production of the old Mini was ceased in 1999, right before the release of the new model.
Reply
Fragmaster170 7:33PM (10/04/2006)
I have always been a fan of the isabella.
It was attractive, rugged and reasonably priced. I still see them on occassion... in junkyards. =(
Reply
JimboNC 12:39PM (10/05/2006)
I remember a car following WW II, in Germany, it was either the Goliath or the Loyd, two models produced by Borgward. Funny little car, it had a molded wood body covered by painted canvas, the engine looked like a battery with a single sparkplug in the center. Two passenger. Germany's car production had only resumed in the early 1950s and people were driving whatever they could find. Most rode bicycles or motorcycles. Three-wheelers were popular also. None could be brought back to the states.
The domestic Beetle would not pass American laws. It had mechanical brakes and non-safety glass windows. GIs were not allowed to buy them. By 1956, Mercedes had built the famous SL-300 gull-wing coupe and a dealer drove one to our base, on a Saturday, hoping somebody would buy it. It was white with red leather trim, price $6,500. Hey, I couldn't afford it my pay was only $130 a month.
Reply
Ajit de Silva 7:57AM (11/21/2006)
I am writing this from Sri Lanka.
My father bought a twin - a Borgward Isabella from a family that had two cars - either in 1959 or 1960. The cars had the following number plates: 3 shri 856 and 3 shri 857. I was born in 1960 and according to my mother, they brought me home in the Borgward. My father was used to carry everyone in our family - his wife, four kids, two maids and his parents in the Borgward. Fortunately, the front seat was a bench seat and we would have ridden on the laps of adult folks. The Borgward took us all over Sri Lanka.
As far as I know it was a great car. I cannot recall of a MB, the Borgward was our world. Until recently, I had the last page of a catalogue my father had saved but torn apart by three young boys. I still have three Borgward hub caps with me.
Later on in 1975, my father tried to purchase a one owner Mercedes Benz 180B sedan but he could not come up with enough money to buy it. It almost resembled the Borgward. I guess my father wanted to re-own something like the Borgward he had to part with under difficult circumstances.
My father maintained it as new for over 12 years but I recall he was always complaining about the local dealer. After he was hit from behind by a Mercedes 911 truck, wheh he had stopped for a traffic cop, my father sold the car away. He had a whiplash injury from that accident; that injury drove him to his deathbed 20 years later. It was a sad day when the Borgward left our family.
I would do anything to own and drive a Borgward Isabella TS with two tone paint. But the government of Sri Lanka does not allow the import vehicles more than 5 years old.
I hope someday, I will be able to drive a 1960 or 1961 Borgward Isabella TS car before I die.
I wish Herr Christian Borgward the best of luck.
Reply