Founded by Dr. Carl F.W. Borgward - a fitter
and turner who, after surviving World War 1,
would purchase a small manufacturing business
and transform it into an automotive component
manufacturer of both radiators and fenders.
The
company’s
first true automobile would be the 1924 200cc
2-stroke “Blitzkarren” delivery vehicles,
which led to the more successful “Goliath” light
commercials. In a stroke of automotive
and economic genius, Borgward purchased shares
in the ailing Hansa-Lloyd company for a fraction
of their value, effectively taking control.
In
1930 he would purchase the company outright and
merge it with Goliath. In 1931 came the three-wheeled
Goliath Pionier, then in 1934 came the Hansa
1100 and 1700, these latter iterations proving
to be good looking and well made, and being widely
regarded as the cars that re-established the
marque.
During the war Borgward built military
vehicles, but by wars end little of the production
facilities were left. Not to be defeated, Borgward
(who was now in his mid 50’s) would rebuild
and, in 1949, would release the first “all
new” German car, the Borgward Hansa 1500.
A succession of larger capacity models would
follow - including a diesel version, but it was
the totally new Hansa 1500 released in 1954 for
which the company is best remembered. Soon to
be renamed the Isabella, over 200,000 would be
manufactured, including arguably the highpoint
of Borgward design, the Isabella Coupé.
