… the door opens wide. This first verse from the famous Advent carol of the same name was also used by fans of the smallest BMW at the time to describe the ingeniously different way of getting into the Isetta. The door of the Isetta opened towards the front, but tilted slightly upwards due to the inclined axle.
The TWIKE 5 will also allow itself a special solution at the entrance, again impressively demonstrating the genes of the TWIKE 3. However, the ergonomics have been further developed and so we will only have to lift our foot over a comparatively low side sill to get on a TWIKE 5.
The specifications for the entrance opening listed requirements such as easier access, greater body rigidity, larger viewing angles, low weight, low center of gravity, simple mechanics, few moving parts, good water drainage, etc. The solution was not immediately obvious, as the opening mechanism is heavily dependent on the design and the pleasing implementation of the opening process. And while the opening of the TWIKE 4 was still closed with a simple fabric, experiments with spatial models of a hinged door and the optimum alignment of the diagonal opening axes were already taking place on the wooden model of the TWIKE 5. There was always the question of how to make the design even more ergonomic, even lighter and even more robust.
The tried-and-tested vertical swivel opening of the TWIKE 3 was reinvented, but without the heavy windshield and with a better positioned pivot axis. The design result will next be incorporated into the upcoming design briefing in mid-February. The new requirements for the exterior surfaces will then be incorporated, and we will also start with the interior design. We are just as excited as you are! :-)
