A microcar is commonly defined as an automobile less than 10 feet in length and powered by a one or two cylinder engine of small displacement. While most microcars, i.e., BMW's Isetta, Fritz Fend's Messerschmitt, or Heinkel's Kabinenroller, look like hastily re-designed scooters with three or four wheels and a roof, clown-car fugitives straight from P.T. Barnum's three-ring circus, there's but one microcar that looks like a "real" car, albeit shrunk to scale. It's as beautiful and well-proportioned as one of Studio Pininfarina's 1950s Ferrari creations: the Goggomobil Coupé!
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From 1955 to 1969, the Goggomobil was manufactured by the GLAS Werke in the town of Dingolfing, in Bavaria. Ironically, during the late 1950s Bavarian authorities begged Hans Glas, the factory's owner, to take over near-bankrupt BMW; within a few years, the tables had turned and BMW bought GLAS in 1966--the last batches of Goggomobils actually were titled as BMWs!
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Often called the "Bentley of Microcars" because of its superior build quality, the diminutive Goggomobil still has a legion of faithful followers. There's even a Goggomobil song, featuring sentimental German lyrics (that we'll gladly translate for the car's new owner).
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Cult objects from Germany's postwar Wirtschaftswunder ("Economic Miracle") years, all Goggos are very collectible today. However, the early "suicide door" Coupés are among the most sought-after examples.
The 1959 model presented here, chassis # 02 132 084, is one of about 1,000 Goggomobil Coupés remaining of a total production of 66,511 units. Only a handful of suicide-door Goggos reside in the United States.
This one's very special in more ways than one, though, as it comes with a unique pedigree.
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The rare, original German ownership book (called "Pappdeckelbrief") has remained with the car for the past 52 years and shows as the first and only owner Herr Bernhard Czekalla, a cobbler residing in Berlin-Charlottenburg who, on April 15, 1959, fulfilled his dream of a "real" automobile at Hetzer's Goggomobil dealership.
26 years later, on June 7, 1985, Mr. Czekalla took hos beloved Coupé back to Hetzer's due to advancing age (his, not the Goggo's). The car had been driven a mere 1,000 miles annually, on average, the odometer showing just 43,000 actual kilometers.
After Goggomobil production stopped in 1969, Goggo-Hetzer had opened a successful OPEL franchise; feeling nostalgic (and because it was in such spectacular condition), Ms. Heidi Hetzer, the proprietor, displayed the red Goggo for the next 25 years inside her showroom, where it delighted untold numbers of visitors with its quirky presence.
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Besides the original title, a plethora of paraphernalia accompanies this Goggo, including:
- Hetzer Goggomobil dealer's 1959 letter to owner
- Typed curriculum vitae (history)
- Original owner's manual
- Spare parts catalogue
- "100 Years Hans Glas" booklet
- 2 Sets of original keys incl. "Hetzer Berlin" key fob
- TÜV Berlin technical inspection report
- Compression diagram
- Classic Data appraisal from 2002
- German non-op document
- Various parts invoices
- HETZER dealer license plate frame
- Period German license plate
- Staufenberg Goggomobil parts catalogue and price list
- Glas Club Magazine, anniversary issue "50 Years Goggomobil"
- "50 Years Goggomobil" flight bag, light blue/white
- "50 Years Goggomobil" shopping bag, black/white
- "50 Years Goggomobil" large participant rallye badge #266
- "50 Years Goggomobil" button, postcard, newspaper article
- "50 Years Goggomobil" 0.2l bottle of Champagne (Rilling-Bad Cannstatt)
- BMW-issued 50th anniversary presentation brochure incl. photo
- Dingolfing city map
- U.S. registration application
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Close-ups of documents and chassis VIN plate.
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In 2005, the Big Five-O, the 50th anniversary of the start of Goggomobil production, was celebrated with an elaborate birthday bash in Dingolfing, at the original factory, which today produces the BMW-designed Rolls Royce Phantom ultra-luxury car.
Heidi Hetzer, being one of the few surviving Goggomobil dealers and a prominent figure in Germany's road rallying scene of the 1960s, was asked to give a speech, so she dusted off her little red Coupé and drove from Berlin to Bavaria.
The photos above show Ms. Hetzer at the lectern and inside the factory's assembly building where the Goggobabies were born, all those years ago.
Let's delve into the particulars of this amazing little car now!
Marketing people once claimed the original Mini to be larger on the inside than on the outside. Not true. True is, however, that a 6'6" driver and passenger will feel comfortable in the Goggomobil Coupé. How so, you may ask?
It's rather simple: up front, where the Mini has its engine, the Goggomobil has nothing but leg room!
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All that space is stylishly clothed by fashionable coachwork that must have struck German observers of the mid-1950s as positively futuristic. Check out that panoramic wrap-around rear window and those taillights doing double duty as small tail fins!
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10-inch wheels wear the elaborate, newly polished Turbozierkappen -- the Coupé-only hubcaps with red "G" centers -- and excellent BRIDGESTONE diagonal tires of the size 4.80-10.
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Details, clockwise from top left:
- "Winged G" emblem up front
- "Goggomobil" script on front fender, plus "Hetzer Berlin" metal dealership tag
- "Coupé 250" script on engine cover
- "GLAS Club Meet 2010" decal
- "50 Years Goggomobil 2005" decal
- Vintage German Auto Club decal
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To call this Goggo a mere "survivor" would be a gross understatement. It presents itself in such extraordinary condition, we've never seen another one quite like it. Cherry Red lower body finish was carefully refreshed by us due to some fading and a few old scratches; it looks spectacular. The top still features its factory-applied Creme White paint. While we were at it, we had the front and rear bumpers re-chromed and the alloy brightwork polished, to stunning effect.
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Inside, the good news continue, as everything remains 100% original and untouched. Fit and finish being comparable to a contemporary 356, the cockpit shows but light signs of use, commensurate with the car's low mileage and age. No wonder the Goggo Coupé was called Arbeiterporsche ("Blue collar guy's Porsche"), back home!
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Detail of original gray wool headliner and swiveling sun visors.
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Looks like the dash borrowed its symmetrical layout from a 1955 Chevrolet. Ivory steering wheel was a must have item. There's even a glove box! Originality abounds.
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American-style VDO speedometer. Note odometer showing 44,299 kilometers -- that's just 27,526 miles driven in 52 years!
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Comfortable front bucket seats feature their original light gray naugahyde covers with creme white piping. Floor-mounted emergency brake lever was another modern touch.
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The Goggomobil's gated 4-speed shifter is a work of art. Later copied by Enzo Ferrari, it features an original aluminum shift knob. First gear is at the upper left, second to the right. Go down and to the left again for third, and go right again for fourth gear. Click--clack, click--clack! Shifting a Goggo transmission is like child's play and fun, fun, fun!
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We removed the seats for this photo to show the size of the Goggo's interior and the fantastic state of preservation of the rubber floor mats -- note the embossed "winged G" emblem. By the way, that's the original, orange Bleimennige primer, which is also visible in the engine bay. Spare is mounted up front, out of the way. Original tire jack is included as well.
Black hose protruding from the floor is the heater duct; yes, a Goggomobil has a heater and defroster, just like a "real" car!
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Original rear bench; seat bottom can be lifted out to create a large storage area, if needed. Yes, the Goggo Coupe is a four-seater family car, providing more useable space than virtually all other microcars.
Visible on the rear parcel shelf is the fuel petcock, giving us a hint as to the location of the Goggo's engine.
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So, where's the engine?
In the rear, just like a VW's. And a special engine it is!
It has no camshaft. No valves. No radiator. No coolant. No oil pan. No fuel pump. Not even a conventional starter.
How's that possible ?
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The Goggomobil is powered by an air-cooled, 246cc (15 cu.in.), two-stroke parallel twin, created by Engineer Dolezal of ADLER motorcycle factory fame. Rated at 13.6 (you'll appreciate the .6!) horsepower, it's sufficient to catapult the light Coupe to a top speed of 84km/h, about 52mph. Equipped with a 12-Volt electrical system, dual coils, and a dynastarter, it is as reliable as your neighbor's lawn mower.
Oil changes? Not needed! Just use two-stroke mix each time you fill 'er up -- the fuel tank is right above the engine.
Note original rubber mat with "winged G" emblem.
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Engine compartment looks toothbrush clean. This Goggo is ready for any car show!
Factory decal advises 1:25 oil/gas mixture; using today's superior two-stroke oils, most owners run close to a 1:40 mix, all but eliminating the characteristic "blue cloud."
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Driven sparingly and stored every winter, the Hetzer Coupé miraculously escaped the dreaded rust devil, which is a significant achievement. A true exception to the rule, its undercarriage and wheel housings are all metal, without any holes or patches. Having owned almost a dozen Goggos over the years -- Bill bought his first one in 1976 -- we are happy to report that the Hetzer Coupé is the best-preserved of 'em all! Click on the image to the left for an XXL-sized view |
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Details of clean engine bottom and rust free floor pans.
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Monday, April 4, was a marvelous spring day here in old mission town San Buenaventura, and we were jonesing for a coffee fix. Can there be a better choice than a red Goggo Coupé as an around-town Café Racer?
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Open the fuel tap, pull the choke knob, turn the key, and the Goggomobil starts instantly. It runs and drives wonderfully. Suspension and brakes are great, the trans is bullet-proof. Keep the revs up, and you'll go far, accompanied by the uniquely exciting smells and sounds of the 2-stroke engine. Fuel mileage: 50 miles to the gallon!
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Piloting a microcar, especially a Goggomobil, can be a wonderful, thrilling experience. You definitely want the best example you can find, a car that still performs "as new," such as this one. Every single lightbulb and switch works, as do wipers, horn, speedo, and odometer.
Just in case, Uwe Staufenberg, the english-speaking proprietor of www.Goggomobil.com, offers everything to keep a Goggo running; parts are modestly priced, advice is free; both are only a mouse-click away.
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Being the only microcar that's so attractive, it could pass for a coachbuilt Ferrari Coupé, the Goggomobil has been called the Blue Mauritius of small cars. Values for prime examples, such as this one, have been going through the roof, with another Goggo -- a van -- selling for $88,000.00 at last year's Pebble Beach auction.
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A Goggomobil Coupé is the ideal collector car, really. Its reliability, immense popularity at car shows, frugality, and practical size make ownership very rewarding. Driving the Coupé is extremely gratifying; we encountered enthusiastic smiles, waves, and general goodwill from everyone on the road. It's the perfect mood-enhancer!
All joking aside, the Goggomobil is a tough, utterly reliable vehicle. It's not the least bit fragile, as many winning performances at rallyes and hill climbs of the 1950s confirm.
In 1957, the friendly blonde lady pictured above drove her Goggo from Hamburg to Hong Kong; others took Goggos around the World.
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Just recently, we've had the pleasure to be caretakers of Bernhard Bergmann's famous Goggomobil sunroof sedan, survivor of a grueling, 11,000-mile road trip along the coast of Australia and, in 2010, a 2,500-mile Route 66 adventure -- all without a single mechanical failure!
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Every microcar aficionado knows just how difficult it is to unearth a prime example today. Finding a suicide door Coupé that features a fantastic, fully documented pedigree, having been cared for by the original owner and the original selling dealership for 52 years, displays low original miles, is a 100% correct and unmolested survivor that has not succumbed to mechanical failures, corrosion, or accident damage: truly, that must rate very high on the list of the all-time greatest finds!
There's only one Hetzer Coupé in existence, and here's your golden opportunity to become its proud new caretaker.
Addendum:
We sold this beautiful Goggomobil in Spring of 2011 to an enthusiast in Southern California.
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