There are certain things in the automotive world that we hold as self evident. The first is that performance cars have four wheels. Call us stodgy, traditionalist, resistant to change, respectful of the laws of physics, or whatever other insult you want to hurl at us, but we’re steadfast in this belief. Thankfully some video evidence has been uncovered to support our controversial opinion on things. The star of this show is a tiny little BMW Isetta microcar. As luck would have it, the machine is a three wheeler with power coming from a rear pusher wheel and the two up front provide the steering. This is in stark contrast to the Reliant Robin which famously has the opposite setup.

The Isetta was actually not just a BMW product. They were made all over the world. If in fact this one is a BMW unit than it has a 10hp, single cylinder engine that is air-cooled. They were produced starting in 1955 and from BMW alone nearly 161,000 were made. Fun fact, it is the world’s best selling single cylinder car ever. Boom! Later model Isettas were produced with four wheels. This one in the video was apparently too early to get that treatment.

You’ll see the little three wheeled car amble onto the course and the driver kind of work the thing through the turns before finally getting to a hard right hander. The car negotiates the turn pretty well but when the driver stands the gas to accelerate out of a bend the inevitable happens and physics take over. The car gets up on the rear wheel and the left front and only by the grace of a some higher power and a rocker panel, does not go turtle. While initially stunned the driver gathers himself back up and powers, using that term liberally, through the course.

We dig the end go the video where the guy stands on the gas and the little car zips right off through the end of the course sounding funny along the way.