Germany Part 10 - BMW Isetta 1955 to 1962

Isetta at Verkehrszentrum

Isetta at BMW Welt



Entrance is via the front



Isetta at BMW Museum

The Isetta at Verkehrszentrum is the most original, worn out and used.  It reflects the true condition of a car that is 60 years old.

The Isetta at BMW Welt is the most refurbished unit with new colours and distinctive wheels.

The Isetta at BMW Museum is modified with a different window panels, a back rack for storage and silver chrome trim across its body.

Original Specification
Engine: Single Cylinder 4 stroke engine
Displacement: 245 cm3
Power: 8.8 kw (12 hp)
Speed: 80 km/hr
(Source: Deutsche Museum Verkehrszentrum)

According to BMW Museum, by early 1960s, more than 160,000 units of Isetta were manufactured.

Germany Part 9 - Beers

In my short stay of a week, I have drank beers from 2 restaurants. Both are in Munich Marienplatz.

1) Augustiner - Founded in year 1328. Cost less than 4 euro.

2) Hacker-Pschorr - Cost less than 5 Euro

 

Both were equally smooth and good.
Germany is famous for it beer production.

Germany Part 8 - Nice Car Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing

Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart.

Looking at the large car sill next to the driver seat, it will be interesting to see how the driver enters the car. The central rear mirror is placed on the dashboard and the instrument panel looks good.

Germany Part 7 - Food

The food I had eaten in Germany:-

Schweinshaxe (Pork Knuckle about 20 Euro including beer)

German Bratwurst (My favourite, 4 Euro)

















German Pretzels (seasoned with salt) and Cakes

Subway (3.99 Euro)

Pizza

Germany Part 6 - A tale of Banana

Viktualienmarkt, Munich

I bought this 4 pieces of bananas in Viktualienmarkt in Munich. It cost me about 4.5 Euro, which is equivalent to S$6.75 (at 1.5 exchange rate). In Singapore, the 4 pieces of bananas would probably cost S$1.50. In other words, it was 4.5 times more expensive in Germany than in Singapore. I bought it out of mistake because the display sign was in German and it showed 2 Euro. I realized that it was possibly 2 Euro per unit weight. (maybe 2 euro per 100 gram).

With this expensive bananas, I started to think about some facts about Germany. In Germany, the consumption tax (value added tax) is 19% except for certain products.

The minimum wage in Germany is 1473 Euro (as at Jan 2015). The average gross and net salaries are 2977 and 1889 Euro respectively (as at 2013 from wikipedia). The income tax rate for a person earning 100,000 Euro annually is about 42% (after deductions and relief).

A typical meal consisting of fast food including drinks is between 4 Euro to 10 Euro. I had a Subway burger with drink for 3.99 Euro (promotion).

It appears that the cost of living in Germany is not low. However, I am sure that there are ways in which the locals can save through experience. Example, through purchase in supermarket. Even for their trains for transport, there are cheaper means for locals. For Arts museum visits, if one purchases ticket on Sunday, the ticket will only be 1 Euro.

Germany is the most powerful economic country in Europe. It did it through its industry, well known products and an efficient labour force.

Lastly, it could be that banana was a off season fruit and that Viktualienmarkt is a tourist market.

Germany Part 5 - Energy and Environment

S-Bahn showing an outside temperature of 33 degree celsius

In summer, Germany ambient temperature can go up to 33-34 degree Celsius. It is considered hot but fortunately the humidity is low, hence the skin will tend to cool faster as perspiration evaporates. There was report linking higher ambient temperature to carbon emission.

The Deutsche Museum Verkehrszentrum has 1 interesting display that shows the impact of technology on carbon emission. It shows a comparison of the distance that Man can travel against the quantum of carbon dioxide emitted from the technology. The highest being travelling by airplane and the second highest being by car.

I did notice that there were wind mills and solar panels installed at the country side. I also read that the amount of power generated in Germany through Green technology had supplied more than adequate needs of the country to the extend that electricity was exported over to neighbouring countries.

While the automotive industry had previously been producing cars with high capacity hence higher carbon emission, recently there was attempt to make hybrid green car. Eg BMW i series and the Audi A3-e tron. And before the hybrid cars, BMW had created the hydrogen fuel car. With the current fuel price, it is hard to see how these 2 green car can be successful. It is good effort thought as lesser carbon emission with lead to better environment.

BMW hydrogen fuel car

BMW i8

Germany Part 4 - Audi A3 e-tron

When I had finished visiting Audi Forum at Ingolstadt, I noticed a car being charged at the car park. It was a Audi A3 e-tron. The car was painted in FC Bayern Munchen colours with the front Audi circles shifted to accommodate the charging port.

Statistically, this car achieves a 188 mile per gallon of fuel (which is about 79 km per litre). This is extraordinary compared to a standard Audi A3 1.4 litre, which typically goes between 14 to 15 km per litre of fuel. A green car indeed provided there is availability of charging point.

In my earlier post, I had seen a Renault car being charged in the same manner in Singapore.

Germany Part 3 - Einstein Birth Town

Albert Einstein as shown in Mercedes Benz Museum

 An enlarged narrative from the pic above



Ulm Hbf

On my way to Stuttgart from Munich, I passed by the town of Ulm. This was the birthplace of Albert Einstein.

Germany Part 2 - Porsche

Porsche 911 Carerra 4 GTS

I sat in a Porsche Carrera 4 GTS (991 version). It was my first time seating in a Porsche (although not a moving one).

My immediate impression was that the seat was rather tight fitting and body hugging. Probably it was so because it was a GTS meant for racing.

Secondly, the steering wheel was rather ordinary. The only feature it had was a paddle shifter. There were no other buttons or gadgets. Again probably it was to allow the driver to focus on the racing event than any other function.

Thirdly, the tachometer in red was eye catching.

The main function of GTS means that the key component lies in its engine, transmission and aero-dynamics. However, this car is a convertible.

There were recent news reports showing that Porsche 911 had a few accidents, involving death of the driver. A simple reminder that it was not easy to control a rear engine car.

Nonetheless, Porsche 911 is considered one of the most beautifully designed car.

In Germany, a brand new Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Black edition costs about 116,000 Euro, that is equivalent to S$172,480 (at 1.49 exchange rate). See photo.

Price of Porsche 911 Black Edition in Germany

Germany Part 1 - 12 to 20 July 2015

Marienplatz Munich

I visited Germany from 12 to 20 July 2015.

Places I visited were:-

(i) Munich
(2) Fussen - aka Neuschwanstein Castle
(3) Stuttgart
(4) Garmish Partenkirchen - aka Zugspitze
(5) Ingolstadt - aka Audi Forum

In Munich, I had visited the BMW museum, 3 Pinakothek (Alte, Neue and Moderne), Deutsche museum and Deutsche Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim. In Munich, I had also visited Dachau, the concentration camp.

In Stuttgart, I had visited Porsche and Mercedes Benz museum.

It was summer and there were plenty of crowd/tourists. Fortunately, the efficient Germans' DB trains were running punctually and there have been no trouble travelling around.

I stayed in Letomotel at Trudering, a basic no frills hotel at the east side of Munich. As most of the time, I am travelling around, I am fine with this basic hotel. It was built fairly recently and I can see the amenities were new. The S-Bahn and U-Bahn at Trudering requires a 5 minute walk from the hotel. There are 2 convenient stalls near the hotel and a bakery next to the entrance of the hotel.

Germans are generally friendly and helpful. There was an occasion in Laim when I was looking at the Bahn (train station) display showing the various time of trains and platforms. A young German walked up and asked whether I needed assistance (in English). It was my last day in Munich and I knew the system pretty well but was undecided as to where to go next. I am grateful to the young German and was impressed.

In terms of scenery, I am impressed by Neuschwanstein Castle and Zugspitze. In terms of knowledge, I am impressed by all the museums that I have been to.

I will elaborate my visit to Germany in various parts.