Borgward, one of the most revered names in the German car industry, is being raised from the ashes over half a century after the company went bankrupt in 1961.
The carmaker is being revived by Christian Borgward, the grandson of brand founder Carl Borgward, with the help of Chinese industrial giant Foton.
Established in 1919, Borgward was at one time the third largest automotive manufacturer in Germany and pioneered the “affordable premium” market segment. The product range included small and medium cars, as well as light- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Its biggest successes were the Hansa 1500, the P 100, and the Isabella – the coupé version of which ranked among the most desirable cars of the period and remains highly sought-after today. In its heyday the carmaker employed 23 000 people and more than one million vehicles rolled off its production lines.
Borgward’s first major public appearance since bankruptcy took place at March’s Geneva motor show, where the revived company showed off one of its original Isabella Coupés of the 1950s and confirmed plans for a new model.
The Stuttgart-based company will herald its revival with an SUV and has released some teaser shots of the vehicle ahead of its unveiling at next month’s Frankfurt motor show. The carmaker, which describes its products as “accessibly premium”, is expected to target the Chinese market initially before expanding to other markets.
Mercury Motoring