Isdera's brand logo
Isdera is a privately run automaker based in a small workshop in Leonberg, Germany. Each high-performance sports car is hand-built by a small team of craftsmen, using traditional construction techniques and materials. The only way to purchase an Isdera is to call the CEO directly. Each vehicle is custom built for its buyer, and a waiting period of six months is to be expected.
Background and history[]
The company was founded in 1982 by Eberhard Schulz, who built his first car, the Erator GTE in 1969 at his own home garage. He drove the car to Porsche's and Mercedes-Benz's headquarters and was subsequently offered a job at Porsche in the design department in 1970. In 1978, Schultz left Porsche and joined the b&b company where he would go on to design the Mercedes-Benz CW311 concept which was touted as the successor to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. The concept was built and promoted by b&b and had Mercedes badging after approval from the manufacturer.
After working with Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, this multitalented engineer set out to build the ultimate sportscar, and set up shop at a former knitting mill near Stuttgart. Schultz adopted the old imperial German eagle as the symbol for his new company.
Although tiny in comparison to other super car companies, Isdera had been designing and manufactoring some of the most distinctive exotics since 1982. The famous vehicles in the company’s history are the 1983 Spyder 036i, the 1984 Imperator 108i and the 1986 Imperator 033i Spyder, an award winning car. Each model was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. Believing that all cars should be built around a mid-engined configuration, Schulz' designs were a mix of modern function with classic forms, making car enthousiasts take notice. Schultz' cars are proof, that one man's vision and determination, can still create world-class performers, that can go neck-and-neck with the equivalents of the larger manufactorers and well-known brands.
The most famous car in the automaker’s history is the 1993 Isdera Commendatore 112i. This supercar weighs 1450 kg (3190 lb), has a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 4.7s and a top speed of 342 km/h (212 mph). The mid-engine, rear-wheel drive car is powered by a 408 PS (300 kW/402 hp) Mercedes-Benz 48-valve 6.0 L V12 engine and has a 6-speed manual transmission. The Commendatore has a low, sleek, bullet-shaped design and two gull-wing doors. A velocity-sensitive electronic chassis lowers the car three inches (76 mm) under high speeds to improve handling. The car sold for US$466,000. The Commendatore 112i was named in tribute to Enzo Ferrari, who became known as Il Commendatore or "the monk of Maranello" and "the pope of mechanical sport." The car has been featured in the video game Need for Speed II.
1999 Isdera Silver Arrow C112i in
Berne, Switzerland
An estimated 70 cars have been sold by Isdera since 1983. Projects since 1993 have been kept top secret by Isdera. The company’s most recent automotive ventures and sales figures have not been released to the general public.
The last confirmed vehicle to be produced by Isdera was a fully functional prototype called the Isdera Silver Arrow C112i in 1999. The vehicle shares the same body and chassis as the 1993 Commendatore 112i, but is powered by a Formula One, 400 hp V12. The car's top speed is recorded at 205 mph (330 km/h). At the time of its introduction, the Silver Arrow was the only car in the world to feature an automatically lifting airbrake.
The Silver Arrow prototype was offered for sale on eBay in October 2005 for US$3 million, but was not sold. At the time of the auction, the car was located in Switzerland.