Isdera

In order to seek a job at one of the automotive companies of Germany, Eberhard Schulz built his own car in the garage of his home in 1969 called the Erator GTE. 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/retro/you-can-now-own-worlds-only-isdera-commendatore-112i|title=You can now own the world's only Isdera Commendatore 112i|date=2021-02-01|first=Greg|last=Potts|publisher=Top Gear|access-date=2022-06-05}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.classicdriver.com/en/article/sponsored-content/nineties-have-called-they-want-their-isdera-commendatore-112i-back|title=The Nineties have called, they want their Isdera Commendatore 112i back|date=2020-12-15|work=Simon de Burton|publisher=Classic Driver|access-date=2022-06-06}}

Isdera was founded in 1982 in Leonberg, Germany with the intent to put the CW311 into production after a deal with Mercedes-Benz. Its first car, called the Spyder which was an open top sports car based on the CW311, was presented in the same year. The Spyder was powered by a modified Mercedes-Benz engine generating {{Convert|185|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}}. A new variant having an uprated 3.0-litre Inline-6 engine was introduced in 1987. The Spyder was renamed as the Spyder 033i and the Spyder 036i to indicate the difference between the offered engines and the use of electronic fuel injection in the engines (with the "i" designation).{{cite web|url=https://www.carthrottle.com/post/w67bq3x/|title=Isdera – The Unknown Company|first=Max|last=Schröder|date=27 October 2016 |publisher=Car Throttle|access-date=2022-06-06}}

The CW311 would finally see production in 1984 as the Imperator 108i.{{cite web|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a29341/the-isdera-imperator-108i-is-a-mercedes-benz-wedge-from-the-future/|title=The Isdera Imperator 108i is a Mercedes-Benz Wedge From The Future|date=2016-05-28|work=Blake Z. Rong|publisher=Road&Track|access-date=2022-06-05}} The Imperator 108i was offered with a choice of Mercedes-Benz V8 engines having different displacements, ranging from 5.0-litres to 6.0-litres. The car received a facelift in 1991 which added changes in ventilation to improve cooling, some visual changes and changes to the exhaust system to pass stringent safety tests. A total of 30 Imperator 108is would be made before production ended in 1993.

In 1993, Isdera introduced the Commendatore 112i. It had many advanced and unique features at the time such as two sets of gull-wing doors, and an automatic air brake. The Commendatore 112i could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds, and had a top speed of {{convert|342|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}. The car had a mid-mounted Mercedes-Benz 6.0L V12 engine generating {{Convert|408|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}} and a 6-speed manual transmission. The car weighed {{convert|1450|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The 112i was featured in the 1997 video game Need for Speed II.

Isdera planned a limited production run of the Commendatore 112i like its predecessor and quoted that each car would take six months to complete. The car was not functional when it was introduced. The development of the car reportedly cost a total of €4,000,000. This combined with the ongoing economic recession in South Asia, particularly the bursting of Japan's bubble economy, pushed the company into bankruptcy shortly after the car's introduction as the major investments came from Japan. The company was then bought by Swiss investors under whom Schultz completed the car in order to make it driveable on the road.

In 1999, the Commendatore 112i was updated and renamed to "Silver Arrow C112i" by the new management. On the exterior, the updated car had conventional side-view mirrors and had silver five-spoke Mercedes-Benz alloy wheels instead of the gold BBS units. The engine was a 6.9-litre Mercedes-Benz M120 V12 unit, which generated a total of {{cvt|455|kW|PS hp|0}}. Interestingly, there was no Isdera badging on the car and it had Mercedes-Benz badging instead. The Silver Arrow C112i was unveiled at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show.{{cite web|url=https://www.fanmercedesbenz.com/1993-isdera-commendatore-112i-1999-isdera-silver-arrow-c112i/| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200509113500/https://www.fanmercedesbenz.com/1993-isdera-commendatore-112i-1999-isdera-silver-arrow-c112i/ | archive-date = 2020-05-09 | title= 1993 Isdera Commendatore 112i; 1999 Isdera Silver Arrow C112i; |date=1 February 2015| work = FanMercedesBenz }}

The Silver Arrow was bought by a Swiss businessman Albert Klöti at a price of €1,500,000 in 2000. Albert kept the car for 5 years after offering it on eBay for sale in October 2005 for US$3,000,000. The car failed to sell at the auction.{{cite web|url=https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa21/paris/lots/r0001-1993-isdera-commendatore-112i/1012055|title=1993 Isdera Commendatore 112i RM Sotheby's|access-date=6 June 2022}}

In 2006, Eberhard Schulz introduced the Autobahnkurier AK116i as a private project, a retro-styled vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class and powered by two Mercedes-Benz V8 engines – one for each axle – from the W126 series 500 SE. The resulting power plant is a 10-litre unit rated at {{Convert|600|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|900|Nm|lbft|0|abbr=on}} of torque. The top speed was limit to {{Convert|242|kph|mph|0|abbr=on}} due to excessive fuel consumption of the massive engine over speeds of {{Convert|250|kph|mph|0|abbr=on}}. The design which resembled a touring car from the 1930s, was inspired from the Bugatti Royale and the one-off 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahn Kurier. The car featured a full leather interior with creature-comforts and a marble dashboard.{{cite web|url=https://dyler.com/posts/316/isdera-autobahnkurier-116i-a-behemoth-with-a-16-cylinder-engine|title=Isdera Autobahnkurier 116i: A Behemoth With a 16-Cylinder Engine|first=Aivaras|last=Grigelevičius|access-date=2022-05-06}}

In 2016, the Silver Arrow C112i from Albert Klöti was bought back to Germany in was restored back to its original form and made appearances at selected car shows. Subsequently, on 13 February 2021, the Isdera Commendatore 112i was sold at auction at Sotheby's France in Paris for {{currency|1,113,125|EUR}}.{{Cite web |title=1993 Isdera Commendatore 112i | Paris 2021 |url=https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa21/paris/lots/r0001-1993-isdera-commendatore-112i/1012055 |access-date=2021-09-03 |website=RM Sotheby's |language=en}}

In 2017, Isdera entered into a partnership with Chinese electric vehicle startup WM Motor to design and produce electric cars. In 2018 the Isdera Commendatore GT was developed to support the marketing activities of WM Motors for the EX5 Pro which was designed by Isdera and co-branded Isdera. Both cars were unveiled together at the Auto China 2018. Like preceding Isdera automobiles, the GT also employs gull-wing doors.[https://www.allcarindex.com/blog/isdera-commendatore-gt-update "Isdera Commendatore GT"] at the Beijing Autoshow 2018 The co-branded Isdera EX5 Pro was produced in a small batch of only a few hundred cars and sold at the Chinese market. In 2020 the cooperation with WM Motor ended.

In 2021, the ISDERA brand was acquired totally by Chinese capital Xinghui Automotive Group with the official Chinese name: 鹰兹, the new ISDERA brand is looking to carry on the legacy of high-level craftsmanship of hand-build sports car as the founder Eberhard Shulz always insisted, only with modern design and technology to enhance the legacy even more.

In 2024, ISDERA had set up a new R&D center in TaiCang, China{{Cite web |title=Suzhou Land Group Assists Isdera R &D Design Headquarter to Settle in Taicang High-tech Zone!-Suzhou Land Group |url=https://www.landgroup-global.com/news_1/1820990892929122304.html |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=www.landgroup-global.com}},as well a new construction center in Anhui, China{{Cite web |last=网易 |date=2024-04-07 |title=鹰兹汽车获安庆迎江区投资10亿打造国内首个超跑艺术工厂 |url=https://www.163.com/dy/article/IV67PE2505474TMX.html |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=www.163.com}}

File:Isdera web.jpg

• 1969: Isdera Erator GTE
• 1982: Isdera Spyder 036i
• 1984: Isdera Imperator 108i
• 1993: Isdera Commendatore 112i
• 2006: Isdera Autobahnkurier AK116
• 2018: Isdera Commendatore GT

File:Isdera Commendatore GT Beijing Autoshow.jpg

• Lotec

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Isdera vehicles}}

• {{Official website}}
• [http://www.automobile-catalog.com/list-isdera.html Automobile-catalog.com: All Isdera cars specifications and performance data]
• [http://www.ritzsite.nl/Archive/1011.htm RitzSite.nl: Company history of Isdera]
• [https://archive.today/20130119055955/http://www.carpictures.com/vehicle/05J2C444313094/Isdera-Silver-Arrow-C112i-1999 1999 Isdera Silver Arrow C112i]

{{Automotive industry in Germany}}

Category:1982 establishments in West Germany

Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1982

Category:Car manufacturers of Germany

Category:Companies based in Saarland

Category:Sports car manufacturers

Category:Automobiles with gull-wing doors