Borgward P100 History

Presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1959, the Borgward P100 entered production in January 1960. It was powered by a 2240 cc straight-six producing 100 bhp and capable of approximately 100 mph (161 km/h), putting it in direct competition with the Mercedes-Benz 220SE. The styling followed the angular ponton aesthetic — small tail fins, clean three-box body — that was being popularised across Europe by Pininfarina-influenced designs.

The P100's defining technical feature was its self-developed air suspension: pneumatic bellows at each corner, fed by an engine-driven compressor and a pressurised reservoir, which maintained ride height regardless of load. This made the P100 the first German production car to offer such a system — preceding Citroën's DS-style hydropneumatics on German soil. The system was impressive in its ambition but plagued by early reliability concerns that damaged Borgward's reputation in a segment where Mercedes-Benz enjoyed unshakeable trust.

Production ran only 19 months — from January 1960 to July 1961 — yielding just over 2,500 cars before the group's bankruptcy in August 1961 ended everything. In 1963 the manufacturing tooling for both the P100 and the Isabella was sold and eventually shipped to Mexico, where a small number of P100s were assembled in Monterrey alongside the Isabella until 1970.