Soletta 750, 1956. A prototype for a Swiss microcar that used a mid-mounted flat-twin engine tucked under the rear seat. Designer and engineer Willy Ernst Salzmann used the project to demonstrate his new rear suspension system. The Zweigelenk-Elastikachse Salzmann (Salzmann two-joint elastic axle) suspension system used a semi-fixed differential with swing axle half-shafts and coil springs, with the half-shafts connected by a transverse member slung under the differential and attached to the shafts with rubber springs. He planned to present the suspension at the 26th Geneva Motor Show, but the main hall was reserved for complete cars, and Salzmann was told he could only display his suspension in the parts and accessories section. Determined to showcase his invention, Salzmann built a car around it, ensuring it could appear in the main hall. Much of the body is plastic, an innovative material for the period, while the door skins are steel. To simplify production and cut costs, complementary body panels like the right and left doors, the front “grille”, and rear “tailgate” covers, and diagonally opposite fenders are interchangeable. This symmetry means the driver’s side door hinges on the B-pillar and opens towards the rear, while the passenger’s side door hinges on the A-pillar and opens towards the front. The engine, transmission, and differential together form a single powertrain, swing-arm assembly, which was meant to improve ride quality and simplify maintenance. Renault, Alfa Romeo, and a government agency in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) all expressed interest in the project, but this did not lead to series production.
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