In 1985, the brothers Martin (who holds an engineering diploma) and Friedhelm (who holds a diploma in commerce) Wiesmann visited the Essen Motor Show together and on seeing the large number of old and new sports cars which were displayed, they decided to build a Roadster with a fascinating old-fashioned shape, but with state-of-the-art technology, as a symbiosis of classical design and modern engineering. They wanted to fulfil their childhood dream.
No sooner said than done; in the next few years, the development of the roadster was continued, in parallel with activities as General Manager and joint owner of a clothing factory (Friedhelm Wiesmann) and as an engineer active in the development of pumps (Martin Wiesmann). They intended to build their own tailor-made sports car, which would incorporate the traditional values of a strictly puristic roadster: it was to be a true two-seater with an eye-catching design, a folding hood, a long bonnet with short body overhang and a small boot, instrumentation oriented towards the barest essentials and a powerful engine.