BMW 328

The BMW 328 roadster was presented to the public by BMW in 1936 without much ado. At the time, nobody could have imagined that it would become oen of the fastest serial production sports cars in its class and one of the most exclusive of its era. Even though the production volume of this high-performance car with its impressive aerodynamic design only extended to less than 500 units, it nonetheless established the BMW brand’s reputation for sporty flair and dynamic performance.

In 1936, just seven years after starting automobile manufacture, the Bayerische Motoren Werke succeeded in producing a real milestone. Under the direction of designers Rudolf Schleicher and Fritz Fielder, a sophisticated, top-class, two-seater sports car was developed. The two-litre engine was based on the sturdy six-cylinder in-line engine of the BMW 326. An altered cylinder head produced an output of 80 PS (59 kW) – increased to 130 PS (96 kW) in the racing version. The BMW 328 had an almost perfectly streamlined body. Serial production started in 1937 but had to be stopped just after four years in 1940 because of the war. The Eisenach plant turned out just 464 during this period – approximately half have survived to this day, and are among some of the most valuable BMW classics.

In 1938, BMW 328 became a class winner in Mille Miglia. In 1940, the Mille Miglia Touring Coupe won the Mille Miglia with an average speed of 166.7 km/h 103.6 mph). In 2004, the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe became the first car to win both the Mille Miglia (1940) and the modern-day classical version of the race.