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The
Berlin Motor Show provided the backdrop for the presentation of the new BMW
315/1 Roadster.
Deep cutaway doors and swooping mudguards lent the low-slung
roadster a racy appearance, with elegantly spatted rear wheels adding a further
aerodynamic touch. The dashboard with its whitefaced dials was stylish, and
the comfortable single seats provided ample room for two people.
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Racing
Heritage |
The 315/1 sports
car had a 1.5-liter 6-cylinder engine, an improved compression ratio over
the 315, and three Solex cross-draft carburetors instead of two for the 315,
producing an additional 6 horsepower.
In this form,
basically nothing more than a specially prepared factory car, the BMW 315/1
created a furor at sporting events. The international Alpine Trials of 1934
ended with the team of Brenner, Kandt, and von Delius (the future Grand Prix
driver) winning the team prize. It also took first in its class for the 2,000
km (1,200 mi.) race through Germany. The factory car corresponded to the
315/1 of 1935, but was called the 315.
Beginning in
1935, the BMW 315 advanced to become the undisputed champion car in the 1.5-liter
sports car category.
Ralph Roese from Dusseldorf achieved the rank of German
Road Champion with no fewer than a dozen victories in 1939. Within the space
of two years, a total of 242 BMW 315/1s were built in the factory in
Eisenach.
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