Cars in the '50s and '60s
BMW just had a dozen years in the '30s to gain fame and recognition in the motorsport scene: from 1929 to 1941. Within this short period, however, BMW was so successful that its reputation as a sporty
manufacturer lived on during the obligatory interruption that followed next.
To begin with, this reputation was continued by various successors to the
BMW 328. Cars built by former BMW specialists out of spares and former models. Bearing symbols such as AFM (Alexander von
Falkenhausen Munich, BMW's engine designer) and Veritas, these racing cars instilled a new life into the motorsport scene, winning a number of national and international races between 1945 and 1955. Using a modified cylinder head, the British
tuning company Bristol also got a lot of power out of the classical BMW 328: 120 bhp and more.
After the mid-'50s BMW motorsport slowly gained ground again under its own symbol - with the BMW 507 driven by Hans Stuck, twice the winner of the hill-climbing record at Schauinsland (1958 and
1959) despite mighty opposition from Ferrari.
Hordes of BMW 700s swarmed over the racetrack in the '60s, creating a really impressive scene. The RS and many versions of this small car (built very successfully, for example, by the Martini Tuning
Company at Nurburgring) developed 85 bhp and a top speed of 118 mph out of the two-cylinder vertical shaft engine.
BMW's final breakthrough was in the early '60s with the introduction of the New Range, starting with the
BMW 1500. When this four-door car received an even more powerful engine, BMW had reached the
starting point for outstanding success in popular motorsport. In 1964 the BMW 1800 Ti won 27 out of 28 races. And driving the new 2000 Ti, Hubert Hahne became the first driver to lap Nurburgring (still the old and more difficult circuit) in a
touring car in less than 10 minutes. The year, 1966. At the same time Formula 1 cars (a class of motor racing BMW was not yet ready to enter) were struggling to beat 7 minutes on the same course.
Ten years later, Hans-Joachim Stuck improved this record to 8:10.9 minutes at the wheel of a
BMW 3.0 CSL. |
| 507 |
1956-59
The sportiest of BMW's first post-war cars was the 507 Touring Sport. With a V8 engine developing 150 bhp out of 3168 cc, it had a top speed between 118 and 136 mph, depending on its final drive ratio. Acceleration to 62 mph was in
11.5 seconds.
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| 700 Sport |
1959-64
Small, but fast and nimble. That is how one might describe the 700 Sport with its 40-bhp (coupe series: 30 bhp) engine and sports gearbox. With a top speed of 84 mph, it was a fast car in its class (700 cc). Tuned models were also
available from various companies.
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| 1800 TiSA |
1964-1965
The 1800 TiSA, a special version of the 1800 Ti developing 130 bhp (Ti: 110 bhp), was launched in 1965. Two dual carbs and a 5-speed box gave it a top speed of 112 mph and 0-62 mph in 9.2 seconds. A genuine sports car with a close link
to BMW's standard models.
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| 2002/2002Ti/Tii |
1968-1975
Very popular with tuning companies and a great success in motorsport: the 2002 ti developing 130 bhp out of its 2-liter engine. Top speed, 118 mph, acceleration to 62 mph in 9.4 seconds, and a power-to-weight ratio of 7.7
kg/bhp.
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