The BMW 700. The car that saved the Company.

Munich. Things did not look good. Indeed, BMW was rapidly approaching
the final collapse and demise of the Company in the 1950s: While
motorcycle production had reached a new record in 1952, production
figures decreased more significantly in the years to come than they had
increased in the late '40s. To set off this dismal end of the
motorcycle market, BMW built the prototype of a new small car in 1950,
taking up the lines of the pre-war BMW 327 and the 600-cc fl at-twin
engine so popular at the time. But the project was subsequently
discarded for economic reasons. After launching the Isetta in 1954 in
an attempt to set off the slump in the motorcycle market, BMW soon
realised that this bubble car was too small for the new customers
entering the market, who, as a result of the German "economic
miracle" soon expected a lot more of their new car in the late
'50s. Quite simply, therefore, such spartan "super-minis" had
already passed their climax, with customers demanding a longer
wheelbase and more comfort. At the same time the automotive industry
was booming, with production in West Germany increasing by one-third in
1955 alone. Introducing new models, BMW sought to jump up on the
bandwagon, the BMW 600, a somewhat longer Isetta with its fl at-twin
engine fitted at the rear, intended to meet demand for a genuine
four-seater at least for a while as of 1957. But again, the BMW 600
turned out to be a flop, customers not accepting the concept with the
door at the front of the car. Looking hard for a solution, the
Development Division initially attempted for economic reasons to build
a conventional small car using as many parts of the BMW 600 as
possible. Wheelbase was extended to 1,900 mm or 74.8" by adding on
extra sections front and rear, and the front seats were moved back to
provide convenient access to the car from behind the wheel arches. But
soon it became evident that without a further extension of the car's
wheelbase space for the rear seats would be very limited. At the same
time the rapid increase in weight resulting from the car's longer
wheelbase was another problem, together with the poor seating
arrangement. The attempt to modify the frame and structure of the BMW
600 and meet modern demands thus proved to be impossible - or at least
subject to significant compromises. So instead BMW decided to find a
more promising solution by re-configuring the entire design and
structure of the body. Proven chassis and suspension carried over from
the BMW 600. Notwithstanding this decision, BMW's engineers did not
want to completely give up the proven parts and components of the BMW
600 in developing their new model. So they decided to modify the front
axle of the BMW 600 with its longitudinal swing arms for consistent
track and wheel camber and carry over the concept to BMW's new small
car - naturally with appropriate reinforcements to meet the greater
demands made of the new model. The engineers also took over the rear
wheel suspension which, with its swing arms modified to a slightly
higher angle, supported the car's steering as a function of
acceleration in bends and counteracted any tendency to oversteer.
Further features carried over from the BMW 600 were the all-synchromesh
four-speed transmission as well as the bevel gear differential - and, of
course, the fl at-twin power unit originally used on BMW motorcycles and
now increased in size from 600 to 700 cc. The crucial point was now
to wrap up this technology in an appropriate body suitable both for the
market and the requirements of the future. Back in late 1957, that is
before the BMW 600 entered the market, BMW's new Board of Management
had already requested the Development Division to develop and build a
conventional small car with progressive design in corporation with an
Italian designer and coachbuilder. In July 1958 Wolfgang Denzel, an
automotive engineer himself and BMW's importer in Vienna, proudly
presented his new model designed by Michelotti in Starnberg just south
of Munich. The decision in favour of this concept model was then taken
in October 1958, allowing BMW to create both a Coupé and a Saloon
to series production level as an in-house development. The reason for
doing this in-house was that the prototype, while being very attractive
and offering excellent driving qualities, would have been neconomical
in production due to the expensive tooling required. So working hard on
all the details, BMW's designers developed a dynamic little car which
had nothing do to do with BMW design so far: the BMW 700. In its
design the BMW 700 followed a trapezoid line with the roof structure and
the basic body of the car opposed to one another to form two counter-fl
owing bodies. This design concept came from the USA as a streamlined
rendition of the former pontoon structure, with further refinement by
Italian car designers. Under the guidance of Wilhelm Hofmeister, BMW's
designers then turned this draft into two models, a two-door Saloon and
a Coupé. The fi rst BMW with a monocoque body. Apart from its
brand-new design, the BMW 700 offered another surprising highlight: it
was the first BMW with a monocoque body. And the reason for introducing
this new technology was clear: "They might believe initially that
in this way we were giving up an old principle going back many years
within the Company. But our calculators quickly showed us that a
monocoque floorpan was able to save about 30 kg in weight, lower the
entire car by 60-70 mm (2.4-2.8") and streamline the production
process, with appropriate cost benefits." BMW was not a newcomer
to the use of monocoque unitary body panels. On the contrary, the BMW
326 built in Eisenach from 1936 until the beginning of the War already
featured a floorpan made of high-rising panel supports firmly welded to
the body of the car - at the time the best solution for a load-bearing
body structure. This experience carried over from the past quickly
paid off, a comparison with two other well-known cars of the same size
built in Europe and with a monocoque body clearly confirming the
superior stiffness of BMW's car structure. On 9 June 1959 BMW's Board
of Management under their Chief Executive Dr Heinrich Richter-Brohm
made the big move, presenting the new BMW 700 Coupé, the first
model in the new series, to some 100 international motoring journalists.
This was in Feldafing near Munich, at the same place where about two
years before they had first seen the not-so-fortunate BMW 600. Since
the turbulence encountered in BMW's model range had added further
momentum to the critical reports by the press, Helmut Werner
Bönsch, BMW's Director of Technical Sales Planning, admitted quite
frankly in his welcome statement that "ultimately it was this
attitude and these doubts which convinced us to invite you here today
to experience the new BMW 700 Coupé, and not to wait until the
Frankfurt Motor Show." The debut: standing ovations. The minute
Bönsch revealed the new Coupé, everybody started clapping.
The journalists immediately admired the new model with its wheelbase of
2,120 mm (83.5"), front track of 1,270 mm (50.0") and rear
track measuring 1,200 mm (47.2"). Boasting these dimensions, the
BMW 700 had grown out of the small car class still prevailing in the
market at the time and allowed a relatively high standard of freedom in
providing extra space. The designers and engineers were particularly
proud of the car's consistent lightweight technology reducing dry
weight to less than 600 kg or 1,323 lb despite the car's overall length
3,540 mm or 139.4", thus providing the qualities required for good
acceleration and hill-climbing performance. Compared with the BMW
600, the extension in wheelbase by 25 per cent came with an increase in
weight by only 14.5 per cent. And despite its low height of just 1,270
mm or 50.0", the Coupé offered acceptable headroom just like
the doors measuring 93 cm or 36.6" in width allowed unusually
comfortable access for a car in this class. Enjoying the seats, the
driver and passengers in the BMW 700 benefited from an unusually good
balance of useful interior space and exterior dimensions, the curved
windows helping to keep the doors smooth and provide extra width inside
the car. Again in the words of Helmut Werner Bönsch: "In
combining the footwells and the luggage compartment we followed the
example of a modern sleeping car - which shows that sometimes you can
even learn from the railways!" He then added that "we also
remembered to keep the four corners of the car in clear sight from the
driver's seat, allowing the driver to easily manoeuvre even into tight
parking spaces." Appropriately contoured to fit the human body,
the front seats with their active-breathing upholstery were adjustable
even while driving and came with backrests moving to four different
angles. The backrest at the rear, in turn, folded down whenever
required like in the BMW 600, allowing the driver and passengers to
take along bulky objects such as all their camping gear. Same space
and dynamic performance as the BMW 326. The BMW 700 was also
well-equipped for travelling with a fair amount of luggage. The front
luggage compartment with its conveniently fl at floor was able to
accommodate two standard-sized suitcases measuring 70 cm or 27.5"
in length, together with some smaller bags. The fuel tank was beneath
the luggage compartment, perfectly protected by the spare wheel
standing upright in front. Offering a capacity of 30 litres or 6.6 imp
gals plus three litres reserve, the tank was sufficient for a cruising
range of approximately 500 kilometres or more than 300 miles, since,
according to the fuel consumption standards applicable at the time, the
BMW 700 was quite happy with some six litres for 100 kilometres, equal
to approximately 47 mpg imp. Developing maximum output of 30 hp at
5,000 rpm, the two-cylinder power unit was able to accelerate the
Coupé to a top speed of 125 km/h or 78 mph. Exactly what this
meant in terms of performance became quite clear in a statement again
made by Helmut Werner Bönsch, comparing the car's performance with
that of the legendary BMW 327 touring sports car: "The BMW 700
Coupé with its 700-cc 30-hp two-cylinder offers the same top
speed, the same acceleration and the same safe average speed on the
road as its legendary predecessor with its two-litre six-cylinder
two-carburettor power unit. And it does so with the same space inside
and with superior roadholding of an even higher standard."
Journalists driving the BMW 700 Coupé were - rightly - thrilled
from the start, waxing lyrical about the car's design and its driving
qualities: "Acceleration is certainly impressive for a car of this
size, taking you from a standstill to 90 km/h in 20 and to 100 km/h in
30 seconds." With this kind of performance, some journalists
realised from the start that the BMW 700 Coupé was already
looking at a sporting career: "You have the feeling that you're
sitting in a car with genuine sporting values, but without the rather
harsh ride and limited space so typical of most sports cars."
Ultimately, most of the testers readily confirmed the optimism expressed
by BMW' s Board of Management: "The BMW 700 Coupé is the
latest model from Bayerische Motoren Werke and promises to be a great
success and a real highlight at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show."
Public attractions at the 1959 Frankfurt Motor Show: the BMW 700 Saloon
and Coupé. Precisely this is what happened, with the BMW 700
becoming a genuine highlight for the public in Frankfurt. The new
Coupé was presented on the BMW stand at the 1959 Frankfurt Show
at a price of DM 5,300.- including the car's heater. Right next to it
was the four-seater Saloon based on the same engineering and design
concept and destined to enter series production in early 1960.
Retailing at a price of DM 4,760.-, the Saloon was almost DM 600.-
cheaper than the Coupé with its higher level of equipment. At
the same time the Saloon boasted a far more spacious body offering
adequate space for four adults. And unlike the Coupé with its fl
air almost reminiscent of a sports car, the Saloon stood out in
particular through its practical features and benefits. Likewise
designed by Torino coachbuilder Giovanni Michelotti, the Saloon also
received its finishing touches in BMW's Design Office under Wilhelm
Hofmeister. With its steeper windscreen and rear window as well as the
modified roof, the Saloon, on a body otherwise identical, looked much
larger than the dynamic Coupé. But weighing just 10 kilos more
than the Coupé, the 640-kg (1,411 lb) Saloon was able to offer
almost the same good performance, accelerating to 100 km/h in
approximately 30 seconds and reaching a top speed of 120 km/h or 75
mph. With the Frankfurt Motor Show hardly over, BMW struck a very
positive balance towards the end of September: "Both new models
were warmly welcomed by motor journalists and the public alike, showing
a response well beyond even our most optimistic expectations. As a
result, we successfully made an unusually large number of sales not
only in Germany, but also and above all in our export markets."
The BMW 700 was the direct competitor of the initially cheaper VW Beetle
and appealed above all to the motorist wishing to stand out from the
crowd. Indeed, as a result of great demand customers had to wait
several months for the delivery of their car, with BMW selling more
than 35,000 units in 1960, the BMW 700 thus accounting for some 58 per
cent of the Company's overall revenues. Born for motorsport: the BMW
700 Coupé. The sporting qualities of the BMW 700 Coupé
came out quite clearly from the start, shortly after the beginning of
production in July 1959: The first Coupés were to be admired on
the track before the end of the year, for example in the
Sahara-Lappland Rally. In 1960 BMW's fast Coupés brought home
both gold medals and titles, Hans Stuck clinching the German
Hill-Climbing Championship once again at the wheel of a BMW 700 at the
age of 60. This clearly created significant demand among many
customers for an even more powerful engine, with the big day coming in
summer 1961, when BMW proudly presented the BMW 700 Sport to the press
at the Nürburgring Race Track. With its compression ratio
increased to 9:1, an even more dynamic camshaft and Solex
twin-carburettors supplying the fuel, the two-cylinder boxer engine now
developed 40 hp at 5,700 rpm. This sporting package was rounded off by
an optional sports gearbox and an even harder suspension featuring
firmer dampers and an anti-roll torsion bar. The power unit, in turn,
was sufficient for acceleration to 100 km/h in just under 20 seconds
and a top speed of 135 km/h or 84 mph. All the customer had to pay for
this extra driving pleasure was DM 550,- This "hot" version
of the BMW 700 quickly became a legend in the early '60s particularly
in motorsport, and was lauded by fans as the "little fighter".
And indeed, at its time the car put up some exciting duels against
competitors from both Steyr-Puch and Abarth. Racing machine with a
tubular spaceframe and an aluminium body: the BMW 700 RS. Moving on to
works racing, BMW prepared two truly outstanding performers parallel to
one another: the 700 GT in 1960 and, a year later, the BMW 700 S.
"When a new BMW sports car, the BMW 700 RS enters the Rossfeld
Hillclimb Race on 18 June 1961, this will be in a quest to test the
driving qualities of the BMW 700 at higher speeds and under more
dynamic conditions," said the announcement. The fact that this
was indeed no more than a test is obvious, considering that the BMW 700
RS, in making its debut in the sports car category up to 1600-cc, was
competing against the likes of the Porsche Spyder and the Porsche RSK,
to mention only two formidable rivals. BMW's small racing machine
boasted a tubular spaceframe and an aluminium body, with 70 hp coming
from the side-shaft power unit and with the complete vehicle weighing
less than 600 kg or 1,323 lb. Depending on the transmission ratio, this
small but dynamic performer was able to reach a top speed between 150
and 200 km/h (93 and 124 mph) - enough for Walter Schneider to bring
home the German Circuit Championship in 1961 at the wheel of a BMW 700
RS. The dynamic BMW 700 remained seriously competitive and in most
cases even superior for years to come, boasting various levels of
tuning and engine power. And when BMW's two-cylinder sports car finally
reached the end of its career, Hubert Hahne, one of the big stars at
the time in touring car racing, had brought home the majority of his
wins in this outstanding performance model. At the same time the BMW
700 had already become the ideal car for young drivers making their
first appearance in racing at the time. A very good example is
Hans-Joachim Stuck, who has great memories of this great car: "I
was just nine years old when I accompanied my father to drivers'
courses held by Scuderia Hanseat at the Nürburgring race track.
And there I was able to drive a BMW 700 myself, since it was a closed
circuit reserved entirely for our racing activities." BMW
quickly added further versions to the range, making the BMW 700 even
more successful: Following the regular BMW 700, the Company introduced
the BMW 700 De Luxe in February 1961, featuring the same technical
equipment but with an even higher level of appointments. The most
exclusive model in the BMW 700 range launched at the same time was the
BMW 700 Convertible, the Baur Coachbuilding Company in Stuttgart
designing and building this open-air version of the BMW 700, as they
had already done so often in the history of BMW. To provide all the
qualities for driving in the open air, Baur reinforced the car's
load-bearing elements and re-designed the rear end. An uncomplicated,
straightforward roof mechanism made open air motoring a genuine
pleasure, particularly because the 700 Convertible came as standard
with the more powerful engine otherwise featured in the BMW 700 Sport.
1962: new generation for greater comfort. The most significant change
came in spring 1962 when BMW, while retaining the car's wheelbase,
extended the body by no less than 32 cm or 12.6" in order to offer
a significant increase in motoring comfort. This new model was
marketed as the BMW LS and the BMW LS De Luxe. As of autumn 1964 the
Coupé also received this longer body, coming off the assembly
line in its last year of production as the BMW LS Coupé. In
all, sales of the BMW 700 amounted to 190,000 units by the year 1965.
And the car was a great success in many countries the world over, with
BMW delivering assembly kits for the BMW 700 to assembly plants in
countries otherwise imposing high taxes on completely built-up cars.
Hence, the BMW 700 was assembled from kits in Belgium, Italy, Argentina
and even - in small numbers - in Israel. At the end of the day the
BMW 700 more than fulfi lled its expectations, having given BMW new
hope and taking the Company successfully through the crisis in 1959 and
on to the fi nal breakthrough to profi table large-scale production.