BMW 328

This BMW 328 weighs only 830 kilograms and is built for racing. All unnecessary features, such as bumpers, have been left out.

This BMW 328 weighs only 830 kilograms and was built for racing. All unnecessary features, such as bumpers, have been omitted. The round cutouts under the headlights are designed to let more cooling air flow past the engine and brakes. A practical solution that also saves material. The aerodynamic body is made of a special metal alloy and shaped around a tubular frame. The BMW 328 is a true all rounder: sports car, circuit racer and long distance racer in one. This is one of the reasons why the car is regarded as one of the most important sports cars of all time. The blue and white emblem of Bayerische Motoren Werke symbolizes the colors in the coat of arms of Bavaria. Originally, BMW built aircraft engines, including for the Messerschmidt 109. Before moving on to building cars, BMW had built up a strong reputation with the production of motorcycles. The BMW 328 was developed as a prestige project for the Third Reich. The car had to be ready before the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. The prototype of the 328 won the two liter sports car class in the Eifelrennen in 1936. In the end, the BMW 328 notched up more than 140 race and rally victories, including the 1940 Mille Miglia. After the war, the rights to engine development and production were transferred to the British as reparations, and the engines were installed in cars such as AC, Frazer Nash and Bristol. After the war, the BMW factory in Eisenach ended up in East German territory and, until 1955, produced pre war BMW models under the name EMW (Eisenacher Motoren Werke).