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Motorsports Monday: 1960 BMW 700 Sport

Motorsports Monday: 1960 BMW 700 Sport

Published July 30, 2018 by Carter

Update 7/30/18: After being listed for sale three years ago at $34,500, this BMW 700 racer is back – now listed as a 1961, oddly, and with an opening bid at $32,500. It still seems very unlikely to sell but is neat to see!

Though Germany has gained a reputation as a nation of drivers, the reality is that in both pre and post-World War II periods, the average German couldn’t afford many of the cars that are synonymous with German engineering. However, the “German Economic Miracle”, in part assisted by the Marshall Plan as an attempt to avoid the pitfalls of what had created World War II in the first place (thanks, Versailles Treaty!) put Germany at the forefront of European economies as the 1960s got rolling. It was then that we saw the growth of the German automobile industry into what we associate it with today. BMW also grew during this period, from near collapse in the 1950s to a viable – albeit small – company in the 1960s. At least part of that success is thanks to the development of the 700. Rear engine, air cooled and powered by a BMW motorcycle “twin” flat-2, the body was penned by Giovanni Michelotti – responsible for some of the most celebrated designs from Ferrari, Maserati and Triumph. However, he’s probably better known by BMW fans for developing the Neue Klasse designs including the venerable 2002. To my eye, though, the simple BMW 700 in Coupe form was the best looking of the Michelotti BMW designs:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1960 BMW 700S on eBay

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1963 BMW 700 Coupe

1963 BMW 700 Coupe

Published July 29, 2017 by Carter

After yesterday’s mega M6, I’d like to take a look at another favorite BMW coupe of mine. In many ways, it is the antithesis of the M6; simple, under-powered, rear-engine and decidedly ’60s while the M6 was oh-so-’80s. The 700 Coupe developed through an interesting route, as I described in an article for The Truth About Cars. While air-cooled power was associated with VW and Porsche, NSU and BMW also flirted with rear-engine designs of their own, and in their own right they were fairly successful.

From the diminutive Isetta grew the oddly-shaped 600, which then bore the 700 run. Available in 2-door sedan, Coupe or rare convertible, the 700 developed some 30 horsepower from its .7 liter twin in the rear. The handsome Michelotti design signaled the direction for the new BMW designs, with (for the time) modern lines penned to the standard 3-box formula. A total of nearly 200,000 700s were produced, but the Coupe version sold in much smaller numbers – only about 30,000 total Coupes produced. The departed from the more traditional 2-door sedan’s look with a sharply cut greenhouse and pronounced tail fins. While the combination of all these things seems like an odd recipe, it somehow worked very well and looked beautiful:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1963 BMW 700 Coupe on eBay

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1963 BMW 700 Coupe

1963 BMW 700 Coupe

Published April 21, 2016 by Carter

When one thinks of classic air-cooled, rear engine German cars, BMW does not come to mind. The much more famous relatives from the Western side of Germany do, of course, and Volkswagen is obviously linked therein too. How about tail fins on a car from the Vaterland? Again, the most recognizable car to sport them is the Mercedes-Benz 220s – the so-called “Heckflosse”. And super-minis from the 1960s? Well, you might even be more inclined to think of DKW rather than the Roundel. But in the 1960s BMW nearly failed as a car company, and the automobile that helped to keep it afloat was the versatile 700 series. The answer for the company was not to launch expensive luxury cars into a depressed economy, but instead to look at alternative economical platforms. Based upon the company’s roots of motorcycles, the 700 incorporated new technology for the company which would later be seen across the board and help to point the company in a different styling direction that the Neue Klasse would continue and expand upon. To me the most attractive of the 700s by far is the Coupe. We’ve looked at a handful of these diminutive and distinctive two-doors over the years, but two clean examples popped up this week and it was definitely worth a look:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1963 BMW 700 on eBay

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Heap of the Week: BMW 700 Collection

Published August 27, 2014 by Carter

When considering a restoration project, many things factor into one’s decision. You need to first pick a model that you find particularly interesting or intriguing. For me, that includes choosing something a little outside the mainstream interests. It’s why I prefer the Audi V8 to the S4/S6, for example. It helps if it’s something that you can afford, as well – for example, you could decide to restore a very early 356 Porsche rather than a 911, but if you can’t afford to buy one it’s no good. Then you need to weigh parts availability and cost along with your restoration goals; will this be a driver, a survivor or a 100 point show car? The costs vary for each, as will the amount of detail work involved. For me, while I love to see pristine 100 point show cars, I prefer something that can be driven to the show and home. My Audi, for example, is certainly not pristine – but it also doubles as a track car, and with nearly a quarter million miles on the clock I’m proud of some of its battle scars even if they make me sigh from time to time. So, when something very unique pops up that has potential to be different, special and really stand out from the crowd, I take notice. The 2002ti turbo from Monday is a perfect example of this; a car that needs a tremendous amount of restoration but it really different than everything else out there. In that vein, here’s a collection of the rare, rear-engined BMW 700s in various configurations and states along with a WW2-era 321 chassis. Why limit yourself to only one project when you could have six?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: BMW 700 Collection on eBay

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1962 BMW 700 Coupe

Published April 10, 2014 by Carter

When you think BMW and engine behind the driver, you don’t immediately think of an economy car, but rather the iconic M1. But long before the M1 was even conceived, it was the BMW 700 that introduced the automotive world to a BMW with the engine behind the driver. That engine was effectively a motorcycle unit, so this mini-car was efficient if not particularly powerful. However, what it was good at was racing, so in some regards this car which seems at first glance to have little to do with other BMWs helped to solidify BMW’s reputation in the motorsport world and thereby helped to create models like the M1. On top of that, the 700 Coupe was a particularly neat looking little car, with plenty of 60s-spectacular tail fins and a smart-looking profile. Today there is a lovely light blue example on Ebay:

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