BMW 700

Last updated
BMW 700 (E107)
BMW 700 at Schaffen-Diest.jpg
BMW 700 saloon
Overview
Manufacturer BMW
Also calledBMW LS
ProductionAugust 1959–November 1965
188,211 built [1] [2]
Saloon: 154,557
Coupé: 31,062
Convertible: 2,592
Designer Giovanni Michelotti [3]
Body and chassis
Class Supermini
B-Segment
Body style 2-door saloon
2-door coupe
2-door convertible
Layout RR layout
Powertrain
Engine 697 cc Flat twin
Transmission 4 speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,120 mm (83.5 in)
LS: 2,280 mm (89.8 in) [4]
Length3,540 mm (139.4 in)
LS: 3,860 mm (152.0 in)
Width1,480 mm (58.3 in)
Height1,270 mm (50.0 in)−1,360 mm (53.5 in)
Curb weight 640 kg (1,411 lb)−690 kg (1,521 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor BMW 600

The BMW 700 is a small rear-engined car which was produced by BMW in various models from August 1959 to November 1965. It was the first BMW automobile with a monocoque structure. The 700 was a sales success at a time when BMW was close to financial ruin. [5] The 700 was also successful in its class in motorsport, both in its stock form and as the basis of a racing special called the 700RS.

Contents

More than 188,000 were sold before production ended in November 1965. Upon discontinuing the 700, BMW left the economy car market.

Concept, design, and engineering

Wolfgang Denzel, the distributor of BMW cars in Austria, commissioned Giovanni Michelotti to prepare concept sketches based on a lengthened BMW 600 chassis. [6] In January 1958, Denzel was awarded a development contract for the 700. Denzel presented a prototype to BMW's management in July 1958. [7] The concept, a two-door coupé with a slanted roof, was generally well received, but objections were raised about the limited passenger space. [6] [7] BMW decided to produce two versions, the coupe, and a two-door sedan with a taller, longer roof. [6]

The engineer responsible for the chassis and suspension was Willy Black, who had designed and engineered the 600. The drivetrain and suspension were similar to those of the 600, with a rear-mounted flat-twin engine powering the rear wheels, Dubonnet leading arm suspension at the front, and semi trailing arm suspension at the rear. The 700 used a steel monocoque structure, and was the first BMW automobile to do so. [6]

The engine was an enlarged version of that used in the R67 motorcycle and the 600. With a bore of 78 millimetres (3.1 in) and 73 millimetres (2.9 in) of stroke, the engine displaced 697 cubic centimetres (42.5 cu in). The engine originally used a single Solex 34PCI carburetor and had a compression ratio of 7.5:1, resulting in a power output of 30 horsepower (22 kW). [6]

Reception

The coupé and saloon versions of the 700 were shown at the 1959 Frankfurt Motor Show. [8] BMW's internal model code was E107, with the later cabriolet becoming the E110. After the show, BMW received 25,000 orders for 700s. [9] Production of the BMW 700 coupe began in August 1959, with the saloon version following in December. [6]

The large number of orders was welcome news for BMW, which was in a financial crisis. In December 1959, shareholders blocked a proposal by BMW's supervisory board to sell BMW to Daimler-Benz. [10] The subsequent heavy investment in BMW by Herbert Quandt [11] has been attributed in part to the success of the 700. [9] [12]

By April 1960, production of the 700 was at 155 cars per day. [6] In five years of production, 188,211 BMW 700s were built. [1]

Development

The first variant of the 700 to appear after the original coupé and saloon was the 700 Sport in August 1960. Available only as a coupé, the Sport used an uprated engine with a pair of Solex carburetors and a 9.0:1 compression ratio. This brought the power output to 40 PS (29 kW) and 38 lb⋅ft (52 N⋅m) of torque. [13] The Sport also had a rear anti-roll bar. [6] A ribbed oil pan was used to reduce the oil temperature of the more powerful engine. [14] The 700 Sport was renamed the 700 CS in 1963. [6]

The 700 Cabriolet was introduced shortly after the 700 Sport, and was available only with the Sport's 40 horsepower engine. The convertible body was made by Karosserie Baur of Stuttgart. [6] [15] 2,592 convertibles were built. [6]

A Saxomat semi-automatic transmission was offered as an option on 700s from September 1960. [14]

The 700 Luxus (deluxe) replaced the original saloon in 1962. [6] A longer wheelbase variant, the LS, was also added, extending the wheelbase by 16 centimetres (6.3 in). [16]

In February 1963, the size of the inlet valves in the 700's base engine was increased. This increased power to 32 PS (24 kW) and 37 lb⋅ft (50 N⋅m) of torque. [16]

The final development of the 700 was the 700 LS Coupé of 1964. This was a long-wheelbase coupé with the Sport engine. 1,730 LS Coupés were built. [6]

Production of the BMW 700 ended in November 1965. By that time, the successful New Class cars had established themselves in the marketplace. High demand for these larger cars with larger profit margins led BMW to stop making economy cars. [6] BMW eventually returned to the economy car market in 2002 with the Mini. [17]

An attempt to transfer the rights to body production and export markets of the 700 to Autocars Co. in Israel in 1965 fell through. E. Illin Industries had earlier tried to start an enterprise in assembling 700s in Israel, which resulted in four 700s being assembled there in April 1963. [18] The 700 was assembled in Argentina by Metalmecánica SAIC and sold as a De Carlo 700 Glamour until 1964 when the same running gear was clothed with a Simca 1000 look-alike body as the De Carlo SL. A small number of coupés were assembled there in 1961. [19]

Motorsport

Race-prepared BMW 700 Sport Bmw700sport1.jpg
Race-prepared BMW 700 Sport
Front quarter view of a 1962 BMW 700 RS race car at the LeMay America's Car Museum Front quarter view of a 1962 BMW 700 RS race car at the LeMay America's Car Museum.jpg
Front quarter view of a 1962 BMW 700 RS race car at the LeMay America's Car Museum

Several racing drivers competed in BMW 700s. Hans Stuck won the 1960 German Hillclimb Championship in a 700. [20] Stuck and Sepp Grieger drove another to a class victory at the 1960 Hockenheim 12-hour race. Walter Schneider and Leo Levine raced a 700 to a class victory at the Nürburgring six-hour touring car race in 1960. Schneider went on to win the 1961 German saloon car title. Also in 1961, a BMW 700 won its class at Monza, beating their greatest rival Abarth on their home ground. [21] Other drivers competing in 700s included Jacky Ickx, Hubert Hahne, and Alpina founder Burkard Bovensiepen. [22]

BMW 700RS BMW 700 RS 1.jpg
BMW 700RS

700 RS

The 700 RS was a sports racing car based on the 700. It had a tubular frame chassis, special, lightweight, aerodynamic bodywork, and a double overhead camshaft engine tuned to 70 PS (51 kW; 69 hp). [23] Hans Stuck campaigned the 700RS with success. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giovanni Michelotti</span> Italian designer (1921–1980)

Giovanni Michelotti was one of the most prolific designers of sports cars in the 20th century. His notable contributions were for Ferrari, Lancia, Maserati and Triumph marques. He was also associated with truck designs for Leyland Motors, and with designs for British Leyland after the merger of Leyland and BMC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class is a former series of mid-size or entry-level luxury coupés and convertibles produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1996 and 2010. Although its design and styling was derived from the E-Class, the mechanical underpinnings were based on the smaller C-Class, and was positioned between the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class and CL-Class. The name CLK is either derived from the German words "Coupé", "Luxus" (luxury) and "Kurz" (short) or "Coupé", "Leicht" (light) and "Kurz" (short), as the clear definition was never published. It primarily competes with the two-door BMW 3 and 6 Series, as well as the Audi A4 Cabriolet and Audi A5 Coupe/Cabriolet, as well as the Maserati Coupe and its convertible variant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 507</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW 507 is a grand touring convertible that was produced by German automobile manufacturer BMW from 1956 until 1959. Initially intended to be exported to the United States at a rate of thousands per year, it ended up being too expensive, resulting in a total production figure of 252 cars and heavy financial losses for BMW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz W111</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercedes-Benz W111 was a chassis code given to a range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles produced between 1959 and 1971, including four-door saloons (1959–1968) and two-door coupés and cabriolets (1961–1971). Their bodywork featured distinctive tailfins that gave the models their Heckflosse nickname — German for "fintail".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz W187</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercedes-Benz W187 is a luxury car produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1951 to 1955. Introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in April 1951, the W187 was powered by a single overhead camshaft inline six-cylinder M180 engine and available as a saloon, coupé, and cabriolet, all designated with the 220 model name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 600</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW 600 is a four-seater microcar produced by the German automaker BMW from mid-1957 until November 1959. Partially based on the BMW Isetta single-seater, it was BMW's first postwar four-seater economy car. It was not a sales success, but it began the design process for its more successful successor, the BMW 700.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 303</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW 303 was a small family saloon produced by BMW in 1933 and 1934. It was the first BMW motor car with a six-cylinder engine and the first BMW motor car with the "kidney grille" associated with the brand. The platform developed for the 303 was used for several other BMW cars, including the BMW 309, a four-cylinder version of the 303, the BMW 315, a 1.5-litre version of the 303 which replaced it in 1934 and was built until 1937, the BMW 319, a 1.9-litre version of the 303 produced alongside the 315 from 1935 to 1937, and the BMW 329, a development of the 319 with styling based on the newer, larger BMW 326, that briefly replaced the 319 in 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karosserie Baur</span> Automobile coachbuilder

Baur is a Karosserie or coachbuilder in Stuttgart, Germany, which has been building BMW convertibles since the 1930s. Currently, they are the body and assembly works for IVM Automotive, a member of the Ed Group. They enjoy an excellent reputation for quality and do prototype work for many manufacturers such as Porsche, Audi and Ford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of BMW</span>

The official founding date of the German motor vehicle manufacturer BMW is 7 March 1916, when an aircraft producer called Bayerische Flugzeugwerke was established. This company was renamed to Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) in 1922. However, the BMW name dates back to 1917, when Rapp Motorenwerke changed its name to Bayerische Motoren Werke. BMW's first product was a straight-six aircraft engine called the BMW IIIa. Following the end of World War I, BMW remained in business by producing motorcycle engines, farm equipment, household items and railway brakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borgward Isabella</span> Motor vehicle

The Borgward Isabella is an automobile which was manufactured by the Bremen based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH from 1954 to 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 501</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW 501 was a luxury car manufactured by BMW from 1952 to 1958. Introduced at the first Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, the 501 was the first BMW model to be manufactured and sold after the Second World War, and as the first BMW car built in Bavaria. The 501 and its derivatives, including the V8 powered BMW 502, were nicknamed “Baroque Angels” by the German public. The BMW 502 was the first postwar German car to be manufactured with a V8 engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 503</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW 503 is a two-door 2+2 gran turismo manufactured by German automaker BMW from 1956 until 1959. The company developed the 503, built in coupé and cabriolet body styles, alongside the 507 roadster. The 503 and 507 cost about twice their projected price and did not recover their development costs. During production from May 1956 to March 1959, 413 units of the 503 were built, 139 of which were Cabriolets. Despite being a prestige model, it resulted in heavy losses for BMW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 3200 CS</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW 3200 CS was a sports touring car manufactured by BMW between January 1962 and September 1965. It was designed by Bertone and was introduced at the 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show. More than five hundred were built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 321</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW 321 is a compact six-cylinder automobile produced by the Bavarian firm between 1938 and 1941. After 1945, production of the 321 resumed at the Eisenach plant and continued until 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auto Union 1000</span> Motor vehicle

The Auto Union 1000 is a luxury compact front-wheel drive automobile manufactured by Auto Union GmbH between 1958 and 1965. It was the first model branded as an Auto Union by the manufacturer since the 1930s; it replaced the DKW 3=6, although the latter continued in production, until the end of 1959. The two cars were broadly similar, but the new car had its two-stroke engine enlarged to 981 cc yielding a 10% - 37% power increase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IFA F9</span> Eastern-bloc compact saloon car model

The IFA F9, subsequently rebadged as the EMW 309, is a compact saloon manufactured under the auspices of the Russian and East German states between 1949 or 1950 and 1956. It was initially built at Zwickau at the plant previously owned by Auto Union. In 1953 production was transferred to the EMW, former BMW manufacturing plant at Eisenach under the name EMW 309 until 1956 where its underpinnings subsequently found their way into the Wartburg 311.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DKW F8</span> Motor vehicle

The DKW F8 is a compact front-wheel drive two-stroke engined saloon, introduced in 1939. The F8 was slightly shorter than its predecessor despite having a marginally increased wheelbase. The base model, known as the Reichsklasse, was manufactured only till 1940 but the Meisterklasse sedan continued in production until 1942. In addition to the saloons, cabriolet versions were offered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotchkiss Grégoire</span> Motor vehicle

The Grégoire is a luxury car produced from 1950 to 1954 by the French automaker Hotchkiss. Only about 247 were produced, with serial numbers 500 to 747.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talbot Lago Sport</span> Motor vehicle

The Talbot-Lago Sport is a coupé-bodied sports car introduced by the manufacturer in May 1955 that was Talbot-Lago's last production model. 54 were built. After a couple of years the Talbot-designed engine was replaced with a BMW unit and the car was rebranded as the Talbot-Lago America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gutbrod Superior</span> 1950s German car

The Gutbrod Superior is a small car, built from 1950 until 1954 by German manufacturer Gutbrod. A total of 6,860 cabriolet saloons and 866 estates were built in less than four years.

References

Citations
  1. 1 2 Oswald, Werner (2001). Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, Band 4[German Cars 1945-1990, Volume 4] (in German) (1 ed.). Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN   3-613-02131-5.
  2. ↑ Oleski, Frank; Lehbrink, Hartmut (2004). Gericke's 100 Jahre Sportwagen: 1905 - 2005; einhundert Jahre Sportwagengeschichte in einem Band (in German). 100 Jahre Sportwagen. p. 168. ISBN   9783938118009 . Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  3. ↑ "Elenco delle Vetture progettate da Giovanni Michelotti conosciute al momento" [List of currently known cars designed by Giovanni Michelotti]. archiviostoricomichelotti.it (in Italian). Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  4. ↑ Gloor, Roger (2007). Alle Autos der 50er Jahre 1945 - 1960[All Cars of the 50s 1945-1960] (in German) (1 ed.). Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN   978-3-613-02808-1.
  5. ↑ Claus Jacobi (managing editor), Rudolf Augstein (proprietor & former managing editor) (13 May 1959). "BMW: Das rettende Modell". Der Spiegel. SPIEGEL-ONLINE. p. 28. Retrieved 2013-05-20.{{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 BMW - Bavaria's Driving Machines, Norbye, pp. 124-125
  7. 1 2 "History: The 700 Story, p.1". BMW700.net. 1958-07-30. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  8. ↑ "History: The 700 Story, p.2". BMW700.net. 1958-11-21. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  9. 1 2 "History: The 700 Story, p.3". BMW700.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  10. ↑ BMW - Bavaria's Driving Machines, Norbye, p. 132
  11. ↑ The BMW Story Horst Monnich
  12. ↑ Roberts, Andrew (2007-09-25). "BMW 700". The Independent. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  13. ↑ "BMW 700 Sports Coupe Road Test". Autocar. 1962-01-19.
  14. 1 2 "History: The 700 Story, p.4". BMW700.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  15. ↑ Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, Band 4, Oswald, p.184
  16. 1 2 "History: The 700 Story, p.5". BMW700.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  17. ↑ The Ultimate History of BMW, Noakes, pp.172-174
  18. ↑ "BMW 700, the Haifa version". The Israel Motor Industry. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  19. ↑ "The BMW 700 Story – BMW 700 – the car that saved BMW".
  20. ↑ "La BMW 700. Le sauveteur fête ses 50 ans". press bmw group.
  21. ↑ Rombauts, Walter, ed. (1979-09-15). "Hoe een dubbeltje rollen kan" [How the penny might drop]. Keesings Auto Magazine (in Dutch). 2 (17). Antwerp, Belgium: 59.
  22. 1 2 Noakes, The Ultimate History of BMW, pp. 60-61
  23. ↑ "700 RS". Ultimate Car Page. 2009-04-17. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
Sources
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.