BMW 328

BMW 328
Mr.choppers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	BMW 328
Manufacturer	BMW
Production	1936–1940
Assembly	Munich, Germany
Class	Sports car
Body style	2-door roadster / coupe
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Engine	2.0 L M328 I6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Wheelbase	2450 mm
Length	4100 mm
Weight	880–930 kg

BMW 328 The BMW 328 is a two-seater sports car produced by BMW between 1936 and 1940 known for its lightweight construction, advanced engine design, and competition successes. Developed during the interwar period, it combined innovations in chassis engineering, aerodynamic bodywork, and powertrain tuning to achieve notable endurance and hillclimb results. The model influenced postwar sports-car design and was campaigned by privateers, factory teams, and notable drivers across Europe.

Development and Design

BMW initiated the 328 project under the direction of engineers influenced by contemporaneous advances in Adolf Hitler-era German industry and the Bayerische Motoren Werke research programs; chief figures included Fritz Fiedler and Rudolf Schleicher who refined suspension geometry and weight distribution. The design ethos drew on lessons from the BMW 303 and BMW 315 saloons and integrated a tubular ladder frame, independent front suspension with wishbones and coil springs inspired by work at Zollern Engineering and concepts circulating in Munich engineering circles. Bodywork was produced by coachbuilders such as Karosserie, with aerodynamic studies reflecting influences from Reich Aviation Ministry-era wind-tunnel research and contemporaneous practice at Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz. The roadster and coupe coachwork emphasized a low frontal area and smooth fenders, echoing designs seen at the Mille Miglia and Le Mans 24 Hours entries of the mid-1930s.

Technical Specifications

The 328 used the M328 inline six-cylinder engine with hemispherical combustion chambers, an aluminum block and a chain-driven single overhead camshaft developed from BMW’s earlier straight-six lineage that included the BMW 326. Displacement was approximately 1971 cc; peak power figures in standard tune reached around 80–90 PS, with tuning packages increasing output for hillclimb and endurance racing events. The gearbox was a four-speed manual with synchromesh on upper gears, and the chassis featured a light tubular frame, transverse leaf spring variations in some prototypes, and live rear axle with semi-elliptic springs—solutions paralleling contemporaneous hardware at Alfa Romeo and MG. Braking was by drum brakes on all wheels, augmented in competition by improved linings and cooling ducts tested on circuits such as Nürburgring and Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

Racing History and Motorsport Achievements

The 328’s competition record includes class victories and overall successes at events that shaped prewar motorsport. It debuted in international racing at venues including Nürburgring 500 km, the Mille Miglia, and the RAC Tourist Trophy, where private teams and factory-backed entries defeated rivals from ERA and Singer. Notable drivers who campaigned the model were Hans Stuck, Walter Bäumer, and Ernst Henne, who exploited the car’s power-to-weight ratio on Solitude and Avus circuits. The 328 Munich Touring Coupé achieved victory at the 1938 Brooklands 500 Miles and set distance records at Montlhéry under the direction of tuner-engineering teams with support from BMW-affiliated ateliers. Postwar, a 328-based car prepared by engineers associated with HWM and Talbot-Lago furthered the model’s racing mythology by competing in 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance attempts and influencing British sports-racing efforts in the late 1940s.

Production, Models, and Variants

Manufacturing took place at BMW’s BMW Werk München facilities with coachbuilt bodies from firms such as Reutter Karosserie and bespoke examples by independent coachbuilders. Main factory catalog items included the roadster, the coupé, and limited competition specials; aftermarket tuner variations emerged from houses like Alfred Teves and independent racing ateliers. Special variants included aerodynamic streamliners and lightweight competition chassis used for hillclimb and speed-record programs in Germany, Italy, and Britain. Production numbers were limited due to the wartime shift in Third Reich industrial priorities and the conversion of factories to military production, resulting in a small-series run that increased the model’s rarity.

Legacy and Influence

The 328 influenced postwar sports cars by demonstrating the effectiveness of lightweight tubular frames, hemispherical combustion chamber engines, and aerodynamic coachwork. Elements of its engine architecture informed later BMW straight-six development that can be traced to postwar BMW design houses and engineers who migrated to firms like Bristol Cars and Frazer Nash. The model is cited in histories of interwar European motorsport alongside entries from Auto Union, Mercedes-Benz SSK, and Alfa Romeo 8C, and it remains a reference point in museum collections such as the BMW Museum and private exhibits at events like the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

Restoration and Collectibility

Surviving 328s are highly prized by collectors, restoration specialists, and concours preparators; provenance verified through period documentation and race records from events like the Mille Miglia Storica and Goodwood Revival increases value. Restoration often requires sourcing period-correct components from archives associated with Reutter, Zagato-style coachbuilders, and vintage parts suppliers that trade in items from Bosch ignition systems and Köng carburetor inventories. Auction houses such as Bonhams, RM Sotheby's, and Christie's have sold unrestored and restored examples, with concours-level rebuilds appearing at Amelia Island Concours and specialist rallies organized by clubs like the Vintage Sports-Car Club and the Classic Motor Union.

Category:BMW vehicles Category:Sports cars Category:Prewar automobiles