BMW New Class

BMW 1500

The " New Class" ( internal model designation 115 ( 1500), 116 (1600), 118 (1800 ), 120 (2000 Coupe), 121 (2000)) was the first mid-range series of car manufacturer BMW after the Second World War, and filled the gap between the Bubble Car Isetta or the small car BMW 700 and high-end sedans BMW 3200 S ( " Baroque Angel ").

The "New Class " was created by the summer of 1962 until the spring of 1972 and replaced after 5 Series from the first generation of the BMW ( E12).

• 3.1 BMW 2000 C / CA / CS
• 3.2 Model overview Coupe

New Class sedan

BMW 1500

1961 notchback sedan BMW 1500 (BMW 's internal designation: Type 115) was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show and enthusiastically received by press and public. The body was created in-house under Wilhelm Hofmeister, then head of the department body development. Giovanni Michelotti - who has worked on the dress for the BMW 700 - exercised only in an advisory capacity. The car had a 1.5 - liter four-cylinder engine with overhead camshaft and 59 kW ( 80 hp ), the first version of the device built by Alexander Falkenhausen BMW M10 engine. The M10 engine was still used until 1988 in the BMW 316/318 of the 3 Series. The car ran 150 km / h top and accelerated at 1050 kg empty weight in 16 s to 100 km / h The tank capacity was 53 liters - consumption was 10 liters per 100 km.

In August 1962, the first BMW ran 1500 off the line. At the IAA 1961, the purchase price has been specified with DM 8,500. However, this price could not be realized, and so was the official selling price of the four-door car 9485 DM, which corresponds to taking inflation into account a today's purchasing power of about 19,400 euros. By December 1964 23.807 units were produced - 1991 only 78 cars of the BMW 1500 in the Federal Motor Vehicle Office were reported.

BMW 1600

In March 1964, the BMW was 1500 ( 83 PS) followed by the BMW 1600 ( type 116) with a 1.6 - liter engine and 61 kW, with the production of the BMW 1500 expired in late 1964. The BMW 1600 was produced until April 1966. For the 50th anniversary of the Bavarian Motor Works was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966, the two-door BMW 1600. To avoid confusion with the four-door BMW 1600, the name was unofficially complemented by a "-2". The BMW 1600-2 established the independent BMW 02- series (Series 114), and received in 1971 the name 1602.

BMW 1800

In 1963 the BMW 1800 (Type 118) with an enlarged 1.8 liter engine with 66 kW ( 90 hp ) was added, even in the sporty variant BMW 1800 TI ( Turismo Internazionale) with 81 kW ( 110 PS) increased engine power. The significantly greater engine power than previous models, the engineers reached by two Solex carburettors and increase the compression ratio to 9.5:1. The BMW 1800 with round headlights were replaced in 1970 by the BMW 2000 1.8L and got the look of the 2000 model with wide rectangular headlights and the larger rear lights.

1965 in addition to the standard types, the special model BMW 1800 TI / SA was made ​​(SA = Special ) in 200 units as Homologationswagen for motorsports. The vehicle was exclusively delivered to licensed race and sports book operator in Europe and the United States. Technically, the BMW 1800 TI / SA is characterized by the following changes made ​​: Extensive modifications to the engine ( bigger valves, 300 ° camshaft, two Weber carbs, 10.5:1 compression, crankshaft with 8 counterweights, so that "at least" 130 hp at 6,100 min -1), top speed over 180 km / h ( test value ams 24/1964: 192 km / h ), strut front suspension, with enlarged bearings and hubs and enlarged brake discs, stronger stabilizers front and rear, five-speed transmission and a more direct steering ratio. Visually similar to the BMW 1800 TI / SA largely to the BMW 1800 TI, so adorns him only the name plate of the BMW 1800 TI. Inside, the TI / SA can be recognized by specific bucket seats of the type Restall - Masterfit, a large protruding tachometer and a special wooden steering wheel.

BMW 2000 TI / TILUX / tii

Six months after the presentation of the coupe BMW 2000 CA (type 120) was published in early 1966, the four-door sedan BMW 2000 (Type 121) with compared to the BMW 1800 slightly modified design: Instead of simple round headlight front they had wider, rectangular headlights, as well as larger taillights. As of mid- 1966 there was also a sportier variant BMW 2000 TI with 120 hp, which, however, the same design had (ie round headlights, narrow tail lights ) like the BMW 1800 TI, and a luxurious equipped variant BMW 2000 TI -lux (later " TILUX " ) with the same engine. The end of 1969 was the BMW 2000 BMW 2000 tii by the TILUX replaced with the first injection engine from BMW with 130 hp. The second "i " stands for the used mechanical ball Fischer- fuel injection ( "injection ").

• BMW sedans of the "new class "

BMW 1800

BMW 1800 TI / SA

BMW 2000

BMW 2000 TILUX

BMW 2000 tii

Model overview Limousine

Motorsport

1964 dominated Hubert Hahne in a BMW 1800 TI, the German Circuit Championship, where he won 14 of 16 races. In the same year Hahne drove the 12 hour race for touring cars at the Nürburgring the overall win out.

1965 won Pascal Ickx and Gérard Langlois van Ophem with the factory race car the 24-hour race at Spa- Francorchamps and ambitious privateer won the BMW 1800 TI / SA numerous victories.

1966 rounded Hubert Hahne in a BMW 2000 TI was the first touring car drivers, the Nordschleife in under 10 minutes. In a support race for the Grand Prix of Germany he went the distance in 9:58,5 (or 9:58,9 ) minutes on 6 August 1966. On BMW 2000 TI he won in the same year, together with Jacky Ickx in the 24h race at Spa -Francorchamps and was also European Touring Car Champion.

Other well-known driver of the four-door touring car were Rauno Aaltonen, Dieter Basche, Heinz Eppelein, Dieter Glemser, Jürgen Grähser, Ferfried Prince of Hohenzollern, Helmut Kelleners, Hans -Peter Koepchen, Nicolas Koob, Hans Koster, Freddy Kottulinsky, David van Lennep, Gijs van Lennep, Wim Loos, Willy Mairesse, Klaus Miersch, Dieter Quester, Clemens Schickentanz and Josef Schnitzer.

New Class Coupé

BMW 2000 C / CA / CS

The coupe of the New Class was introduced as " comfortable touring car with a sporty heart for great ride " in June 1965. It was only on November 22, 1965 ran at Karmann in the production of the coupé bodies to.

The BMW designer Wilhelm Hofmeister ( " Hofmeister kink " ) designed 2.0 -liter model variant (type 120), there were 120 bhp than BMW 2000 CS and 100 hp as BMW 2000 CA with three-speed automatic. When BMW 2000 C with 100 hp and manual transmission was offered from May 1967 to 1968 the cars. from BMW 2000 C only 443 pieces were manufactured.

Although in September 1968, the BMW 2800 CS was presented, the BMW 2000 CA and CS remained until mid- 1970 as an inexpensive alternative to the BMW E9 in the BMW range.

When Wilhelm Karmann GmbH left between 22 November 1965 to the July 11, 1970 exactly 13,151 car bodies and between 18 August 1968 to the February 24, 1970 exactly 549 complete vehicles left the plant for a total of 13,700 New Class coupe. Not common in the former streetscape was available for the BMW 2000 coupe color silver (called " new polaris " at BMW ), in the car, next to the color " chamonix " ( ivory), was frequently ordered.

Model overview Coupe

Economic Success

Since 1953/54, we worked with BMW on concepts for an intermediate car for the realization but lacked initially on the financial possibilities. Looking back, put the mirror 1965, BMW had built 1959/60 only cars for " day laborers and general managers ."

After the BMW 700 had brought the BMW AG back into the profit zone MAN ( Maschinenfabrik Augsburg- Nürnberg) is the capital of the BMW subsidiary Triebwerkbau GmbH acquired a 50 per cent and also granted a loan of DM 20 million to ten years and the industrialist Herbert Quandt had contributed his considerable financial commitment for the rehabilitation of BMW and by securing operating loans to the banks continued confidence in the company again, the conditions for the production of the middle car were given. In August 1962, BMW began series production of the 1500th BMW were at this time in front of 20,000 orders for the car.

1962 ended the fiscal year with no profit, but also - contrary to the forecast - without loss; the turnover was 294 million marks. In fiscal 1963, sales increased compared to 1962 by 47 percent to 433 million marks, and for the first time in exactly two decades the work again paid a dividend of six per cent. Thanks to the business and policy type of the new management was in 1964, the restoration work will be completed successfully. The New Class was a great success, with a total of 329 626 to 1972 sedans were produced.

Starting point later BMW series

The New Class was the starting point for many later BMW series. Even today, almost all BMW models the characteristic " Hofmeister kink " in the C-pillar, which was presented at the BMW 3200 CS and introduced with the new class for the first time in significant numbers. From the new class, the independent BMW 02- series (Series 114 ) was derived; stylistically related to the new class was also produced from 1968 luxury model series E3. Their coupe version, starting with the 1968 featured BMW 2800 CS (E9 ), looked like a completely new car, the Munich-based coachbuilder but he had - like the side view of the BMW 2000 CS shows - actually just a modified, slightly longer front end ( for the M30 six-cylinder ) and double headlights donated. The followers of this series established the still valid today classification of BMW series: The BMW 02 1975 by the BMW 3 Series ( E21) replaced, the new class was in 1972 by the BMW 5 - series ( E12), BMW E9 1975 BMW 6 - series ( E24 ) and replaced the BMW E3 luxury model series followed in 1977, the BMW 7-series ( E23 ).