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Knows what it stands for - BMW 1500 in the (historical) test

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Created in 1963

Text:

Olaf von Fersen

Photos:

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

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BMW AG

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Archiv

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Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

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BMW AG

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Archiv

31

BMW 1500 (1962) - the pride of every owner

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BMW 1500 (1963) - elegant presentation

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BMW 1500 (1962) - stylish, timeless elegance - this is how the press office described the BMW 1500

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BMW 1500 (1962) - wait here for me, darling ...

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Couple on the road in evening traffic

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BMW 1500 (1962) - space for the whole family

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BMW 1500 (1962) - low waistline, large windows

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BMW 1500 (1963) - production now underway, 80 hp and 4 gears

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BMW 1500 (1963) - View into the engine

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BMW 1500 (1963) - at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show

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BMW 1500 (1963) - Photo at the lake

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BMW 1500 (1963) - and another pair

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BMW 1500 (1961) - the new class was always surrounded by many interested parties - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1961

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BMW 1500 (1961) - View into the trunk - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1961

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BMW 1500 (1963) - blinker lights drawn around the corner

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BMW 1500 (1961) - functional and simple body line

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BMW 1500 (1962) - longitudinally mounted four-cylinder engine

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BMW 1500 (1961) - View into the engine compartment - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1961

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BMW 1500 (1962) - the four-cylinder engine with 80 hp and overhead camshaft

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BMW 1500 (1962) - View into the engine

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Transparent drawing

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Steering wheel and dashboard

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BMW 1500 (1961) - Round and easy-to-read dashboards characterize the BMW

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BMW 1500 (1962) at the Geneva Motor Show - not yet in production, but eagerly awaited

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BMW 1500 (1962) - at an intersection

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BMW 1500 (1962) - View into the large trunk

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BMW 1500 (1962) - the dream of many car fans

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Rear seat with plenty of space

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BMW 1500 (1962) - was often photographed with couples

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BMW 1500 (1962) - timeless design

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BMW 1500 (1962) - ... and again they are on the road in pairs

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Safety chassis and comfort

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BMW 1500 (1962) - plenty of space for two people and their luggage

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Summary

Anyone considering buying an upper mid-range saloon in 1963 had several cars to choose from. Ford 17 M and 12 M TS or even an Opel Rekord would have been an option. However, there was also the BMW 1500, which cost a good DM 1500 and offered typical BMW features such as good driving performance and a high level of driving safety, and of course enjoyed a certain degree of superiority due to its name. This article reproduces the wording of the test conducted by Automobil-Illustrierte magazine at the time and shows the car in historical photographs.

This article contains the following chapters

1600 became 1500 cc
Is the 1500 a "real BMW"?
The quality lies beneath the skin
Looks bigger than it is
Manageable despite its size
How it drives
Amazingly safe to drive
A likeable car
Technical and test data

Estimated reading time: 15min

Preview (beginning of the article)

If a well-known car manufacturer announces its new model at a very early stage and even presents prototypes to the public, this undoubtedly has the advantage that dealers can build up a good "cushion" of firm orders long before production starts. However, such a policy also harbors the risk of disappointing customers. Not because the product they finally receive after a more or less long wait does not stand up to comparison with the prototype that was the final impetus for their decision to buy - but rather because general technical development has not stopped in the meantime and there may be other vehicles on the market that seem to offer more in terms of technology or are considered to be cheaper than this one. The development period for a new car model is generally estimated to be at least three years, whereby hardly any far-reaching changes to the original concept are possible during the second half of this period, because the production of the machine tools required for mass production has already been set in motion. The larger the plant and thus the expected series, the more careful the preliminary planning must be, and the less opportunity the designers have to venture bold forays into new technical territory.

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