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The "New Class" from BMW - The successful refreshment of the Munich brand

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Created on August 23, 2021

Reading time 8min

Written by:

Sven Juerisch

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BMW

28

G. Muschalla

22

Archiv

12

BMW

28

G. Muschalla

22

Archiv

12

BMW 2000 (1971) - Ganz pazifistisch sieht der Münchner nicht aus

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BMW 1500 (1961) - Präsentation der "Neuen Klasse" auf der IAA 1961

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BMW 1500 (1961) - Grosses Interesse der Massen an der IAA 1961

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BMW 1500 (1961) - die neue Klasse war stets von vielen Intererssierten umgeben - Internationale Automobilausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt 1961

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Die Fahrleistungen sieht man dem Wagen nicht unbedingt an

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Verschmilzt fast mit der verschneiten Szenerie

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Naturgemäss eher wasserscheu

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Im BMW war das "vista" überall "bella"

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BMW 1500 (1962) - In der Endmontage

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Macht überall eine gute Figur

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Macht die Talsicht obsolet

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Es ist Platz für alle da

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BMW 1500 (1963) - Blick in den Motor

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Aufgereit in der Fabrikhalle

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Die Limousine in der Endkontrolle

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Hofmeister-Knick, überhängende Front und klare Linien

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Bietet trotz Stufenheck viel Stauraum

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BMW 1500 (1962) - viel Platz für zwei Personen und deren Gepäck

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Das Armaturenbrett ist schlicht und schön gestaltet

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BMW 1500 (1961) - Lenkrad und Armaturenbrett

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BMW 1500 (1962) - der Star auf jedem Foto

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BMW 1500 (1962) - tiefe Gürtellinie, grosse Fensterflächen

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Durchsichtszeichnung

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Skizze der Hinterradaufhängung

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BMW 1500 (1962) - der Vierzylindermotor mit 80 PS und obenliegender Nockenwelle

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Darstellung des Antriebsaggregats

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Blick in den Motor

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Blick ins Innere des Kolbens

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Optimierungen des Brennraums anschaulich dargelegt

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BMW 1500 (1962) - Eine andere Perspektive auf die verbesserten Brennräume

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BMW 1500 (1961) - Stattliche Dimensionen

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BMW 1500 (1961) - Dreimal BMW und dreimal sportlich - Titelblatt Hobby 11 1961

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BMW 1800 TI (1964) - Hubert Hahne beim Internationalen ADAC 12-Stunden-Rennen für Tourenwagen "Um den Werner-Engel-Pokal" 1964

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BMW 1800 TI (1964) - Hubert Hahne beim Internationalen ADAC 12-Stunden-Rennen für Tourenwagen "Um den Werner-Engel-Pokal" 1964

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BMW 1800 TI (1964) - Hubert Hahne beim Internationalen HMSC-Rundstrecken-Rennen auf dem Flugplatz Mainz-Finthen 1964

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BMW 1800 TI (1964) - Hubert Hahne beim Internationalen HMSC-Rundstrecken-Rennen auf dem Flugplatz Mainz-Finthen 1964

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Runde Scheinwerfer waren gestern

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Das BMW-Emblem muss mit einem weniger prominenten Platz vorliebnehmen

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Viel horizontal angeordnetes Chrom

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Gleitet elegant durch Raum und Zeit...

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BMW 2000 (1971) - So reist man gerne

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Blickfang in rot

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Vorsicht, kann süchtig machen!

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Für dieses Auto gibt's keine unvorteilhafte Perspektive

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Die Scheinwerfer sitzen auf dem Kühlergrill

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Ganz eigener Look

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Die Blinker haben das Facelift überlebt

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Blick auf das Dreispeichen-Lenkrad und die Rundinstrumente

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Das Gestänge der Kopfstützen macht einen etwas fragilen Eindruck

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Noch immer blitzblank

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Nicht nur der Motor lässt sich schön drehen...

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Blick in die Eingeweide

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Granadioses Autombil

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Wenn man will, kann die Front mit dem Kopf eines Hais (nicht zwingendes des Monteverdis) verglichen werden

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Das Kofferraumschloss befindet sich unter einem "Vordach"

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Modellbezeichnung und auch beinahe die Anzahl Gründe, sich ein Exemplar zuzulegen

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Wenn man ganz genau schaut offenbaren sich kleine Makel in der Verarbeitung

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BMW 2000 (1971) - Verchromtes Endrohr

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BMW 2000 TI (1966) - BMW-Badge und Modellschriftzug wurden teilfusioniert

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BMW 1800 (1972) - Zusammen mit dem Nachfolger aus der E 12-Baureihe.

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BMW 1800 (1969) - Das Einstiegsmodell (links) leistete 90 PS.

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BMW 2000 CS (1965) - Auffallend sind neben den Scheinwerfern auch die 32 Schlitze hinter der Stossstange

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Summary

At the end of the 1950s and beginning of the 1960s, the future of Bayerische Motoren-Werke looked anything but rosy. The product range included small models such as the Isetta, the 600 and the 700, as well as the elegant "Baroque Angel" and the two sports cars 503 and 507. There was a yawning void between these two extremes, resulting in figures deep in the red. The launch of the "New Class" in between therefore decided the survival or decline of the brand. This vehicle report tells the story of the "Neue Klasse" and shows it in old and new images.

This article contains the following chapters

New class for the cash register
Customers as car testers
Four-cylinder for eternity
Elegance from Osnabrück
The joy of driving - to this day
Affordable entry
Good parts supply

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

After the near bankruptcy, BMW was able to report a precision landing with the "New Class". 20,000 pre-orders were a safe bet and the model series brought BMW back into the profit zone by 1964. Long live sport - this is how one could translate the message that BMW AG's "New Class" series once carried into the world. From 1961, the model was launched in the upper middle class to bring sporty driving characteristics paired with economy and dynamic design to customers. The Group had previously slipped into the red with its post-war model program. Models such as the Isetta and Co. no longer met the public's taste, the Baroque Angel was just what its name implied, namely baroque, and the BMW 700 was a discontinued model. In short, when Herbert Quandt brought his promise and his money into the company, things were on the brink of collapse and BMW was on the brink of extinction. What was needed was a model that customers would like straight away and that would help the company get out of the trough.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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