Rare convertibles from the early seventies by BMW and Audi
In the early seventies, convertibles from the major manufacturers were in short supply. So small coachbuilders, such as Karosseriewerk Deutsch in Cologne, stepped into the breach. In small series production, Audi 100 saloons and the BMW 2800 CS were converted into elegant convertibles.
While the Audi had a choice of engines from 80 to 100 hp, the BMW used the standard drive of the series version. The Audi coupé cost DM 4000 more than the saloon, while the finished BMW cost DM 30,000, depending on the exhibition. Even an automatic soft top was considered.
However, not too many examples were produced. In addition to Deutsch, the companies Karmann and Crayford also cut up Audi saloons and converted them into convertibles, but only Crayford achieved significant numbers of around a dozen. Today, surviving BMW 2800 CS or Audi 100 Cabriolets are almost as rare to find as a "blue Mauritius", but the "official" conversions were probably joined over time by open-top examples built on private initiative.
