BMW 700
(1959 - 1965)
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Germany
BMW 700: All 8 models
Car articles about BMW 700 by year
The BMW 1500 had been hoped for, but the much more compact BMW 700 came along. With this four-seater coupé, BMW completed its already extensive product range in 1959 without blocking the space for a future mid-size sedan. The coupé was well received at the first sighting and people were convinced that the BMW 700 would make its mark. This article reproduces the original wording of the presentation in the magazine 'hobby' and illustrates the report with many contemporary photos.
The BMW 700 finally became what the 600 should have been: a nimble, affordable small car that ensured the company's financial security. It impressed with its sporty talent and good driving performance, but was also quite loud and sensitive to crosswinds. This article reproduces a test report from "Automobil Illustrierte" from 1960 and shows the BMW 700 in historical photos.
In 1960, hobby car editor Heinz Kranz set out to meticulously compare the entry-level car class. Using a sophisticated scoring system and a great deal of meticulousness, he looked at driving performance, appearance, practicality and cost and ranked the small cars. From today's perspective, it is particularly interesting that the Fiat 500 and Citroën 2 CV ended up at the bottom of the table, but were the most successful exponents in this class, as they were built until 1975 or even 1990, when the comparison winners had not been on the production line for at least 10 years. This article reproduces the original article and shows the vehicles compared in historical photos and brochures.
In 1961, BMW built two racing sports cars based on the BMW 700 production car, but with a mid-engine design and a two-cylinder boxer engine refined with king shafts. Despite racing success, the project was shelved in 1964. However, the car is a milestone and technically extraordinarily impressive. This report goes into technical details and the history of the BMW 700 RS, supplemented by many rare photos.
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180 km/h with the new BMW 700 RS
In 1961, BMW surprised everyone with a small sports car with 100 hp per liter of displacement. Based on the successful BMW 700 Coupé, the 700 RS was uncompromisingly designed for performance and racing. The specialist magazine 'hobby' reported on this sports car in 1961. The restored and newly edited photo report is available here.
The BMW 700 is regarded as the savior of the brand. Built between 1959 and 1965, the small rear-engined car stood between the Isetta and the upcoming New Class. With the 700 Sport with 40 hp, a real sporty coupé was offered from 1960, which was also the basis for many motorsport successes. The magazine 'hobby' tested the hot coupé in 1961. This article reproduces the original wording of the test report at the time and shows the car in many pictures and in the sales literature.
Can a single car do so much? Series winner in motor racing, transportation for the whole family, fuel economy champion, savior of an entire automobile company from bankruptcy? The BMW 700, which was presented in 1959, made us forget its indirect predecessor, the BMW 600, and became a sales success with its Italian-inspired exterior, high utility value, low fuel and maintenance costs and sporty performance, saving BMW from imminent bankruptcy. This report describes the exact circumstances, describes the different vehicle variants and gives driving impressions of the past and present. This article is illustrated by a large number of current and historical photos, several original sales brochures, the owner's manual, press releases and price lists.
The BMW 700 combined compact dimensions with the two-cylinder boxer engine that also powered the large full-swing motorcycles from BMW. This combination certainly won over customers, but the manufacturer was not satisfied. The dimensions of the car were at odds with BMW's ambitions, so it had to gain volume. Thus, 1962 saw the birth of the LS, which differed from its base in many details. The car testers of the time described what it took to make the 700 a "real" car. This article reproduces the historical report including many illustrations from the time.
With the 700 LS Luxus, BMW gave the 700 sedan a portion of, how could it be otherwise, luxury. With an extended wheelbase and lots of chrome, it was intended to satisfy 700 buyers who wanted a little more prestige for their car. The magazine 'hobby' tested the enlarged BMW 700 in 1962. This report reproduces the wording of the test at the time and illustrates it with historical images.
Two months after the LS saloon, BMW also launched an extended version of the 700 coupé. Although less sporty than before, the two-door model with the extra-long rear end still impressed with its lively engine and lively handling. If this historical test report is to be believed, nothing showed as clearly as the gearbox that it was nevertheless a compromise.
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All 8 BMW 700 models
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