The BMW Group Classic vehicle collection has been enriched by another unique specimen. This is thanks to the vocational training team at the BMW plant in Dingolfing. In a project lasting several years, the trainees restored a BMW 1600 GT Cabriolet under the guidance of their trainers.
The silver-painted four-seater has a red soft top and, with its unusual history, is a revealing representative of the period in which BMW went from being a niche supplier to a large-scale manufacturer with steadily growing commercial success and international renown.
Restoration object is one of a kind
The classic, which now shines in new splendor, is the only surviving one of two original prototypes that were once designed by the Italian body designer Pietro Frua on behalf of BMW. Both left the factory halls in Dingolfing for the first time in the fall of 1967.
For one of the vehicles, the test drives ended with an accident and subsequent scrapping. The second received a special honor. The BMW 1600 GT Cabriolet was presented to the major shareholder of BMW AG at the time, Herbert Quandt. It remained in the family for many years and later delighted other private owners. A mannequin from Munich let the wind blow through her hair in the open BMW, then the rarity ended up in the hands of a businessman from Fürth before it finally found a new home at the Allianz Center for Technology in Munich.
It was there that the BMW 1600 GT Convertible underwent its first major restoration work to ensure its long-term preservation. When the experts at BMW Group Classic became aware of the one-off from Dingolfing and managed to agree a takeover, the plan to return the BMW 1600 GT Convertible to its original condition, exactly where it had once seen the light of day, was immediately put into action.
At the BMW plant in Dingolfing, the restoration became a project to accompany the training of the next generation of bodywork and vehicle construction mechanics.
Precise reproductions replaced parts that were no longer available
BMW Group Classic supported the project with, among other things, the recently expanded options for procuring original parts. In addition, numerous components that were no longer available were replaced by precise reproductions.
The rebirth of the BMW 1600 GT Convertible in Dingolfing also brings back memories of a particularly exciting chapter in BMW's history. In the year the open-top two-door was created, the company took over the Dingolfing-based vehicle manufacturer Glas. The company had been a successful producer of the Goggomobil since 1955 and had launched the sporty and elegant Glas 1300 GT coupé designed by Frua in 1964 and the more powerful Glas 1700 GT a year later.
In the search for a strong partner, Glas initially agreed a sales partnership with BMW, which ultimately resulted in the Munich-based company taking over the company completely. The compact sports cars then received the rear axle, the seats and the 77 kW/105 hp engine of the BMW 1600 TI, a BMW kidney grille for the front of the vehicle and the round rear lights of the BMW 02 series.
The idea for the convertible originated in America
The idea of adding a convertible to the sporty coupé was born in the USA. At the suggestion of importer Max Hoffmann, a new version of the coupé with a 2.0 liter engine and an open version were developed. As early as October 1967, Frua delivered a convertible body mounted on a reinforced floor assembly, which was painted and fully assembled in Dingolfing. On November 16, the BMW 1600 GT Cabriolet was entered in the plant's production book as completed. However, the plans for series production and export to the USA were not realized.
Only a single example of the Italian-Bavarian convertible was ever registered for public road traffic. Its second completion was recorded in Dingolfing 51 years after the first. This time at the end of its restoration, giving BMW Group Classic another jewel for its collection.
