APRIL 2019 47BMW CLASSICS
fuel tank capacity, the 700 could manage
over 300 miles per tankful, which made it
a practical proposition, too.
Instead of waiting until the Frankfurt
motor show to reveal their latest baby,
the BMW board took the unusual step
of revealing the car to around 100
journalists in June 1959 and, the moment
sales director, Helmut Werner Bönsch,
unveiled the car, the assembled throng of
hacks burst into spontaneous applause.
BMW’s top brass were able to breathe
again – when the 600 had been similarly
exhibited to the press two years earlier, it
had earned a far frostier reception.
Both the 700 coupé and saloon were
presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show,
and received very positive receptions
from the public. The coupé was the more
expensive of the pairing at 5,300DM,
while the less well-equipped saloon was
significantly cheaper at 4,760DM. While
there was obviously a family resemblance
between the two cars, the saloon was
the far more practical model and, despite
weighing slightly more than the coupé
(640kg), the saloon offered virtually
identical performance.GREAT DEMAND
The 700 was a direct competitor to the
VW Beetle and, while the ‘people’s car’
was initially the cheaper offering, there
was no shortage of buyers for BMW’s new
baby. Indeed, as a result of great demand,
customers had to wait several months for
the delivery of their cars, with BMW selling
more than 35,000 examples in 1960. In
fact, the new 700 accounted for some
58% of the company’s overall revenue
that year.
Journalists were impressed with the 700
when they drove it, with Auto Motor und
Sport commenting: “You have the feeling
that you’re sitting in a car with genuine
sporting values, but without the rather harsh
ride and limited space so typical of most
sports cars.” And this was borne out by the
achievements of the 700 in motorsport.With its light weight and an engine that
was amenable to light tweaking, the 700
soon gained a reputation for sporting
success. As early as 1959, the first coupés
had been entered into events such as the
Sahara-Lappland Rally. In 1960, BMW’s
rapid coupés brought home silverware,
most notably in the hands of Hans Stuck
(senior), who clinched the German Hill-
Climb Championship at the wheel of a
700, at the ripe old age of 60. Keen to
capitalise on these sporting achievements,
BMW quickly announced the 700 Sport,
which it launched to the press at the
Nürburgring in the summer of 1961.
The Sport featured a tweaked version of
the 697cc engine, with a 9:1 compression
ratio, a higher-lift cam and twin Solex
carbs. It was good for 40hp, which
represented an impressive a 25% power
hike. Top speed was up to 85mph, while
0-100km/h was achieved in under 20
seconds. There was also an optional sports
gearbox, stiffer suspension and an anti-roll
bar, and all for the princely sum of 550DM
more than the standard coupé.THE ONE TO BEAT!
The 700 Sport quickly became the
machine to beat in the lower-capacity
classes of motorsport, and put up stiff
competition against the class regulars from
Steyr-Puch and Abarth. It was an ideal
machine for young drivers finding their
way in the sport and even the greats like
Hans-Joachim Stuck cut his teeth in a 700
at events at the Nürburgring, when he was
aged just nine!
While the 700 coupé did well in
competition, it was the arrival of the RS
that helped to secure the 700’s legendary
status. It made its debut in 1961, and
boasted a tubular spaceframe and an
aluminium body, with 70hp coming from
the twin-cylinder motor.
With 100 horsepower per litre being
developed from the motorbike unit,
it made light work of punting its sub-
600kg body around. Depending onThe 700 coupé boasts a
top speed of 78mph, and
could accelerate to 60mph
in just under 30 seconds.Of the 190,000
700s built, only
2,592 were
convertibles.The fuel tank
is located under
the luggage
compartment at
the front of the car.
There’s room under the
bonnet for a standard-
sized spare wheel, too.