Germany built its fair share of micro cars, some being odd, and not as practical as this BMW 700 Saloon. Featuring simplistic styling, a good use of space, and a rear engine layout, this Bavarian is a grand microcar. Appearing very original with a running engine, this BMW is currently bid up to $2,000 with the reserve unmet. Find it here on ebay out of Woodbridge, New Jersey.
Looking inside of this micro car reveals a not so micro interior. Perhaps not the prettiest, but this interior appears mostly complete minus the missing rear seat. The door panels and floor look rough, having various discoloration, and dirt. The dash, and steering wheel look fair, although covered in dust. There are a few derelict wires hanging from the dash near the steering column. Cushy and un-ripped, the seats look comfortable like an old broken in leather recliner. Unfortunately there are no detailed photos of the interesting rear mounted 2 cylinder engine. “Running yesterday” are the inspiring words of confidence the seller has used to indicate that this BMW runs.
Thankfully this rare micro car looks to have spent a lot of time stored in dry conditions. The paint is likely original, and as it is old, and dry. I assume the primer was used to stop the spread of surface rust, but to me, this old paint looks like it would buff up nicely. Depending on the condition of primered areas, I would consider wet sanding the primer off to have an original paint finish, although it appears there may be some filler on the front of the hood. There is no visible rust or rot on this 700, and the body looks excellent. The bumpers have some mild rust that would likely polish up well enough, otherwise, this micro car looks to be a nice specimen. Micro cars are a blast to drive as you can drive them wide open throttle in the middle of traffic and no one is the wiser. I can only imagine the looks this BMW would receive while driving, and at car events. Figure out the paint and body, refurbish the mechanicals and enjoy this rare BMW. Would you take on this rare micro project?
Any resemblance to this and a modern BMW is strictly coincidental. I’m always amazed at how these big car makers started out, and what they’ve become. Clearly, in the 60’s, these, and most other small foreign cars, were not designed for our roads. They are even more out of place today. For puttin’ around town, be great. Here’s the,,, ( snicker) motor. http://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/1960_BMW_700_Sport_Coupe_For_Sale_Engine_1.jpg
i think i had a motor like that on my .o49 p-51 mustang model airplane when i was a kid.
for comparison look at the current 750+ hp hellcat.
These motors were used in formula 4 and availability was almost zero in the sixties when it was an active class. I cannot imagine how hard it would be to find parts now.
I see fins under the shrouding, making me think it’s probably a slightly modified /2 bike motor. If that’s the case, engine parts would be the least of your worries, by a lot. There’s a very big community for almost all eras of BMW cycles and a lot of parts are easier to get than they were when the bikes were in production.
The engine is based on the BMW R 67 from the early 1950s. The engine was first adapted for the BMW 600.
For those totally unaware of history, we bombed Germany into oblivion in World War II and it took awhile for them to recover. After the war micro cars were what people could afford and what German companies had the resources to build.
The BMW 700 saved the company. They were almost out of business when they introduced the 700. BMW was only able to sell a few hundred of each model of it’s post war luxury cars, like the 3200S but sold thousands of these 700s.By 1965, Germans could afford larger cars. The 1500s and the 2000s introduced in the mid sixties were a huge success and led to the BMW we know and love today.
David beat me to some of the points in his comment, which are spot on. I’ll only add a few more.
The Allies bombed BMW…altho not quite into oblivion, since the idea of the BMW company survived WW2, maybe because BMW made some of the best airplane engines ever built up to then, and therefore had a reason to rebuild.
The BMW 600 and 700 models were made in various models, including the tiny 700 Sport, and even the 700 RS, an all-out racing version. Hans Stuck Sr raced these all over Europe and won his class at lots of major races including at Hockenheim, Monza, and the Nurburgring. Stuck was German Hillclinb Champion in one. The 700 could be transformed into a giant killer, and even beat that other giant killer Abarth at times. BMW made over 188,000 700s.
What amazes me about this, is that both sides of the Berlin Wall managed to produce cars that looked like they were designed by the same person. The similarity in style between this and the Trabant is astounding.
As for the claim that the seller had the engine running yesterday, while I have no reason to doubt them, all I can hear in my head at the moment is The Beatles: “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they’re here to stay.”
The 700 was BMW’s salvation as others have remarked above. It was a very good little car. Regarding its styling, I believe that was done by Michelotti which is why the car bears a vague resemblance to the Triumph Herald but is much more clean and refined in my opinion. It also shares some styling cues with the VW Type 2 but once again carries everything off with more sophistication. With its clean modernist lines and sporting performance and handling, it really is the precursor to the cars that later made BMW famous. Historically, it is a very important BMW.
I got one as part of a package deal last year, it sold on ebay and the buyer flacked so I planned to put it on again in the Spring. One factoid, the Cunningham used the same door handles, so the guy I got this BMW from bought it just for the door handles, to go on his Cunningham. Jay Leno has the Cunningham now, should I ask for my door handles back?
Yes, Micholetti designed this car and is an important design, the beginning of the big window, clean lined shapes developed in the neue klasse and 02 cars, which made the companies fortunes. Whoever wrote “simplistic styling” needs a new dictionary…..
Spares are not a problem on the internet, but values are not high, so buy a good one
Another “memory” car. I was stationed in Bavaria, Northern Franconia, actually, just over 20 years after the war in Europe was over. Saw these and every other German “micro” car that’s been on BF. And, yes, the front-end does look a lot like the VW Squareback I used to haul my first Great Dane around in while in University. If you’ve ever driven a BMW horizontally opposed twin bike, you know how smooth these would be. I actually “lusted” after the BMW Bavarian State Police car. V8, looked like a “shrunk down” ’36 Ford sedan. Very, very fast as a chase car. Never found one for sale & then the Army banned us from owning more than one vehicle…running or not. Sad face. So, I spent my extra “Marks” on going to F1 and GT races…