This article is about the BMW 328 sports car of 1937 - 1939. For 3 series BMWs with 2.8 litre engines, see BMW 3 Series.

Manufacturer	Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW)
Production	1936–1940 (464 produced)
Assembly	Eisenach, Germany
Predecessor	BMW 319/1
Class	Sports car
Body style	Roadster
Layout	FR layout
Engine	1,971 cc M328 straight-6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length	3,900 mm (153.5 in)
Width	1,550 mm (61.0 in)
Height	1,400 mm (55.1 in)
Curb weight	830 kg (1,830 lb)
Related	BMW 319/1 (steering and suspension) BMW 326 (brakes, engine block)
Designer(s)	Peter Szymanowski Fritz Fiedler Alfred Böning Alex von Falkenhausen Ernst Loof

The BMW 328 is a sports car made by BMW between 1936 and 1940, with the body design credited to Peter Szymanowski, who became BMW chief of design after World War II (although technically the car was designed by Fritz Fiedler).

Specifications

Specifications
Engine	straight-6 OHV (light alloy cylinder head)
Displacement	1,971 cc (1.971 L; 120.3 cu in) (66 mm (2.6 in) Bore × 96 mm (3.8 in) Stroke)
Compression ratio	7,5 : 1
Fuel feed	3 Solex 30 JF downdraft carburetor
Power	80 PS (59 kW; 79 hp)@5000rpm
Valve train	Pushrod OHV, side cam shaft driven by duplex chain
Fuel capacity	50 L (13 US gal; 11 imp gal) (if needed 100 L (26 US gal; 22 imp gal) possible)
Cooling	Pump (7,5 l water)
Transmission	4-speed
Chassis	Aluminium body and steel ladder frame[2]
Suspension front	swing axle with transverse leaf springs
Suspension rear	live axle with leaf springs
Shock absorbers	Hydraulic shock absorbers
Brakes	280 mm (11 in)-diameter hydraulic drum brakes
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94 in)
Track	1,153 mm (45.4 in)/1,220 mm (48 in)
External dimensions	3,900 mm (150 in) × 1,550 mm (61 in) × 1,400 mm (55 in)
Tires	5.25 or 5.50–16
Unloaded weight	830 kg (1,830 lb)
Top speed:	150 km/h (93 mph)

Awards

In 1999 the BMW 328 was named one of 25 finalists for Car of the Century by a worldwide panel of automotive journalists.

Motorsports

The 328 was introduced at the Eifelrennen race at the Nurburgring in 1936, where Ernst Henne drove it to win the 2.0 litre class. The 328 had more than 100 class wins in 1937, including theRAC Tourist Trophy, the Österreichische Alpenfahrt, and the La Turbie hillclimb. In 1938, the 328 won its class at Le Mans, the RAC Tourist Trophy, the Alpine Rally, and the Mille Miglia.
The 328 won the RAC Rally in 1939 and came in fifth overall and first in class in the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Mille Miglia

1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia

In 1938, BMW 328 became a class winner in Mille Miglia.
In 1940, the Mille Miglia Touring Coupe won the Mille Miglia with an average speed of 166.7 km/h (103.6 mph).
In 2004, the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe became the first car to win both the Mille Miglia (1940) and the modern-day classical version of the race.

Production

After the Second World War, the manufacturing plant in Eisenach where the 328 had been built found itself in the Russian occupation zone, and automobile manufacturing in Eisenach would follow a state directed path until German Reunification in 1989.

Influence in Bristol

One of the Mille Miglia 328s (disguised as a Frazer Nash) and BMW's technical plans for the car were taken from the bombed BMW factory by English representatives from the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Frazer Nash companies. Fiedler, the BMW engineer, was persuaded to come too. Bristol Cars was set up to build complete cars, called Bristols, and would also supply engines to Frazer Nash for all their post-war cars. The first Bristol car, the 400, was heavily based on the BMW plans. This Bristol engine was also a common option in AC cars, before the Cobra.

Gallery

BMW 328 photographed at the Gaisbergrennen, Salzburg, June 2004	1940 BMW 328 „Mille Miglia“, with Adolf Brudes as the driver		Picture of BMW 328 engine
BMW 328, production year 1938		BMW 328 at the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix Nürburgring

Back to BMW

Last updated on 23 July 2013 at 13:44.

Read More »