Mille Miglia eligible
1937 BMW 328 Cabriolet

• Iconic 1930s sports car
• One of only 464 made
• Believed one of only 10 with this elegant Wendler coachwork
• Offered with German Historic registration documents

BMW's emergence as a manufacturer of fine sporting motor cars can be traced back to the annual Eifelrennen event held at the Nürburgring on 14th June 1936, when Ernst Henne beat a field that included 1½-litre monoposto racing cars driving the prototype of what would become one of the most iconic sports cars of all time: the legendary '328'. The fact that this overwhelming victory had been achieved only eight years after BMW's establishment as an automobile manufacturer is all the more remarkable.

Lacking the resources of larger and longer established rivals, BMW had adopted an evolutionary, 'mix and match' approach to model development. Thus the 328 employed the tubular chassis, transverse-leaf independent front suspension and live rear axle of the 319; the cylinder block and hydraulic brakes of the 326; and a body incorporating stylistic elements of the 319/1 Sport and 329. With the 328, BMW's Chief Engineer Fritz Fiedler turned the conventional chassis design on its head, coming up with a frame that combined lightness and stiffness in equal measure - virtues that permitted the use of relatively soft springing with all its attendant advantages. In short: the 328 was the first truly modern sports car.

The 328's 1,971cc six-cylinder engine featured an ingenious new cylinder head, designed by Rudolf Schleicher, which incorporated hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves without recourse to overhead camshafts. Instead, the Type 326 engine's single, block-mounted camshaft and pushrod valve actuation were retained, thus avoiding an expensive redesign. Two rocker shafts were employed, one situated above each bank of valves, giving the engine an external appearance almost indistinguishable from that of a twin-overhead-cam design. Down-draught inlet ports contributed to the motor's deep breathing, and its tune-ability made it a popular choice for British racing car constructors, most notably Cooper, during the 1950s. The 328 engine produced 80bhp, an exemplary output for a normally aspirated 2.0-litre unit at that time, with more available in race trim.

The two door-less prototypes and the first batch of cars were lightweight racers with aluminium coachwork and were intended to establish the 328's competition credentials before production proper got underway. Available from the late summer of 1936, the production 328s featured doors and a convertible hood, and were well equipped and very comfortable in the manner of the best Grandes Routières. On the racetrack the 328 reigned supreme, winning its class at the Mille Miglia, Le Mans, Spa 24 Hours, and Britain's Tourist Trophy. In 1940 an example fitted with special aerodynamic bodywork won the Mille Miglia outright.

The most advanced sports car of its day, the 328 remained competitive for years after WW2, a state of affairs that only served to further enhance its reputation, which was out of all proportion to the limited number produced. Between 1936 and 1939 only 464 BMW 328s were made, of which some 300 are estimated to exist today.

A beautiful example of the legendary BMW 328, this car carries elegant cabriolet coachwork by Wendler and is believed to be one of only 10 such models ever built. An older restoration, the BMW is harmoniously finished in two-tone light green over dark green with a dark green leather interior and features rear wheel spats and a beige hood. The colour combination is most likely original, as depicted by a period black-and-white photograph showing the same contrasts.

Offered with German Historic registration documents, the car formed part of a collection in Denmark before being purchased for a large collection in Germany in 1999.

Generally regarded as one of the very few pre-war models that drives like a post-war car, the legendary BMW 328 is eligible for all the most important Historic events including the Mille Miglia, Nürburgring Oldtimer GP, and Le Mans Classic.