1967 BMW 2000

BMW was close to bankruptcy in the 1950s but saved in the mid-1950s by a tiny 'bubble car' known as the Isetta that was built between 1955 and 1962. With over 161,700 examples sold, they were, at one time, the best-selling single-cylinder-engined car in the world. Its popularity filled a void in post-war mainland Europe where buyers were seeking minimalistic and affordable transportation.

BMW underwent a renaissance period with the introduction of the 1961 BMW 1500, the first of what the company termed the 'New Class' line conceived by Wilhelm Hofmeister, head of BMW's body development arm. The New Class sedans were popular and led to a series of personal coupes, the first of which was the Hofmeister-designed 2000C and its higher-specification counterpart, the 2000CS. The 200C was equipped with the M10 inline-4 with a single Solex side draft carburetor offering 100 horsepower and backed by either a four-speed manual or ZF 3-speed automatic transmission. The 200CS came with twin Solex carburetors, produced 120 hp, and backed by a four-speed manual only with a tall rear axle ratio.

The BMW 2000C and CS established the template for the luxurious 6-cylinder coupes that would follow, both in its styling and engineering. Wearing coachwork by Karmann in Osnabrück, the 2000 Coupes wore the high wraparound beltline and thin-pillared open greenhouse design first used in the 1500 sedan, plus the 'Hofmeister Kick' C-pillar treatment with the BMW roundel that would become synonymous with BMW's performance coupes. It wore a completely new front end to its 2000C/CS coupe sibling, with faired headlights and vertical 'dual kidney' front grilles. The new sedan was powered by the same 1990cc engine, rated at 100 bhp. Pricing for the sedan began at (USD)$3,780 and rose to just under (USD)$3900 for the 2000ti edition. The 2+2 2000C and 2000CS coupe sold for nearly $5,000.

The 2000ti and 2000tilux editions were powered by the same engine found in the 2000CS and were fitted with only the manual gearbox. A three-speed ZF automatic was available on the models.

During the total production of the BMW Model 2000C Coupes, there were 2,837 examples created. A further 8,883 examples of the 2000CS were built. 17,440 Model 2000ti/tilux sedan were produced during the full production run.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2011