06 Jul 01
The 700 of 1959 bridged the gap between BMW's now rather embarrassing microcar period of the mid '50s, and its epoch-making 'New Class' saloons of the early '60s. It was a kind of grown-up bubble with big-car styling by Michelotti, featuring a profile not unlike his Triumph Herald of the same period, although rather less fussy. Like the bubblecars, it was powered by one of BMW's flat-twin motorbike engines, bored and stroked to 697 cc and giving 30 bhp. The 600 had pioneered semi-trailing arms and they were used on the 700 too, so here was a rear-engined car with far more predictable handling than any Beetle.
Not that it could generate much urge on 30 bhp and two hard-worked pistons. For that you needed one of the 90 mph, 40 bhp coupe or convertible models, the latter being specially coachbuilt by Baur. Popular in Europe at the time, the 700 models kept BMW's head above water during a difficult period but are near extinct today outside Germany.
