In the automotive industry, few visual elements are as associated with a brand as the “double kidney” grill is linked to BMW. However, not all models bearing the Bavarian brand symbol had it. The BMW-Glas 3000 V8 is proof of that.
BMW-Glas? Yes that's right. In 1966 BMW bought the manufacturer Hans Glas (better known just as Glas), absorbing, in the process, its entire range of models. Most models were discontinued, but there were some that would eventually be sold with the BMW symbol.
One of them was precisely the BMW-Glas 3000 V8 which, between 1967 and 1968, saw only 389 units produced by the Bavarian brand. It would eventually go down in history as one of the few models to bear the BMW logo without counting the, already at the time, traditional grille that characterizes the German manufacturer.
BMW… only in name
As you would expect, being a model designed by Glas, the V8 that this BMW-Glas 3000 V8 uses was developed by the extinct German brand.
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With a capacity of 3.0 l, this eight-cylinder V-cylinder featured triple Solex carburetors and twin overhead camshafts. In total it debited 160 hp that were sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox.
the copy for sale
Auctioned on the Bring a Trailer website, this BMW-Glas 3000 V8 has 83,246 km covered. As for his history, despite being currently in the US, he will have spent part of his “life” in a museum in Germany.
Purchased by the current owner in September 2020, this rare BMW has since undergone an overhaul that has extended from the braking system to the tuning of the carburetors.
In immaculate condition, this copy has period extras like the Becker Grand Prix radio. Still inside, the paraphernalia of instruments stand out, including indicators of oil temperature and pressure or water temperature.
At the time of publication of this article, the highest bid value is US$63,000 (about €52 thousand), and, as we can see after a search on the Bring a Trailer website, this value is less than US$75,000 ( close to 62 thousand euros) established as reserve value.