Page 28 - bmw

BMW’s fascination with high-quality cars,
long demonstrated in the luxury category,
now focused on the BMW 1500, the new
“middle-class” car. A mature design langua-
ge and attractive details contributed to the
car’s success as much as its all-new engine,
which propelled it to a blistering speed for
the time of 150 km/h.

BMW 1500 “In the history of automobile production cornering ability, roadholding and brak- however, has an obligation to be ahead
ing ability. But they were in a price band
of its time.” … Thus ran an excerpt from
there can be few models that have been
the subject of such exhaustive discus-
bution right from the start.
tation of the new BMW 1500 at the
sion in public prior to their launch as the that imposed a clear limit on their distri- the press kit accompanying the presen-
The New Class. new middle-class car by BMW. The desire so often and emphatical- 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show.
In its car designs, BMW had tradi- ly conveyed to the company to see a car Indeed, a great deal of time had
tionally struck a very individual note that in the medium displacement class elapsed since the mid-1950s when
BMW’s pride in its all-new 1500 model, unveiled in 1961, could not be dis- combined dynamic driving with the endowed with such BMW credentials BMW had realized the urgent need for a
guised. Indeed, BMW really did set new benchmarks with this medium-range refinement of true motoring comfort, tallied with the task the engineers had modern medium-range car and
car. It was a model that made the image of BMW’s large luxury models affor- and matched timeless elegance – one set themselves following the launch of launched initial development work. At
dable for new customer groups from the middle classes. With the 1500, BMW need mention only the unforgettable their eight-cylinder model. And so the the time, however, the company was in
tapped into a completely new market segment with tremendous sales poten- BMW 327 – with exceptional driving BMW 1500 looked back on a lengthy no financial position to carry through a
tial. This was also the model that finally enabled the company to make its safety. The large BMW eight-cylinders development phase during which its project for the creation of an all-new
name as an internationally renowned carmanufacturer. Its successful concept once again proved and cemented this design, naturally enough, was continual- mid-range car. Only when the Quandt
was perpetuated with a range of engine variants before being replaced by the high standard in terms of top speed, ly being adapted to ongoing technical family interceded in 1959 did the com-
first 5 Series in 1972. acceleration, tracking stability, secure advances. “A car in the BMW tradition, pany’s situation change.

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