March 28, 2010

BMW 326, 327 and 328

A little history

Business is naturally bad when you’re an aircraft engines manufacturer but are barred to build aircraft engines. After World War One, the victorious Allies virtually forbid any activity to the then powerful aeronautical industry of Germany. Though some restrictions would be later eased, companies which specialized in engines had to recycle themselves into other peaceful activities. Being a firm focused on mechanical construction, BMW intended to not venture into unknown territory. In 1921, the Bavarian company started producing a portable boxer engine for industrial use. During the following year, it took over BFW, an aircraft manufacturer equally affected by the Versailles peace treaty’s clauses. BFW had tried, without much success, to convert itself to the production of motorcycles under the names Helios and Flink. Despite their deficiencies, BMW retained the vehicles’ construction, gathering valuable experience and, in 1923, introduced its own design, the R32 fitted with a boxer engine and a shaft drive transmission replacing the traditional chain, a trademark of all subsequent BMW motorcycles. By 1928 BMW had already made itself widely known for the quality of its motorcycles. The next logical step would be to build four-wheel vehicles.

As it had been the case with motorcycles, BMW didn’t create its own outright automobile design from the start. In late 1928, it purchased the Eisenach company - known for the production of the Dixi car - from Gotha, a rolling stock manufacturer which is nonetheless better known for its giant bombers attacking London during World War One. Once again, the transaction occurred among the narrow circle of former aeronautical companies of the vanquished German empire.

Though it had once produced its own designs, Eisenach was reduced since 1927 to build an Austin Seven under licence. As it had done after the BFW takeover, BMW kept the car in production as the BMW-Dixi 3/15. This popular automobile was a deceptive omen for things to come though, even if BMW gave a glimpse of its own future by adding a sporting derivative of the Dixi, the 3/15 Wartburg, in 1930. In 1932, the manufacturer felt sufficiently confident to introduce its first design, the 3/20. As early as 1936, when the 326 was introduced, BMW was known as the producer of mid-range automobiles, performing well, rather expensive but extremely well-built.

The German public had its first look at the 326 model at the Berlin motor show in early 1936. This was BMW’s first four-door saloon, and with a 2-litre straight six engine, the company’s largest car to date. Performances were very interesting, thanks to two carburettors allowing a 50 bhp output. In 1937, a more potent 327 version was introduced. Only available as a two-door coupe or convertible, the 327 sat on a shorter chassis and enjoyed a more streamlined body, enough to bring the car to 125 kph with only 55 bhp. For those who wanted yet more action – and for most of them, those who wanted to race – BMW presented the 328 in April 1938. Output hopped forward to no less than 80 bhp, enabling a 150 kph top speed. The 328 was indeed a head-turner back then, and has become a classic since then.

Production of all BMW cars continued until 1941, when all German companies were asked to concentrate themselves on the war production. This didn’t help though and, as everybody knows, the Reich crumbled a second time in 1945.

For BMW, the situation was even worse after World War Two than it had been one conflict earlier. Production was restarted in Munich, the company re-centering its activities to Bavaria for the main Eisenach plant in Thuringia had felt into Soviet hands. Utter confusion arose when it appeared that the Russians too had put the prewar BMW models back into production. Years of legal struggle followed, the Western half of BMW refusing to see lower-quality Eastern cars being exported under the same name, at the risk of destroying its reputation. The dispute was settled in 1952 when the East Germany company changed its name to EMW.

BMW produced its 326 range until the introduction of a brand-new 501, in October 1952. On the other side of the border, BMW/EMW replaced its prewar saloon by an updated 340 as early as 1948, but kept it longer in production, the last of these relics leaving the Eisenach factory as late as 1955 before being succeeded by the first Wartburg car. Interestingly, the 327 also remained in production until 1955. Quite a paradox for this iconic sportscar of the Thirties to end up being constructed in a communist country!

About the model

Model: BMW 327
Year: 1941
Maker: Detail Cars
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Detail Cars
Acquired: brand new, in June 2005, in Manila, Philippines

This model is certainly one of the most tasteful ever produced by the defunct Italian die-cast maker Detail Cars. It is beautifully crafted and nicely assembled (quality of workmanship is often a problem with Detail Cars models): 15/20.

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March 21, 2010

Reynard 2KQ

Today something totally different from the last featured car.

A little history

Once a major name in open-wheeler racing, Reynard’s fame was still untarnished by the late Nineties, after a quarter of a century in activities. Nevertheless huge amount of money had been lost in hazardous projects, notably two forays into Formula One: an aborted one under its own name a few years before, and a disappointing association with the new BAR team. Though all-dominant across the Atlantic in Indy-type series, Reynard had been eliminated from the Formula Three scenery, once its domaine reservé. That’s the time Reynard chose to enter the sportscar’s scene. Having no experience whatsoever in this field the British company started in 1999 by buying Riley & Scott, which was running prototypes at that time. Alas the purchase came at a high price and the knowledge of the American company proved too limited to challenge the ruling Audis – that the abysmal Cadillac spyder was in fact a Riley & Scott chassis says it all. The first Reynard prototype, the 2KQ model from 2001, was a failure. Facing serious financial problems, Reynard declared bankruptcy in early 2002. Ironically, after Reynard’s demise the original 2KQ design and the more evolved 02S were adopted and further developed by several teams, most notably Zytek, which made its own cars fairly competitive during the following seasons.

About the model

Model: Reynard 2KQ-LM - Volkswagen
Year: 2001
Event: 2001 Le Mans 24 Hours, driven by Jordi Gené, Jean-Denis Deletraz and Pascal Fabre (finished 5th overall)
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.35 of its Les Plus Belles Voitures des 24 Heures du Mans press series
Acquired: brand new, in February 2005, in Souillac, France

Not my favourite model but it’s true that it isn’t the period I like the most either, so I’m probably biased. My rating is 12/20.

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March 17, 2010

Biscuter 100 and 200

You probably missed this detail, but today is this blog’s first anniversary. I’ll celebrate by, well, no more than resuming its writing, after a very long break… New posts will follow every other day, no longer on a daily basis as this solution proved extremely time-consuming, and even stressing as I had to respect a deadline every evening.

Another reason for giving up this daily rate of output is the fact that I would soon run out of pictures to post. I need acceptable shots of all the various die-casts of a single car in order to prepare a new post, but lack yet pictures of most my 1/18, 1/72 and 1/87. I tackled the boring toil some months ago, only to lose several thousands of freshly-taken pictures when the hard drive of my laptop irremediably broke down. Obviously, I’m not in a hurry to do it all over again, so for the meantime I’ll have to do with what I have on hand.

Nonetheless, here is something for you all, though I shall admit more specifically aimed at those among you from across the Pyrenees. And by the way, welcome to all those who decided to follow this blog during these five months of inactivity, only to find that it was then in a state of deep coma…

A little history

Though he stopped designing aircraft following World War One, and abandoned automobile construction after going bankrupt in 1937, Gabriel Voisin never granted his prolific mind a rest until he died in 1973. After World War Two, recognizing the need for a minimal car, he introduced his C31 “Biscooter” prototype during the 1949 Paris motor show, an open four-wheeler fitted with a 200 cc Gnôme & Rhône engine. Alas, despite further development, this car would be no match for the new Citroën 2CV, as simplistic as the Voisin was, but a real automobile indeed…

This could have been the last we ever heard of Gabriel Voisin’s final automobile. Nonetheless some in Spain saw a true potential in it. The country’s relative isolation and its then-low level of development made the Biscooter an ideal car for the masses. By 1953, construction of the little car, which name had been hispanicized into “Biscuter”, started in San Adrián del Besós near Barcelona in the facilities of a newcomer, Autonacional. The powerplant initially considered had given way to a mono-cylinder Villiers of similar displacement, built under license by Hispano. With 9 hp, high performances were out of the question, but still adequate given the low weight of the car - only 240 kilograms thanks to the extensive use of aluminium. At any rate, economy was all what mattered. One drawback of the Biscuter was the absence of a reverse gear, forgotten by an all-too-simplified gearbox.

Despite its limitations the Biscuter soon became a common sight on Spanish roads, mainly due to the absence of any competitor. As most iconic automobiles, the Biscuter, rapidly nicknamed the “little shoe” (zapatilla) became equally loved and loathed. A modified transmission soon offered a reverse gear (actually, three reverse gears, no less) and new versions enlarged Autonacional’s offer: an estate in 1955, and an elegant convertible in 1957. Though much different in size and standing, the latter offered a strong similarity with the exclusive Pegaso, particularly from up front, which did not escape the eyes of the Spanish motorists who soon dubbed it the “Pegasin”.

Built by the thousand, the days of the Biscuter would nevertheless rapidly come to an end. After the uncertainty of the years immediately following the war, the standard of living was rapidly increasing in Spain, putting the cheapest Seats within reach of a growing share of the population, particularly after the release of the 600 model, in 1957. The Biscuter lingered for some more time before retiring in 1960 when its very reason to be had evaporated. Its total production is estimated from 10 to 12,000, most of the simple “zapatilla” design.

About the model

Model: Biscuter 100
Year: 1954
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.77 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in April 2007, in Souillac, France

You probably already read some of my previous comments about how Altaya shamelessly extended its series about Fifties to Seventies French cars by throwing in some odd models which have not much to do with the subject. What to say about the Biscuter, a car exclusively built for its native Spain? Yet for a collector who likes originality this model has plenty to offer. It is rather well done, though its Andorran plates seem rather out of proportions. My rating is 12/20.

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