Chassis #: 85406

80 bhp, 1,971 cc overhead valve six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with transverse leaf spring, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 94.5"

- Highly original example of one of BMW’s most desirable and sporting models
- Formerly part of the Simeone Foundation Museum collection in Philadelphia
- One of only 462 built through 1939

The Berlin Auto Show in 1936 was a pivotal event in BMW’s development, as it heralded the introduction of the 326, the company’s first four-door sedan, powered by a 50 bhp, 1,971 cc engine, capable of 72 mph. More streamlined than earlier BMWs, its styling would set the pattern for the marque until World War II and begat several variations that overshadowed the parent model – the 320, a cheaper four-cylinder car, and the 327, a short chassis, two-seat coupe or convertible.

However, it was the sporting 328 that made the biggest news. The 328 had the same 1,971 cylinder block but a new cross-flow head with hemispherical combustion chambers and used short horizontal pushrods to operate opposed exhaust valves from the single camshaft. This gave twin-cam performance with less complexity and lower cost. A twin-tube chassis was used, topped with a two-seat sporting body. Top speed of the standard model was 96 mph, but the renowned British driver S.C.H. “Sammy” Davis clocked 102.16 at Brooklands in a lightweight prototype. Higher compression and ported heads gave even better performance. A streamlined 328 won the two-liter class at Le Mans in 1939, and the same car, part of a five-car team, won 1940s Mille Miglia outright. Just 462 were built through 1939, against nearly 16,000 of the “bread and butter” 326 cars.

According to information provided by BMW historian Rainer Simons, this BMW 328, chassis 85406, was delivered new on May 12, 1939 to the BMW dealership of Helm Glöckler in Frankfurt. Helm’s BMW business was originally a Dixi dealership which also began selling BMWs once Bayerishe Motoren Werke acquired the Dixi marque. Porsche enthusiasts will of course recognize the family name from his cousin Walter Glöckler, the man responsible for the famous mid-engined Glöckler-Porsche specials that ultimately inspired the creation of Porsche’s own 550 sports racers. Walter was also a successful car dealer in his own right and, in addition to dealing in BMWs, also sold Volkswagens and Porsches over the course of his career.

Delivered new to Helm Glöckler’s dealership, 85406 would then have been sold to its first private owner, finished in green from the factory. Later in its life it was owned by one Peter Dennis of Canada who, according to documentation and a registration sticker affixed to the windshield, kept the car in Nova Scotia. Mr. Dennis was the Canadian distributor for Lada cars during this time but also had a keen interest in BMWs. He ultimately sold the car in the 1970s to noted Philadelphia collector Dr. Fred Simeone, who added it to his growing collection of extraordinarily original collector cars, with a particular emphasis on racing cars.

Dr. Simeone believes the car was restored in Canada during the 1960s, prior to his acquisition. In his collection, the car was maintained in its original condition with minor upgrades – certain smaller elements, like the steering wheel, were not original and were therefore replaced. It was always kept in indoor storage, and Dr. Simeone reported no mechanical trouble with the car over the course of his ownership.

Following his opening of the Simeone Foundation Museum in Philadelphia, the car was housed in his climate-controlled museum building and, like all other cars in the collection, was regularly exercised on the building’s private lot and maintained by dedicated staff. As one of the earliest cars he acquired, it was witness to the growth of the Simeone collection into one of this country’s finest, sitting alongside such vaunted company as a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, Aston Martin DBR1, C-Type and D-Type Jaguars and an Alfa Romeo 8C, to name but a few extraordinary automobiles.

Over the course of its life, the car has been refinished in white and the upholstery was redone, but otherwise the car is extremely original down to the chassis. Mr. Simeone reports, however, that the engine is not original to the car and comes from a BMW 326 (year 1937) that was mated to a 328 cylinder head but retains the original Solex IF30 carburetors.

BMW 328s are very desirable collector cars but rarely change hands at auction. They are terrific event cars, from hillclimbs to rallyes, and are supported by a vast network of enthusiast owners alongside dedicated historians. This particular example has been maintained in superb original condition with the added sporting effect of the BMW-appropriate white finish. For enthusiasts of German sporting machinery and BMWs in particular, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Please note that this car is actually titled as a 1938.