EMW 327 Classic Cars for Sale

The EMW 327 is a post-war model of the BMW 327 that was rebranded to identify those vehicles that had been produced by an occupying Soviet force, rather than at the instruction of BMW’s Munich head office. Rather than a blue and white badge to signify a Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) product, the post-1945 models featured a red and white badge to identify them as Eisenacher Motoren Werke (EMW 327) vehicles. Apart from the badge, the EMW 327 was technically indistinguishable from the BMW 327.

The history of the EMW 327

The original 327 cabriolet was produced in 1937 by BMW. In 1938 a fixed head convertible model was added to the catalogue, featuring a shorter, lower body style, but sharing the traditional grille and form. Both models boasted BMW’s straight-6 engine, hydraulic brake system, and front suspension configuration from the earlier 326 model. Touting a top speed of up to 78mph (125km/h), there were over 1,400 BMW 327s built between 1937 and 1941. Although the actual production data has been lost, it is estimated that, between 1946 and 1951, 505 models of the BMW 327 and EMW 327 were produced, but it is not known how many of these were specifically badged as EMW 327s. What is known, however, is that of those 327s that have survived in the hands of collectors, the majority are identifiable as post-war EMW 327 models.

The influence of wartime on EMW 327 production

Before the start of the Second World War, BWM’s main manufacturing hub was based in Eisenach, an industrial town in the west of Thuringia. After the war, the town was classified as a Soviet occupation zone, close to the 866 mile (1,393km) inner border that identified the geographic division of the former Nazi Germany between Western control and Soviet rule. The factory had suffered damage during the conflict, but was still operational, so production of the 327 resumed, but this time under the management of the Soviets. When it became clear that the Eisenach factory would not be returned to BMW, a legal battle over assets and brand rights resulted in an agreement to rename the BMW 327 as EMW 327 to differentiate between the pre-war BMW-produced models and the post-war Soviet-produced vehicles.