BMW 3200 Classic Cars for Sale

The BMW 3200 CS Coupé was a sports touring car, designed by Bertone and manufactured by BMW between January 1962 and September 1965. It was first introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1961, and marked the end of an era for BMW's postwar luxury car manufacturing.

The history of the BMW 3200 Coupé

The BMW 3200 CS Coupé was developed with Italian company Gruppo Bertone, and was a 4 speed manual rear wheel drive car. It was designed as a postwar luxury vehicle, and was the final model developed subsequent to the 501 model which was introduced in 1951. Some sources say 583 BMW 3200's were built, whereas others contend 603 were produced. Bertone additionally built one convertible of the BMW 3200 model.

The concept and design of the BMW 3200 CS Coupé

The initial idea behind what became the BMW 3200 was as a result of BMW's then marketing manager, Helmut Werner Bonsch, finding out that the body for the Lancia Flaminia Coupé would fit on the chassis of the existing BMW 3200L sedan. However, BMW's management team rejected Bonsch's proposal, and ordered chief engineer Fritz Fiedler to design and build what was to eventually become the BMW 3200 CS Coupé. The car had a 3,168 cc (193.3 cu in), twin-carburetor version of the BMW OHV V8 engine, and this delivered 160 horsepower (120 kW). The top speed of the BMW 3200 was 200 km/h, or 124 mph. The car used the same engine as the earlier 502 sedan model.

The reception and opinion of the BMW 3200 CS Coupé

The BMW 3200 was introduced at the same time as the BMW 1500, at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1961. It was largely considered as one of the better coupés produced by BMW at the time of its production during the early 1960s.

The legacy of the BMW 3200 CS Coupé

The BMW 3200 CS Coupé marked the end of an era for BMW from a technical viewpoint, as it was the last of the company's early postwar luxury cars. It was the last BMW car to have a perimeter frame, pushrod-operated engine valves and a solid rear axle. However, it was a predecessor to, and a clear indication of, the direction BMW decided to go from a style perspective. It became a template, or model, for BMW's subsequent coupé vehicles, and the car's successor was the BMW New Class coupé, as well as the E9 "New Six" coupés. From a design point of view, the thin pillars of the BMW 3200, its low beltline, and tall greenhouse were an outline for these future models.