1968 BMW Glas 3000 V8

Chassis No. 602001737

The BMW Glas 3000 V8 is one of the rarest and most exclusive vehicles from German production. Founded as Hans Glas GmbH was founded in 1883 as an agricultural machinery factory the company was quite successful. With the post-World War II demand for agricultural machinery declining in the 1940s, the company then concentrated on the production of motor scooters. When customers were looking for a more comfortable alternative due to increasing prosperity, Glas launched the enormously successful, world-famous Goggomobil with over 270,000 vehicles sold. With buyers looking for greater comfort, Glas expanded its product range to include a sporty saloon in the form of the 1700, which was then supplemented by a coupé in the form of the 1300 GT and 1700 GT first debuting in September 1963.

Even though the Glas company was still relatively small compared to the competition, the idea of being profitable as a manufacturer of premium vehicles was appealing. Even with smaller production quantities, this goal took time to come to fruition with the decision to develop an exclusive eight-cylinder coupé progressing in 1964. Based on the cylinder heads of the 1300 four-cylinder engine, a modern 2600 cc V8 engine was developed. The Glas V8 had cylinder heads made of light metal, hemispherical combustion chambers, and a five-bearing crankshaft. Initially producing 150 hp it was one of the first engines to have a camshaft driven by a toothed belt.

The body was designed by the Italian designer Pietro Frua, with whom Boge had already worked for the 1700 and the GT. As Pietro Frua had also designed numerous bodies for Maserati, there are some similarities. This is how the car got its nickname “Glaserati”, given to it by none other than the renowned car journalist Fritz B. Busch. The chassis was also based on the 1700 GT's, with a modern independent suspension at the front and a DeDion rear axle in contrast to the smaller models. A special feature of the Glas V8 were the Hydromat suspension struts developed by Boge for Daimler-Benz and Glas. Here, the suspension strut and shock absorber are integrated into one component.

The new big Glas was launched in 1965 at the IAA in Frankfurt as the Glas 2600 V8. The press response was very positive, stating that it was a “pike in the carp pond” and “the big rocket from Dingolfing”. Due to the high purchase price of 18,000 DM and its position as a luxury sports car alone, the number of units remained low with just 300 Glass 2600 V8s produced. The enormously high development costs of the new models and the first economic crisis in 1966 led Glas to decide that they needed a strong partner, which they found in BMW. BMW took over the Glas company for 9.1 million DM on 10 November 1966.

The 2600 V8 model was further developed under Glas' direction into the 3000 V8 with a 3.0-liter engine and an output of 160 hp. BMW then brought the Glas 3000 V8 into their own model range and sold the exclusive coupé as a BMW. With the discontinuation of the 3200 CS, still based on the old BMW V8, it meant that there was no longer a high-performance luxury coupé of its own on offer. However, the price was now significantly higher than before with the 3000 V8 cost 23,848 DM. While the 2.6-liter V8 could still be ordered, it was only marginally cheaper, and hardly anyone opted for this option. Only 418 of the BMW Glas 3000 V8 were built and many found prominent buyers such as German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer.

The example was delivered to the dealer Mumenthaler in Marburg on 8 September 1968. The original color was Chamonix-White with first registration was on 9 April 1969. In 1988, this Glas 3000 V8 was bought by a real fan of the Glas brand from Homberg / Ohm, who restored it extensively from 1990 onwards. He dismantled the car as far as possible, had the bodywork stripped, repaired, primed, and repainted in BMW Stratos blue metallic. In addition, the car received a cavity sealant. All chrome parts were re-chromed and the stainless steel parts (such as the bumpers) were polished. The engine was partially disassembled, cleaned, and the valves were reworked. The chassis was also overhauled. The interior was reupholstered and the headliner and boot were relined.

An active participant with the Glas Club, he took part in the Concours d'Elegance in Schwetzingen with his V8 and it featured on the cover of the Glas Club magazine in 2004. In 2006, he sold the car through a reputable dealer to the current owner located in Germany. Today, after 17 years in his possession, this rare Glas 3000 V8 is once again available. Freshened for sale, the car received a comprehensive service in December 2022 including a new timing belt and new tires.