1938 BMW 328 Sports Two-Seater
Ernst Henne’s victory at the 1936 Eifelrennen, defeating purpose-built racing cars in BMW’s prototype, announced the arrival of what many consider the first truly modern sports car.
The 328 combined a tubular chassis derived from the 319 with independent front suspension and a revolutionary cylinder head design by Rudolf Schleicher.
His engineering achieved hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves without expensive overhead camshafts, instead using a single block-mounted camshaft with twin rocker shafts that gave an appearance resembling twin-cam designs.
The 1,971cc six-cylinder produced 80 bhp, an exceptional output for a normally aspirated two-liter engine of the period. Production versions arriving in late 1936 featured doors and convertible hoods, offering gran turismo comfort alongside genuine competition capability.
Racing success followed almost immediately: class victories at the Mille Miglia, Le Mans, the Spa 24 Hours, and the Tourist Trophy, culminating in an overall win at the 1940 Mille Miglia for a special aerodynamic BMW 328.
Between 1936 and 1939, just 426 examples were constructed. Fewer than 200 survive today, making these landmark sports cars particularly sought after for major historic motorsport events.
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