1938 BMW 327/28 Sport Cabriolet
“Priced, new, at a little under $3,000 in Germany, the 327 was one of those cars which cannot be described – it must be experienced.” – Road & Track, 1954.
Only 482 examples of this pre-war German sports convertible were produced between 1938 and 1940, making it one of BMW’s rarest models.
The 327 featured advanced tubular frame construction and independent front suspension, providing superior handling for its time.
BMW offered two engine configurations. The standard 327 used a 1,971cc pushrod six-cylinder producing 55 horsepower, while the 327/28 “Sport Cabriolet” variant featured the more powerful 328 engine.
This 80-horsepower unit incorporated hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves while retaining a single camshaft design, achieving remarkable performance for a 2.0-liter engine of the era.
The 328-powered version could reach 97 mph (156 km/h) as tested by Autocar magazine at Brooklands in 1939. Both versions used a four-speed manual transmission with a freewheel mechanism between first and second gears, allowing clutchless shifting at low speeds.
The combination of light weight and strong power output has made these cars particularly popular among historic rally enthusiasts.
Source
