1940 BMW 335 Four-Door Cabriolet (by Autenrieth)
Four-door convertible bodywork distinguished the BMW 335 as an unusual configuration in the luxury car market of 1940. Built from 1939 to 1941, this sporting saloon represented BMW’s attempt to compete directly with established German premium manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, Horch, and Wanderer.
Only about 410 examples of the 335 were produced during its brief production run, making it exceptionally rare today. The model featured a 3.5-liter straight-six engine and established what would later become BMW’s signature formula of combining luxury appointments with sporting performance characteristics.
Coachbuilder Autenrieth of Darmstadt created custom bodywork for select examples, with just 10 cars receiving this specialized treatment. The 335’s design represented BMW’s pre-war engineering capabilities and their ambitions in the premium automobile segment before wartime production constraints ended civilian car manufacturing.
This model anticipated by three decades the formula that would define BMW’s later success in the luxury performance market.
Source
