1941 BMW 328 Berlin-Rome Roadster
Plans for the long-distance rally from Berlin to Rome were already being forged at the political level as early as 1939. In 1940, three BMW 328 cars were taken to Milan so that they could be fitted with aerodynamic roadster bodies by coachbuilder Carozzeria Touring. These streamlined two-seaters were only completed in 1941. Ultimately, this development resulted in racing cars with an extraordinarily good drag coefficient for the time. The bodies were manufactured using the Superleggera design patented by Touring. The aluminium outer skin was mounted on a space frame fitted to the chassis of the BMW 328. This lightweight approach to design reduced the weight of the vehicle to approximately 720 kg. Significantly modified BMW 328 engines were fitted as the power unit to generate a maximum output of 110 hp instead of 80 hp in the series version.
The planned race from Berlin to Rome was postponed a number of times and was rescheduled for 1941. Regrettably, all further motor-sport activities with German involvement were precluded as the events of the Second World War unfolded. A number of other carmakers had also designed special streamlined vehicles specifically for this race which in fact never took place. The three BMW 328 “Berlin-Rome” Touring Roadsters had not taken part in a single race by the time the war came to an end, although after the Second World War came to a close, one of them competed in numerous races.
1941 BMW 328 Berlin-Rome Roadster Gallery
See full 1941 BMW 328 Berlin-Rome Roadster Gallery here
In Detail
| type | Racing Car |
| built at | Milan, Italy |
| coachbuilder | Touring |
| production | 3 |
| predeccesor | 1940 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster |
| succeccesor | 1948 Veritas Rennsport |
| engine | Inline-6 |
| position | Front Longitudinal |
| aspiration | Natural |
| block material | Cast Iron w/Aluminum Cylinder Heads |
| valvetrain | OHV, 2 Valves per Cyl |
| fuel feed | 3 Solex 30 JF Carburetors |
| displacement | 1971 cc / 120.3 in³ |
| power | 82.0 kw / 110 bhp @ 5500 rpm |
| specific output | 55.81 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 157.14 bhp per tonne |
| body / frame | Aluminum over Steel Frame |
| driven wheels | RWD |
| front brakes | Drums |
| rear brakes | Drums |
| steering | Rack & Pinion |
| f suspension | Swing Axle w/Transverse Leaf Spring |
| r suspension | Live Axle w/Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs |
| curb weight | 700 kg / 1543 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2400 mm / 94.5 in |
| front track | 1153 mm / 45.4 in |
| rear track | 1220 mm / 48.0 in |
| transmission | ZF 4-Speed Manual |
| top speed | ~200 kph / 124.3 mph |
