BMW 326
| BMW 326 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) |
| Production | 1936–1941, 15,936 built ca. 1946, 16 built |
| Designer |
Engineers: Fritz Fiedler, Alfred Böning Stylist: Peter Schimanowski |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mid-size luxury car |
| Body style |
4-door saloon 2 & 4-door cabriolets |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Related |
BMW 327 BMW 328 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1971 cc OHV BMW M78 Straight 6 |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,870 mm (113 in) |
| Length | 4,600 mm (180 in) |
| Width | 1,600 mm (63 in) |
| Height | 1,540 mm (61 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,100 kg (2,400 lb) (measurements approximate) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | BMW 319 |
| Successor |
BMW/EMW 340 BMW 501 |
The BMW 326 is a medium-sized sedan produced by BMW between 1936 and 1941, and again briefly, under Soviet control, after 1945. The 326 was BMW's first four-door sedan. It had an innovative design and sold well despite its relatively high price. It also had an unusually involved afterlife.
Designed by Fritz Fiedler, the 326 featured a box-section frame that could readily be adapted for derivative models. Also innovative were the torsion bar rear suspension, inspired by the dead axle suspension of the Citroën Traction Avant, and the hydraulic braking system, the first to be used on a BMW car. Styled by Peter Schimanowski, the 326 was offered as a four-door sedan and as a two- or four-door cabriolet. The 326 sedan was the first BMW available with four doors. The BMW 320, BMW 321, BMW 327, and BMW 335 were based on the 326. The streamlined form of the body contrasted with previous relatively upright BMWs: drag was presumably reduced further by including a fixed cover over the spare wheel at the back.
The 1971 cc straight 6 engine was a version of the 319’s power plant, with the bore increased from 65 mm (2.6 in) to 66 mm (2.6 in), and an unchanged stroke of 96 mm (3.8 in) giving a displacement of 1,971 cc (120.3 cu in). In the 326 application, it was fed by twin 26 mm Solex carburetors to produce a claimed maximum output of 50 PS (37 kW) at 3750 rpm. The top speed is 115 km/h (71 mph).
The four-speed gear box was supported by freewheeling on the bottom ratios and synchromesh on the top two.
The 326 was introduced at the Berlin Motor Show in February 1936, the 326 was offered for sale from May of that year. The 326 was a success. By the time production was suspended in 1941, the Eisenach plant had produced 15,949 of them.
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