Caravan ZhMZM BMW 2000 CS

A special time
One of the traditional Bavarian souvenirs is a clock with a dial in vertical. Three hours here on the right, and nine on the left. It is difficult to determine the time from them from habit, but it is possible, although the arrows move against their usual move. The outlandish chronometer gives the inhabitants of Southern Germany another reason to say: "We are not Germans, we are Bavarians, we even have time in a different way." In this context, the BMW 2000 CS is a very Bavarian car.

From a commercial point of view, the situation of the BMW concern in the mid-60s was quite stable, even despite the stagnation, reigning in the German auto industry. The basis of BMW policy in those years was the desire to satisfy the need of any resident of the then Germany in cars of the Bavarian brand. And to choose from what: the model gamut began with an ISETTA utilitarian motorcycle and ended with a pompous bmw 505 pompous “eight” under the hood. The brand did not particularly pour the brand, however, the "sprouted" cars were present in the gamut. More precisely one - BMW 3200 CS. This compartment was the result of German-Italian cooperation. The 160-horsepower engine was developed on BMW, a stylish body in the atelier of Nuchchio Burton. Only the audience of the charms of this alliance did not show off - in four years only 538 cars with the BMW 3200 CS index were sold.

That is why they decided not to entrust the next compartment to the “Closers from the other side of the Alps, although Berton and his young chief designer Georgio Dzhujaro were already ready for the project. Even more harsh Bavarians acted with the Swabian initiative - the famous Baur body atelier from Stuttgart, on their own initiative, created a body layout, which the chef went to, he was the main shareholder of the BMW Dr. Herbert Kuandt. Entering with his headquarters into the workshop and looking at the project with only one eye, he muttered: "Thank you, do not." They decided to look for designers at home, in Munich, and were not mistaken.

Belaying the bend of the grate. The BMW 2000 CS body "Drawn" by BMW artist Wilhelm Hofmeister. The fact that he succeeded was called the "two -door Hardtop" - a cross between a sports sedan and only that began to enter the fashion "Fastback", which was indicated by the sloping part with a huge glass. The proportions of the body turned out to be so successful that today in the lexicon of BMW designers there is such a thing as a "bend of a hofmaster."

The body around the entire perimeter encircled the elegant molding, which is why the car, especially white, was more like a motor boat. The headlights were really "eyes" - probably, not a single car of that time had such "human" features. The two -part radiator grille was so narrow that it did not look “nostrils”, but rather a wrinkle folding between the eyes, when a person sniffs busily. The BMW emblems flaunted not only in front of the hood cover, but also on the back racks, where white-blue icons covered ventilation slots.

The side glasses fell, without leaving the central rack among themselves, so that in good weather it was possible to feel almost like in a convertible. Inside, the “under wood” finish favorably emphasized a wide dashboard with four impressive dials, the largest of which were, of course, a speedometer and a tachometer.

Since in Munich they were aware that the model would hardly become mass, it was decided to place the order for the production of bodies at the oldest German body factory of Karmann from Znabruk, which at that time made open versions of the Volkswagen Kaefer and the coupe.

For large. At first, the audience met the car warily. "The previous compartment had eight cylinders, the current one had half as much. And this is the pinnacle of evolution?" - asked one German magazine. "The interior of the car balances on the verge that separates good taste from Kich," the other stated. “Only people with short legs and necks can sit on the back bench,” the third complained.

The skeptics had something to object. The BMW two -liter engine was already a tested, reliable power unit capable of informing a car weighing only 1150 kg, good dynamics. The switching lever was installed directly on the cardan tunnel. No less advanced was the rear suspension. It sounds a pun, but does not change the essence: unlike the longitudinal semi -elliptic springs, vertical springs with telescopic shock absorbers of bilateral action eliminated tremors and extinguished corner vibrations. The “kichev” salon could be called only soldered conservatives. As for comfort in the back seat ... The slogan "with pleasure at the wheel" already in those years hung over the corridors of the BMW concern department, and therefore showed the main concern about the driver. He was really comfortable behind the wheel. Provided that its growth was not lower than 175 cm. The low people felt it no matter here: the seat pillow was not regulated in height, the steering column was generally motionless, and the upper edge of the steering wheel could easily be at the forehead level.

Very quickly, buyers ate the true essence of the “two thousandth” BMW series - this was a car not for family life, but to implement their driver’s ambitions on the road. A curious detail: one of the most important markets for the BMW were the United States, for which a “soft version” of a coupe was invented with a 20 hp motor. Setter and with an automatic gearbox. This version was sold much worse - for all years of release, from 1965 to 1970, there were three times more cars on the handle than with "automatic".

Absolutely sports were the options that could be ordered at the BMW 2000 CS. Pact stability stabilizer or radial tires. Alpine tuning studio offered a wooden steering wheel, covered in leather, for 1650 DM - a five -speed checkpoint, and for another 2500 DM, the engine up to 145 hp. People willingly went on such expenses. Despite the fact that the car itself cost about 15 thousand milkmaids, spinning wheels for 2000 CS at a price of 400 DM were not linked in the stores.

Brother at brother. Perhaps the point is the famous Bavarian charisma. Or maybe there were no competitors of the BMW 2000 CS at that time in essence. On the domestic market, only Mercedes-Benz 230SE and Audi 100s fell into their number. As for Porsche 911, it cost almost a quarter more expensive. Alfa Romeo Julia 1600 Sprint and Lancia Flaminia 1800 - completely different, Italian songs. There was also a European analogue of Ford Mustang - a Capri model with a 2.0 liter with a power of 90 hp. The Bavarians were so believed in their own exclusivity that they decided to build an opponent to their compartment themselves.

In the mid-60s, BMW decided to expand its possessions by baking another Bavarian enterprise that grew up during the post-war industrial boom in a very successful concern. Hans Glas began its activities, like Ferruchio Lamborghini, from tractors and rebels. Demand for individual vehicles pushed the gentlemen from the "Glaza" to the release of motorcycles. In an effort to expand production, and therefore its own share in the market, the Hans Glas management focused on the number of products, actually spit on its quality. This was not slow to affect demand, things went somersault, and then as the gentlemen from BMW turned out to be here, who decided to save the company of fellow countrymen from liquidation.

Having bought this brand, the Bavarian Motors began with the repetition of its own mistakes. First of all, they turned the production of agricultural welfare-it was a good. But the next step, they announced the production of an extravagant compartment under the GLAS brand, which was supposed to “supplement the 2000 CS series”, become “German Mazerati” - some German journalists christened it so - Glasrati. The body was developed by the Majjra body company from Turin. The eight -cylinder "athlete" cost only 3,000 DM more expensive than the BMW 2000 CS, and threatened to just bury it. Having released only 371 cars, the BMW management came to his senses and the GLAS brand was abolished.

However, the BMW concern very soon refused the four -cylinder engine on the sports compartment. In the late 60s, the term "Sechs-Appeal" began to sound in automobile jargon. The play of words implied: to be sexy, you need to have six cylinders. And it was necessary to reckon with this. After all, that on the Bavarian dial, that on everyone else, the place of the number 6 has the same thing.

Text Alexander Novikov, Dmitry Gronsky photo Tatyana Salyutova

BMW 2000 CS
Power (L.S. at rpm)	120 at 5500
Acceleration to 100 km/h (c)	11.2
Maximum speed (km/h)	185
Length/width/height (mm)	4530/1675/1360

Autopilot magazine number 12 for 2004: Caravan: GMM