Article Summary
- The 328 roadster shares the spotlight with other vintage BMWs built before World War II, including a few motorcycles.
- The exhibition also marks 40 years of the M3 with a double display: an E30 and a G81.
- 16 cars and 10 motorcycles are showcased at the Futurum Ostrava shopping center in the Czech Republic.
With a rich history spanning more than 100 years, BMW has plenty to showcase. A slice of that heritage has now come together for an intriguing exhibition in an unexpected place: a shopping mall. The Ostrava BMW dealer CarTec has assembled a display of 16 cars and 10 motorcycles. These range from pre-war models to recent additions to the lineup. You can see them all at Futurum Ostrava this weekend.
With help from collectors, the dealer in the Czech Republic’s third-largest city gathered an ensemble of pre-World War II cars. One of the rarest vehicles is a 328 roadster, one of just 464 units produced between 1936 and 1940. BMW claims it was Europe’s most successful car of the decade. After winning at Nürburgring in its first race, it continued to triumph into the 1950s, racking up more than 200 victories.
Another pre-war BMW is a one-of-two 335 convertible with a body designed by Swiss coachbuilder Graber. It shares the spotlight with other convertibles from the same era, including the 326 and the 327/28. Since these cars belong to collectors, it’s no surprise they’re in immaculate condition, looking like veritable time capsules.
It’s not just about vintage BMWs, as more modern cars are also on display. The exhibition marks 40 years of the M3 lineage with a pair of vehicles. There’s the original E30 homologation special alongside the G81, the first M3 wagon to enter series production. The 3 Series heritage is further represented by a rare ALPINA E21, at a time when ALPINA is entering a new era as a standalone luxury brand within the BMW Group.
The Motorrad side is well represented by several pre-war motorcycles, such as the R42, R2, and R61, alongside current two-wheeled models.
The most mundane of the lot is an X3 20d, but while not particularly exciting, it underscores how crucial SUVs are to maintaining a healthy balance sheet. Without the ever-popular X models, BMW would struggle to justify the investment in enthusiast cars like the next-generation M3 (G84).