The BMW 327 was launched in 1937 as a Cabriolet and as our ladies pose for the photograph on the steps of a grand municipal building, their happy smiles betray their excitement about the occasion.
The car carried a price tag that found a market amongst the more prosperous clientèle who welcomed the truly prestigious 326 in 1936 from the company that had been making motor cycles and small cars.
'Bavarian Motor Works' has a fascinating history and are celebrating 100 years , which is the theme adopted by the exposition Interclassics Maastricht '16 next week where COYS auction house have a BMW 328 on offer which was responsible for the public's interest in fast mid-thirties BMW models.
The company's origins go back to 1916 with the manufacture of aircraft engines - adding motorcycles in 1923 and automobiles in 1928. They rapidly established a reputation for quality and sporting elegance and we feel sure that the ladies on the steps appreciate this, and whether or not the car belonged to them, we hope they stayed loyal to BMW for the rest of their motoring days.
Text Robin Batchelor, pictures from archive BMW Group Classic.