Back to back: BMW or Abarth?

• 

Worldwide Auctioneers and RM Sotheby’s are not the only ones bringing over a hard of classics to Scottsdale this week – Bonhams auctioneers is there, too. We already told you about that great little Molzon they are bringing over, but the majority of their proposition is European. And we really liked the sight of these two quite unusual little Euro-screamers, too. BMW and Fiat world aparts? Perhaps not so much in the 1960s. Here we go.

The BMW 700 Sport is sometimes called the car that saved BMW. With its 40hp 697cc air-cooled 2-cylinder boxer engine it certainly was different from the BMWs that we now know. But it was a clever car, too, with monocoque chassis, independent wheel suspension. The ‘Sports’ tag for the version with twin carbs was well-deserved, too. Hans Stuck drove one to the 1st place in the 1960 German Hill climb Championship while Walter Schneider tackled – and won – the 1961 German Saloon Car title in one. The grey car offered for sale is a 1962 Sports version, which was fully restored and the mechanicals (matching numbers) fully rebuilt. The only concession made was to remove the bumpers for that sporting look. Estimated to make a strong $50- to 75,000 (but with no reserve) it would be nice if this one remained in the US as these cars are so scarce there.

Talking about scarce: how about a Fiat-Abarth 1000 OTR as its counterpart? Yes, that’s the 1967 homologation special with 100hp 982cc OHV four-cylinder and twin Webers. Abarth needs no introduction, but this car OTR (Omologato Turismo Radiale), designed for FIA Group 3 competition, is seldomly seen. The main reason being it was banned from competition as some racing organizations, notably the SCCA, believed to few of these roadgoing cars were ever constructed. This is one of just three survivors trusted to be on the road in the US of A and fourteen in the world. Sold new to Pennsylvania, it eventually went to an employee of the dealer who had it in its showroom. Apart from being sold several times, not much was done with the car until fully restored in 2006. Expected to sell for $80- to 110,000 it certainly seems worth that. Bonhams believes it to be ‘the single best example of the 1000 OTR on the planet.’

(Words editor, pictures courtesy Bonhams auctioneers)

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.