Mobile Tradition live - BMW Car Club Brasil

History moves with us 

Mobile Tradition live 

Facts and background 

Facts 

The most important events, dates and 

anniversaries in the coming months. 

Page 03-06 

BMW 303 

The first six-cylinder car in BMW history 

also launched BMW’s “kidney grille”. 

Page 08-11 

Parts 

Spare parts are crucial for cars, but often 

difficult to track down for classic models. 

BMW offers assistance. Page 12-15 

Paul Rosche 

The “engine guru” is one of the legends 

of racing engine design. 

A profile. Page 16-18 

To Tehran with 12 bhp 

BMW motorcycles have traditionally been 

robust. Two students proved this in 1956 

by riding to Iran on two wheels. 

Page 20-23 

Anniversaries in the year 2003 

90 years 

80 years 

75 years 

30 years 

25 years 

BMW Group 

Mobile Tradition 

Founding of the Rapp 

Motorenwerke GmbH 

BMW’s first motorcycle is 

unveiled in Berlin 

Takeover of the Eisenach 

car factory 

New BMW plant opens 

in Dingolfing 

BMW M1 production launch 

20 years Victory in the Formula One 

World Championship 

Stages of the trip to 

Iran in 1956. 

www.bmw-mobiletradition.com | Mobile Tradition | Volume 01 | Issue 02 | July 2003 

BMW 303: the start of a long tradition. Page 08 

1956: to Tehran with 12 horsepower 

In the 1950s, a journey from Germany to Iran was tantamount 

to a world trip – especially when you consider the engine of 

the R25/2 that propelled the two student companions on their 

way. 12 bhp had to carry them both all the way to Persia. 

But their confidence in the machine was such that they didn’t 

even take a spare spark plug along. The family and friends of 

Hans Winter and Koorosh Eghbal could only shake their 

heads at such a bold enterprise. The destination was 

Eghbal’s family in Meshed, Iran. It was a formidable challenge 

for both men and machine. But barring a few minor problems 

that were solved on the spot – often thanks to a great deal of 

improvisation – this two-wheeler proved remarkably resilient. 

Winter’s return journey, during which he visited the sights of 

southern Europe, covered 9,000 kilometres – half as long 

again as the outbound trip. He managed it in three weeks. By 

the time he got back the odometer had clocked up 15,500 

kilometres more than at the outset of this epic journey.

Editorial 

Page 02 

Dear Readers, 

When the first edition of Mobile Tradition live landed on our desks hot off 

the press, we were admittedly a tiny bit proud. We had hoped for a little 

praise from you, but would never have dreamed of such a positive 

response. It has reinforced our commitment towards the continuing 

advancement of Mobile Tradition live. 

The last three months have been a very eventful time. Techno Classica, 

Europe’s premier classic car show, notably set the pulses of aficionados 

racing once again. On display at the BMW Group Mobile Tradition stand was a great deal of what 

makes up the fascination which this subject exerts on friends of the BMW brand. From our point of 

view, the primary aim was being able to communicate with you. Thus several discussion rounds 

provided an opportunity to talk about the key issues revolving around heritage cultivation. Particular 

attention was devoted to parts supply, which is, after all, one of the crucial components of classic 

model upkeep today and an area to which BMW Group Mobile Tradition is strongly committed. 

From our own experience of looking after our vehicle collection, we know only too well the indispensable 

role played by expertise and the availability of spare parts in safeguarding the enjoyment 

of historical models – reason enough to present this theme, starting on page 12, as the main focus 

of the current edition of Mobile Tradition live. 

We also have a special contribution lined up for our motorcycle devotees: a report on an adventurous 

trip from Germany to Iran on a 1950s BMW R 25/2. Get geared up for plenty of excitement along 

the way! 

Here’s wishing you a pleasant journey into the living past. 

Read and enjoy! 

Holger Lapp 

Holger Lapp, Director of BMW Group Mobile Tradition 

Contents Issue 02.2003 

Dates, facts, anniversaries: 

News and events not to be missed Page 03 

The Rail Zeppelin: 

Record ride with aero-engine technology by BMW Page 07 

BMW 303: 

The first six-cylinder car from BMW Page 08 

From the Isetta to the Z1: 

Parts sale and service by BMW Group Mobile Tradition Page 12 

Paul Rosche: 

Engine guru and down-to-earth Bavarian Page 16 

To Tehran with 12 horsepower: 

Two Germans ride to Persia in 1956 on a BMW R25/2 Page 20 

BMW’s first six-cylinder for a car was mounted in 

the BMW 303. 

Publication details 

Responsible: Holger Lapp 

(see below for address) 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition 

Schleißheimer Straße 416 / BMW Allee 

80935 Munich 

www.bmw-mobiletradition.com

Dates and events 

July 2003 August 2003 

3 to 6 July 2003 / 

Montafon (A) 

Silvretta Classic 

Historic Alpine rally 

through the Austrian 

massif. 

4 to 6 July 2003 / 

Garmisch- 

Partenkirchen (D) 

3 rd International Bikers´ 

Meeting 

Exhibition and rally – a 

must for fans of historic 

two-wheelers. 

Facts Fakten Faits Fatti 

Mille Miglia 2003 

Brescia. Series winner BMW rolled up for 

this year’s edition of the Mille Miglia with 

royal support: King Carl Gustav of Sweden 

was at the wheel of a BMW 328 Mille Miglia 

Touring contesting this classic rally that 

leads from Brescia via Ferrara to Rome and 

back to Brescia. The highly traditional 

event, first staged 76 years ago, runs 

through the marvellous landscapes of 

northern and central Italy, drawing hundreds 

of thousands of spectators to the 

roadside. Eligible for participation are models 

which have competed in the classic 

Mille Miglia at least once between 1927 

and 1957. This year’s event took place 

from 22nd to 25th May. Last year the Mille 

Miglia counted 370 entrants. 

Apart from King Carl Gustav of 

Sweden with his co-driver Prince Leopold 

of Bavaria, there were a further 21 BMW 

teams lining up for the race with a total of 

nine cars from BMW Group Mobile 

Tradition and 13 private BMWs. The 

majority of these participants were in 

BMW 328s, including historically significant 

models such as the BMW 328 Mille 

11 to 13 July 2003 / 

Goodwood (GB) 

Goodwood Festival of 

Speed 

Exhibition and races on the 

site of famous historic 

events and the new Rolls- 

Royce plant. 

19 to 27 July 2003 / 

Germany (D) 

2,000 km through 

Germany 

Traditional classic car rally. 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Dates & Facts 

13 to 17 August 2003 / 

Zwickau-Dresden (D) 

1 st Saxony Classic 

Vintage rally through 

Saxony with an anticipated 

150 classic cars participating. 

Miglia Roadster. The absolute highlight 

was the triumphant car of the 1940 Mille 

Miglia, a BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupé 

with bodywork by Touring. In 1940, 

Huschke von Hanstein with co-driver 

Walter Bäumer had steered this aerodynamic 

racer along the 1,503-kilometre 

course in a record time of eight hours, 54 

minutes and 46 seconds to cross the finishing 

line in Brescia as winners. Apart 

from the contingent of BMW 328s, there 

was also a BMW 507, a Veritas, and even a 

BMW Isetta participating in the race. Rock 

star Gianna Nannini drove a BMW 327 

Cabriolet. For the spectators, it offered 

another exciting cross-section of BMW’s 

sporting past in action on the road. 

Overall victory went to the Sielecki – 

Hervas team of Argentina in a Bugatti T 

23 Brescia. The women’s category was 

won by the BMW team of Boni – Barziza 

driving a BMW 328, while the constructors’ 

trophy was taken by Fiat, with BMW 

in ninth place. Further information at 

http://www.millemiglia.it/news2003/ 

mm2003.htm. 

September 2003 

4 to 7 September 2003 / 

La Roche (B) 

41 st annual meeting of 

BMW Club Europa 

New internet presence 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition launched its 

new internet presence in April 2003. All key 

information relating to the theme of “BMW 

Mobile Tradition” can be accessed here. 

Each area of competence of the heritage 

division is introduced, along with its particular 

tasks. The Historical Archives, for 

example, not only allow internet users 

access to the archives´ search machine, 

but also enable them to download the 

order form to apply for an official certificate 

for a historical model. 

Further highlights are the Historical 

Collection and the self-drive car hire programme. 

Anyone interested in hiring a car 

can obtain all the information necessary 

to get behind the steering wheel of one of 

our historical models. 

For owners of classic models, the 

online parts catalogue is an indispensable 

and convenient aid to tracking down 

spare parts. 

Why not click by some time! 

www.bmw-mobiletradition.com 

www.historicalarchive.bmw.com 

Mobile Tradition live / Issue 02.2003 Page 03

Facts Fakten Faits Fatti 

Review Techno Classica 2003 

Munich/Essen. Techno Classica, held in 

Essen and for years the most important 

gathering place for fans of classic vehicles 

at the start of the season, was another 

resounding success this year. 

Notwithstanding the general economic 

downturn and the war in Iraq, the show 

proved an even bigger draw than before, 

having rarely seen so many visitors over 

its four-day duration. In all, 109,000 

experts and aficionados turned up. 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition again played 

a key role in the success of the event. Hall 

12, arranged in conjunction with the BMW, 

MINI, Rolls-Royce and Glas brand clubs, 

as well as the Veritas register and the 

Eisenach car museum, even drew words 

of praise from the competition. The BMW 

Group Mobile Tradition stand was dedicated 

primarily to the theme of convertibles 

against a delightful mountain backdrop, as 

well as placing special emphasis on 

BMW’s anniversaries “80 Years of BMW 

Motorcycles”, “25 Years of the BMW M1” 

and “20 Years of the Formula One 

Championship”. 

Goodwood. Next to the Mille Miglia and 

the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the 

Festival of Speed held in Goodwood in 

southern England ranks among the top 

events in the 2003 classic calendar for 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition. To mark 

the Festival’s tenth anniversary, the heritage 

department of the BMW Group will 

be present again with an array of treasures 

from its Historical Collection. From 

11th to 13th July 2003, BMW motorcycles 

as well as sports and racing cars will 

be out on the race track of the historic 

grounds of Goodwood House, driven by 

big names from the world of motorsport. 

The Goodwood Festival of Speed 

enjoys an outstanding reputation among 

motor racing fans. This is the only venue 

where spectators can experience 100 

years of racing history in action. After 

drawing crowds of 25,000 in 1993, its 

inaugural year, 2002 saw more than 

130,000 visitors flocking to witness 

motorcycles and sports cars of all classes 

and ages battling for the best times on 

the 1.2-mile circuit. 

Page 04 

As always, the 

theme of “Parts 

and Service” with 

highly informative 

exhibits attracted 

keen interest. 

BMW Group 

Mobile Tradition’s 

presence was complemented 

by a 

press conference in 

the form of a discussion 

round, as 

well as two further 

rounds of talks. In 

the first, the heads 

of the heritage divisions 

of Daimler 

Chrysler, Audi, 

Porsche and BMW 

discussed the significance of heritage cultivation 

for their respective companies and 

customers. 

In the second discussion round, representatives 

of supplier companies 

talked about the problems of supplying 

Three anniversaries form the core of 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition’s activities 

in 2003. The Festival of Speed provides 

the perfect setting for celebrating “20 

years of the Formula One Championship“, 

exemplified by the Brabham BT 52 – 

BMW F1 in which Nelson Piquet won the 

championship in 1983 and the latest 

WilliamsF1 BMW FW25, driven by Juan 

Pablo Montoya. 

The appearance of a BMW M1 Procar 

represents the racing history of this outstanding 

BMW sports car launched 25 

years ago. In addition, numerous BMW 

motorcycles will be in action, bearing witness 

to the Munich company’s 80-year 

tradition of two-wheeled production. 

Apart from the cars and motorcycles 

out on the race track in 2003, a broad 

selection of models will also be on display 

in the BMW Group Mobile Tradition pavilion. 

A range of accessories for sale will 

round off the attractions laid on for visitors 

to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

Further information about the event can 

be found at www.goodwood.co.uk. 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition’s stand at Techno Classica in Essen: 

Bavarian flair in Germany’s former industrial heartland. 

parts for historical models. Both discussions 

were transmitted live into the exhibition 

hall. They are also being streamed 

on the internet for several months at the 

following address: 

www.auto-managerTV.com. 

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2003 Silvretta Classic 2003 

Montafon. Few regions of Europe offer 

such a stunning panorama for a classic 

car event as the Montafon valley in 

Austria. The Silvretta Alpine road takes 

you up to a grand altitude of more than 

2,000 metres above sea level. Twisty, 

stunning mountain roads alternate with 

picturesque Alpine valleys to make up the 

spectacular scenery for an exceptional 

classic rally. 

From 3rd to 6th July 2003, owners of 

some 150 cherished four-wheeled classics 

will be able to savour this wonderful 

landscape and the welcoming Montafon 

region. 

The course covers around 450 kilometres 

divided into three daily stages. 

During these, participants have to complete 

a total of 16 classification trials, 18 

time checks and four transit controls. 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition will once 

again be involved in the Silvretta Classic 

with a wide range of historical cars, 

including, for example, a BMW 507 

Roadster taken from its collection of 

some 400 classic four-wheelers.

Anniversaries in BMW´s corporate history 

90 years 

Founding of the Rapp Motorenwerke 

On the northern edge of the Oberwiesenfeld, Munich’s first airfield, 

Karl Rapp and Julius Auspitzer founded the Karl Rapp 

Motorenwerke GmbH on 28th October 1913. Located on the 

site of the recently liquidated Flugwerke Deutschland GmbH, 

the new company was designed to manufacture and distribute 

“engines of all kinds, in particular internal combustion engines 

for aircraft and motor vehicles”. The sole shareholder of the 

engine construction company was Consul General Auspitzer. 

Karl Rapp ran the business operation. 

Several aero-engine prototypes were designed at the Rapp 

works, none of which, however, made it into production due to 

structural weaknesses. In July 1917, the facilities, patents and 

company site were incorporated into the Bayerische Motoren 

Werke GmbH, and the Rapp Motorenwerke were subsequently 

closed. 

80 years 

BMW’s first motorcycle unveiled in Berlin 

BMW first presented its R 32 at the Berlin Motor Show held from 

28th September to 3rd October 1923. This is not exactly a new 

discovery, yet there is ongoing confusion regarding this event 

since the majority of sources cite Paris as the birthplace of 

BMW’s motorcycle heritage. Just how this Parisian myth was 

debunked reads a bit like a detective story. 

The fact is that, for decades, the Paris Motor Show which 

took place at the beginning of October was named as the launch 

venue. The first source in question is an unpublished text marking 

the 20th anniversary of BMW motorcycles. 

In an interview with Rudolf Schleicher, who in 1923 was 

working out plans for the production launch of the R 32, he mentioned 

that the R 32 had been unveiled in Paris. That seemed to 

indicate beyond doubt that the debut of the R 32 must have 

taken place in Paris, and that assertion was subsequently not 

called into question. 

In the run-up to the 75th anniversary of BMW motorcycles, 

extensive research was carried out in the archives and library of 

the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The first surprise was that 

there were numerous mentions of the R 32 being presented in 

Berlin, and of this motor show having already opened its doors 

on 28th September. A glance at the list of exhibitors and reviews 

of the event in the motoring press definitively supported this. 

It was thus clear that BMW had first presented the R 32 in 

Berlin, yet it was still possible that the motorcycle had also 

appeared at the Paris show. 

The delivery book records that two motorcycles had initially 

been sent to the Berlin Motor Show before being passed on to 

a Berlin dealer for sale. No mention was made of Paris, however. 

Research undertaken by colleagues at BMW France similarly 

failed to unearth any mention of Paris. Unfortunately no extant 

catalogue of exhibitors at the Paris Motor Show could be found, 

not even in the National Library of Paris. That would have pro- 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Anniversaries 

vided the crucial missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle that could 

have shed light on the matter. The search for it had virtually 

been abandoned when the archivists at DaimlerChrysler Classic 

mentioned that they had a copy of the very catalogue. A subsequent 

search showed that BMW had not been registered as an 

exhibitor. 

This provided the ultimate proof that the debut of the R 32 

had, for decades, been erroneously attributed to Paris rather 

than Berlin. 

75 years 

Takeover of the Eisenach car factory 

The “new” BMW AG had been established in 1922 by Austrian 

financier Camillo Castiglioni to include the “manufacture of automobiles” 

as well. Attempts to develop and build cars, however, 

were not systematically carried out in the years that followed and 

ultimately remained uncompleted. 

In 1928, BMW had a surprising and excellent opportunity to 

gain a foothold in the flourishing car market through the purchase 

of the Eisenach car factory, also known as the DIXI-Werke. Only 

the previous year, the factory had concluded a licensing contract 

with the Austin Motor Company allowing them to manufacture 

the successful small Austin Seven for the German market. 

For this purpose, the factory facilities were adapted to 

“assembly-line production” – a revolutionary method for the 

time. Thus on 28th October 1928, at a cost of 1 million reichsmarks, 

the greater part payable in shares, BMW acquired a modernized 

automobile factory which was turning out an attractive 

and affordable small car. It was the perfect entry into the world of 

car manufacturing. 

30 years 

New BMW plant opens in Dingolfing 

Following the takeover of Hans Glas GmbH in Dingolfing in 1967, 

BMW AG transferred some of its car manufacturing facilities from 

Munich to its Lower Bavarian subsidiary in 1968. It soon became 

clear, however, that the capacities there would not be adequate for 

the planned expansion of car production. 

Over a period of three years, therefore, a second BMW plant 

was erected on a site of some 600,000 square metres in the direct 

vicinity of the first Dingolfing factory. The official opening of the 

production facilities took place on 22nd November 1973 in the 

presence of numerous guests of honour. By this time, the new 

Plant 2.4 had already proved its efficiency: just two months previously, 

BMW’s production director Hans Koch had taken delivery of 

the first car to emerge from the new factory – a red BMW 520. 

Chronology of the Dingolfing plant: 

02 Jan 1967: Takeover of Hans Glas GmbH 

01 Jan 1968: Component production for cars and motorcycles 

09 Nov 1970: Cornerstone ceremony with Alfons Goppel 

27 Sep 1973: First car comes off the production line 

22 Nov 1973: Official opening of Plant 2.4 


Anniversaries / BMW Group Mobile Tradition overview 

BMW M1 production launch 

BMW unveiled its new high-performance BMW M1 sports car at 

the Paris Motor Show on 5th October 1978. Under the direction 

of racing driver Jochen Neerpasch, the newly-fledged BMW 

Motorsport GmbH, in collaboration with several external partners 

including Lamborghini, had produced a racer which has lost none 

of its fascination to this day. 

Though it was conceived as a base vehicle for motor racing, 

this objective was only met to a limited extent since setbacks 

in its development delayed production readiness and 

with it the hoped-for homologation. But the Procar race series, 

specially launched for the BMW M1 and involving the best 

Formula One drivers in identical M1s battling for victory, will 

remain unforgotten. 

Even 25 years after its debut, the street version of the BMW 

M1 with 277 bhp and weighing just 1,300 kg, of which only 401 

units were built up to 1981, still ranks among the most dynamic 

sports cars of all time. Long since established as a classic of 

recent motoring history, most of the BMW M1 mid-engine 

sports cars have survived to the present under the solicitous 

care of devotees of extraordinary automobiles. 

Page 06 

25 years 20 years 

Victory in the Formula One World Championship 

“A sensational triumph for BMW and Brabham at the World 

Championship final in South Africa on 15th October 1983” ran 

the exultant banner headline that marked the beginning of 

BMW’s very own chapter in the history of Formula One. 

The success of the team, which was made up of British and 

Bavarian members, was the crowning endorsement of the commitment 

with which BMW had entered the top echelon of motor 

racing. 

Behind this triumph were a raft of famous names including, 

for example, Bernie Ecclestone, Gordon Murray, Paul Rosche 

and, of course, Nelson Piquet, the man behind the wheel of the 

victorious car. 

The first Formula One World Championship title in the history 

of the Bavarian company was made possible by a vehicle 

driven by a powerful BMW turbo engine which was outstanding 

for the time. Thanks to superior powertrain technology, the 

prized crown of motorsport thus went to a German car manufacturer 

again – the Bayerische Motoren Werke of Munich – for 

the first time since the championship victories claimed by the 

legendary Silver Arrows of Mercedes-Benz. 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition areas of competence 

Archives Parts and Accessories Vehicle collection 

This is where all information relating to 

the history of the company, its brands and 

its products is gathered and stored. The 

Archives are the main port of call for all 

BMW departments requiring historical 

information of any kind. 

The same goes for journalists, writers, 

historians and all those interested in 

the heritage of the BMW Group and its 

products. Research can be carried out 

from home via the internet by logging 

onto: www.historicalarchive.bmw.com 

The BMW Museum presents the past, 

present and future of the BMW brand 

within the context of the relevant social 

and historical era. It was inaugurated in 

1973 as the first museum of its kind. 

Today, hundreds of thousands of visitors 

every year come to the museum’s changing 

exhibitions to learn about the BMW 

company and experience the fascination 

of the BMW brand. 

This department guarantees a comprehensive 

supply of parts for the faithful 

restoration of BMW classics. 15 years 

after production has been phased out, 

owners of historical models are supplied 

with all the necessary spare parts, now 

numbering several tens of thousands in 

total. Repair guidelines are also provided 

for the models. 

At the heart of BMW Group Mobile 

Tradition is the Historic Collection. It contains 

more than 400 cars and 170 motorcycles, 

as well as numerous aircraft, 

motorcycle and car engines, all the way to 

the latest Formula One power units. The 

involvement of these vehicles in numerous 

national and international events is 

overseen by the operations management 

department. Maintenance and restoration 

work on these classics is undertaken 

in the workshop of BMW Group Mobile 

Tradition. 

BMW Museum Clubs, events, communications 

Restoration job in the workshop of BMW 

Group Mobile Tradition. 

Around the globe, BMW Group Mobile 

Tradition takes part in events and exhibitions 

in the classic car and motorcycle 

scene, particularly those relating to the 

BMW Group’s past, such as Techno 

Classica in Essen, the Concorso 

d’Eleganza Villa d’Este or the Goodwood 

Festival of Speed. To this end, the division 

supports some 180 BMW clubs, stages 

numerous events of its own, and issues 

publications on BMW’s motoring heritage.

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Aircraft Engines 

The Rail Zeppelin – record trip with 

BMW aero-engine technology 

It’s a highlight of any model railway set, and many regard it as the precursor of the Transrapid high-speed train. The enduring popularity of the Rail 

Zeppelin is remarkable considering that, after just a few hundred test kilometres, the world’s fastest track vehicle of the time was jettisoned for reasons 

of transport policy. 

by Fred Jakobs 

ed canvas. Driving it was now a 600 horsepower 

BMW VI aero-engine which, like the propeller, was 

tilted slightly upward to increase pressure on the rails. 

On 25th September 1930, the “Rail Zepp” set 

out on its maiden journey. On the short length of 

track, the 180 km/h mark was exceeded before the 

continuously accelerating train had to be slowed 

down and brought to a halt. In May 1931, the Rail 

Zeppelin then made its first journey on Germany’s 

regular rail network. Along a stretch of some 20 kilometres, 

it achieved a speed of 205 km/h, just below 

the record established in 1903, which continued to 

stand. It was nevertheless an encouraging result, and 

Kruckenberg was keen to test his invention over 

longer distances. 

The Rail Zeppelin on a test ride: “Like a vision from the distant future” was the On 21st June 1931, the Rail Zeppelin embarked 

headline in BMW’s in-house newsletter. 

on its legendary ride from the Hamburg district of 

Bergedorf to Berlin. The 257-kilometre distance was 

completed in a mere 98 minutes. Along a 12-kilometre section it 

reached 230 km/h to set up a new world record which endured for 

almost 25 years. The train subsequently travelled around Germany, 

attracting thousands of curious onlookers. 

Although the Rail Zeppelin had passed the acid test, 

Germany’s national railway remained sceptical. For one thing, a 

propeller drive was deemed too dangerous. For another, such a 

fast train would, with existing braking technology, be difficult to 

integrate into a railway network geared to a top speed of 120 km/h 

and into the established railway timetable. It was for these reasons 

that the concept was turned down and the project scotched. The 

record-breaking train itself was sent to the scrappers’ yard in 

1939, leaving the scale model versions as the only means of seeing 

the Rail Zeppelin travelling at full tilt today. 

Engineers had long pondered the possibility of high-speed 

trains. As early as 1903, a three phase powered railcar developed 

by AEG and Siemens recorded a speed of 210 km/h. 

However, as this vehicle’s output of 3,000 bhp required a disproportionately 

high amount of energy, the project was not pursued 

any further. 

Almost three decades later, engineer Franz Kruckenberg 

struck out on a different path. He floated the idea of a propellerdriven 

railcar – float being the operative word, as initial plans 

envisaged a suspension railway. But the project did not materialize 

as the costs of laying down new routes for it would have gone 

beyond any reasonable scope. And so Kruckenberg decided to 

demonstrate the advantages of sophisticated aerodynamics and 

systematic lightweight construction on conventional tracks to 

begin with. 

The first test vehicle was ready in 1929. Its purpose was to verify 

once again that the propeller-drive concept was workable. As a 

test track, a virtually straight, unused, eight-kilometre stretch of 

track between Hanover and Burgwedel was selected. In April 1929, 

the first test rides were launched with twin 230 bhp BMW IV aircraft 

engines driving the train. When the far from aerodynamically perfect 

vehicle logged a speed of 175km/h, Kruckenberg saw his concept 

endorsed and started work on the construction of a production 

version in collaboration with the Aerodynamic Research 

Institute in Göttingen. 

In 1930 the train was assembled in Hanover-Leinhausen and 

christened “Rail Zeppelin” by the workforce. Its framework comprised 

a skeleton of tubular steel covered with fireproof-impregnat- 

The Rail Zeppelin 

Year of construction 1931 

Unladen weight 18,600 kg 

Length 25.3 m 

No. of axles 2 

Wheelbase 19.6 m 

No. of passengers up to 40 

Engine BMW VI 

Displacement 46.9 l 

Output 580 bhp 

Consumption 71.5 l / 100 km Parked at Berlin’s Grunewald station 

following its record attempts. 


Launch of a long tradition 

70 years ago – BMW 303, 

the first six-cylinder model 

For the Bayerische Motoren Werke the BMW 303 was a revolutionary vehicle, not merely because it was powered by the first automobile six-cylinder 

engine in BMW history. It also featured several other important technical innovations, as well as sporting the very first BMW “kidney grille”. 

by Walter Zeichner 

With its first cars of the 3/15 PS und 3/20 

PS model range, BMW had bucked the 

trend of the economically straitened 

period of 1929 to 1933 and, unlike many 

other car manufacturers, launched a successful 

start to its automotive history. 

The tried and tested small cars built 

under licence from Austin, along with the 

Page 08 

extensively redesigned 3/20 PS, came 

off the Eisenach production lines in more 

than 23,000 copies by the time they 

were phased out in March 1933. 

However, by 1931 the decision had 

already been made not to limit production 

to the small car category but to 

develop a technically more sophisticated 

model powered by a small six-cylinder 

engine. This was part of a cooperative 

agreement between BMW and Daimler- 

Benz, which gave BMW the market segment 

below the 1.3-litre displacement 

capacity and Daimler the category above 

this class. Originally there were two proposals 

put forward for the engine of this

Cover picture from a BMW 303 brochure of 1933. 

new model. BMW engine constructor Max Friz had designed a 

state-of-the-art unit in which he aimed to apply numerous 

insights from his longstanding experience of aero-engine construction. 

Details such as an aluminium crankcase or overhead 

valves in the detachable cylinder head were only used in 

extremely high-performance engines at the time, and were 

accordingly costly to produce. 

At the other extreme Martin Duckstein, a former colleague 

of Max Friz who had in the interim moved from Munich to 

Eisenach as head of construction, designed a very simple sixcylinder 

unit that was cheap to produce. However, design 

details such as vertical valves, an engine block and cylinder 

head cover of grey-cast iron and a crankshaft with triple bearings 

were too reminiscent of the Opel 1.8-litre engine with a 

modest 32 bhp launched just a few months earlier. 

The route to the right engine 

By now it was the summer of 1932, and General Manager 

Popp wasn’t happy with either of the designs. He sought the 

opinion of his test director in Munich, Rudolf Schleicher. Max 

Friz’s design was naturally far too expensive and Duckstein’s 

engine, despite its lower manufacturing costs, was on the 

simple side – not exactly BMW-worthy. However, Schleicher 

was impressed with such basic concepts as uniting the 

crankcase and the cylinder block into a highly rigid grey-cast 

iron component. 

A design by Rudolf Schleicher and his colleague Karl 

Rech accordingly envisaged just such an engine block based 

on “the American design principle”, though even more rigid 

and featuring four crankshaft bearings. The valves, as in the 

BMW 3/20 PS, were naturally in overhead arrangement in the 

grey-cast iron cylinder head, and the air/fuel mixture preparation 

– unusually for a touring engine – was handled by twin 

Solex carburettors using the updraft principle. 

Fundamental principles of the building-block system – in 

this case, the possibility of using shared components and 

machine tools from the existing 3/20 PS four-cylinder – were 

applied, along with modern assembly methods using preassembled 

units, such as the crankshaft with its six connecting 

rods and pistons. 

Hans Nibel, head of development at Daimler-Benz and a 

good friend of BMW’s managing director Popp, was ultimately 

consulted as an impartial expert and invited to make the 

final decision. He unhesitatingly opted for the design by Rech 

and Schleicher, and with the help of this “midwifery” it subsequently 

went into series production as the precursor of all 

future six-cylinder car engines made by BMW. 

The chassis design for the car was completely new, and by 

virtue of its lightweight construction would point the way ahead 

for subsequent BMW models. Chief constructor Fritz Fiedler, 

who had joined BMW from Horch as recently as 1932, found a 

new chassis frame at BMW which had been developed in 

Eisenach but, with its complex design based on U-sections, did 

not meet his expectations in terms of the “lightweight construction 

principle”. Using only the basic design of this frame, 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Automobiles 

he succeeded within a short space of time in developing out of 

it a chassis frame for BMW’s first six-cylinder model. 

It consisted of two A-shaped tubular side members with a 

circular section that converged towards the width of the engine 

and two box-shaped crossbeams in similarly hollow design, 

with the tubular side members producing a moment of resistance 

10 times higher. At the front end of the frame, the side 

members were taken through a further crossbeam which also 

Historical BMW advertisements 


The first BMW six-cylinder model 

served as a bracket for the 

front transverse leaf spring. 

The sections of the side 

members, moreover, tapered 

towards the rear since lower 

bending moments came into 

play here. Such a lightweight, 

low-slung frame, boasting 

exceptional torsional rigidity 

into the bargain, naturally 

offered considerable advantages 

compared with the 

heavy U-profile frame in common 

use at the time, and BMW 

Munich filed for a patent on 

this design on 28th January 

1933. Particular attention was 

also devoted to the wheel suspensions in 

the design of this new car following open 

criticism of this crucial aspect in connec- 

tion with the previous 3/20 PS and 3/15 

PS models. 

At the front, a new swing axle with 

low wishbones and hydraulic dampers 

ensured precise control and stability of 

the steered wheels, while the rear featured 

the tried and tested principle of a 

rigid axle with quarter-elliptic leaf springs 

and lever-type shock absorbers. Initial 

The latest BMW models at the 1933 Berlin Motor Show. 

Page 10 

A front end that defines BMW cars to this day: the “kidney grille”. 

drive tests in 1932 confirmed that the 

new car bearing the development code 

303 and with a weight-output ratio of 27 

The first radiator to feature the “BMW kidney grille”, and a raft of technical 

innovations which inspired numerous future developments. 

kg per brake horsepower was not just 

lively but also boasted positively safe and 

far from uncomfortable ride characteristics. 

The first “BMW kidney grille” 

The 30 bhp 1.2-litre engine with twin 

carburettors – the smallest six-cylinder in 

Germany at the time – was as powerful 

as it was flexible and smoothrunning. 

In its bodywork 

design, too, BMW struck out on 

new paths, and this model 

came to define the BMW look 

for cars of that decade – and 

beyond to the present in one 

particular detail. 

The body stylists designed 

a significantly more spacious 

superstructure for the new car, 

which claimed an overall 

increase in length of 70 cm. In 

its advertisements BMW still 

described the model 303 as a 

small car, but they were clearly 

well on the way to leaving this 

humble category behind. 

The bodywork designers at BMW 

had lent the radiator cowling on the new 

model a particularly 

striking design. The 

large air intake on the 

front of the car was 

divided into two areas 

clearly separated by a 

bar and at an angle to 

one another. They were faintly reminiscent 

of two adjacent kidneys familiar 

from schematic illustrations of the inner 

organs of the human body. No other 

leading car manufacturer employed such 

a radiator design at the time, and the 

“kidney grille” became a distinctive identifying 

feature of BMW cars, remaining 

so to this day with very few exceptions. 

It was only later that the story 

evolved of the Bruchsal-based manufacturers 

of small roadster bodies, Gebrüder 

Ihle, having developed and “invented” 

this design for their sports car bodies fitted 

onto the Dixi and BMW 3/15 PS 

chassis. Evidence shows, however, that 

Ihle only began offering bodywork with 

“kidney grilles” from 1935, having previously 

used the unitary flat radiators in 

common use. Ihle had adopted this striking 

design from BMW rather than the 

other way around. 

Phaeton by special order 

In February 1933, BMW was able to 

present the first examples of the new 

303 model at the Berlin Motor Show. The 

superstructures for the saloon had been 

built at the Sindelfingen workshops of 

Daimler-Benz, who had already signed a 

cooperative deal with BMW for the con-

struction of bodies for the previous 3/20 

PS model. But this first design was 

regarded by many as still too angular and 

“old-fashioned”, as a result of which certain 

modifications were carried out 

before series production was launched 

in May. At the same time, further bodywork 

designs were prepared for a twoseater 

and four-seater cabriolet. 

Eventually these three variants were 

delivered to the first customers in 

April/May 1933, starting with chassis 

number 45001. The saloons with their 

price tag of 3,600 reichsmarks made up 

the majority of sales. Anyone wishing to 

buy the four-window cabriolet or the 

two-seater sports cabriolet had to pay an 

extra 800 and 1,000 reichsmarks 

respectively. Shortly after production 

launch, there was also the option of a 

roller roof saloon in which the entire central 

part of the fabric roof could be rolled 

back to open up. 

Bodywork by Daimler-Benz 

The tourer (phaeton) bodywork variant 

available for the earlier models was only 

built twice by special commission for the 

303, since it was now no longer really in 

keeping with the times. For the sum of 

3,080 reichsmarks, 74 customers 

ordered a BMW 303 chassis with all the 

drive units and then had special bodywork 

built by independent coachbuilders 

“A small quality car with powerful performance” 

Test report on the 1.2-litre six-cylinder BMW by R. Otte 

“We left Berlin in the morning and after four hours we had reached 

Schierke at the Brocken mountain. That’s a distance of 240 km. In normal 

traffic one can comfortably average 70 km in the new 1.2-litre BMW. This 

kind of performance will undoubtedly satisfy above-average demands. 

This small six-cylinder is simply outstanding – smooth, flexible and powerful 

– a real little luxury machine. And the transmission! The way the gears 

change, so lightly and gently as if the cogs were made of rubber. The sixcylinder 

BMW is well above average in the so-called small car category.” 

such as Gläser in Dresden, usually in 

two-seater sports car design. 

When it came to the colour scheme 

of these simply but fully equipped models, 

the saloon purchaser had a choice 

of blue, reddish-brown and grey, each 

with black mudguards. The more expensive 

sports cabriolet was only available 

in ivory with light brown mudguards, a 

silver-grey bonnet and light red or light 

blue leather upholstery, while the four- 

Top: the first test chassis frame for the BMW 303. 

Bottom: the new lightweight tubular frame design for 

the series. 

seater cabriolet came in black, green, 

grey and beige with darker-toned mudguards 

and upholstery and a bonnet to 

match the basic colour. Clearly great 

efforts were already being 

made to offer a wide range of 

individual choices, and one can 

easily imagine that road traffic in 

the 1930s was not dominated 

by monochrome bodywork. 

The bodies for the saloon 

and roller roof saloon continued 

to be supplied by Daimler-Benz 

in Sindelfingen, and this collaboration 

would be maintained 

until the phase-out of the successor 

models BMW 315 and 

319, which were only distinguishable 

from the 303 in 

details. 

It wasn’t until the new 326 

and 329 models were launched 

that the saloon bodies began to 

be supplied by Ambi-Budd in 

Berlin once more. In March 

1934, the BMW 303 underwent 

its final revision and was given 

the same body style, with funda- 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Automobiles 

mentally redesigned air intakes on the 

bonnet, as its successor model BMW 

315, which was already waiting in the 

wings. 

Up until the production launch of this 

34 bhp, 1.5-litre model, a further 809 

BMW 303 units with this body were built 

over a two-month period. BMW had not 

only marketed the 303 model as a small 

car, but in advertising was keen to 

describe it as a high-performance model. 

Foundation of success: the 1.2-litre six-cylinder 

engine with 30 bhp. 

When one considers its lightweight 

design and its engine, which provided 

the basic design for the subsequent, typical 

BMW six-cylinder engines, this 

assessment would appear by no means 

an overstatement. 

It was with this model that BMW 

made the leap into the circle of manufacturers 

of high-quality, sporty, compact 

automobiles. Anyone who has the good 

fortune today, 70 years on, of owning and 

driving a BMW 303 can vouch for the 

ease and safety with which BMW’s first 

six-cylinder model can be guided even 

through today’s traffic. 

The driving seat of the BMW 303. 


From Isetta to Z1 – parts sale and service 

at BMW Mobile Tradition 

Is pushing your car a sign of true love? Are you sufficiently devoted to your historic car not to mind being stranded at the roadside? Having to search 

for the nearest bus or train can be a turn-off for the most avid aficionado. A reliable supply of spare parts is one of the most important issues for lovers 

of historic vehicles. 

by Sandra Bieberstein 

Of course, it’s great when you can cruise 

along country lanes in your classic car 

enjoying the feeling of driving as it used 

to be. You don’t just need good maintenance 

to keep the wheels turning. The 

odd repair is also necessary. And that’s 

where spare parts come in handy. 

This is an important topic for drivers 

and for BMW. More than 60 percent of 

classic car owners service their own classic 

vehicles. They also do the occasional 

repair. This was revealed by the survey 

“Classics of the Future 2003” carried out 

by motor magazine Motor Klassik. That’s 

Page 12 

when the mechanically minded enthusiast 

needs spare parts. They’re certainly 

not easy to find. Car owners generally 

look to dealers or specialists for spare 

parts (80.9 percent) and recently the 

Internet has become an important source 

(42.4 percent). 

Order from ... 

Overall, more than 80 percent of owners 

of classic cars are satisfied with the supply 

of spare parts. Automobile manufacturers 

have also played a key role here. In 

order to keep the history of the company 

and its vehicles alive and make that history 

accessible to the community of BMW 

enthusiasts, the BMW Group founded 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition in 1994. A 

specialist team is dedicated to parts supply 

and particularly to the manufacture of 

replica parts for historic BMW vehicles. 

Generally speaking, parts are supplied 

there for historic vehicles 15 years 

after the end of volume production in the 

case of automobiles and 20 years after 

production ceases in the case of 

motorcycles. It doesn’t matter whether 

you’re looking for a sealing ring, a wing,

door, windscreen wiper, gear lever, saddle cover, cable harness 

or speedo – you can get virtually anything. If an owner of a historic 

BMW vehicle needs a spare part, they should seek advice 

from their dealer in the first instance. Dealers have access to a 

large online parts catalogue managed by BMW Group Mobile 

Tradition. The appropriate part can then be found quickly and 

ordered. The spare part arrives within the space of a few days 

and it can then be installed in the vehicle. You can then get back 

on the road. 

But what happens when the purchase order is sent off and 

there are no more parts in stock? That’s when the team at parts 

supply and replica manufacture come into their own – although 

they’ve often taken action much sooner. They sit down together 

with mechanics, experts from purchasing and materials management 

specialists, and come up with a solution to the problem. 

The search for information on spare parts 

The first step is to get all the necessary information about the 

production method in order to manufacture the missing part. 

The search includes drawings, any samples available and technical 

specifications. It’s essential to find out what material the 

relevant part was made of and the various processes that were 

carried out on it. One of the most important resources in this 

search is BMW’s Technical Archive. This includes drawings and 

documents with technical specifications. 

Once all the information has been collected, a supplier has 

to be found. Manufacturing a part like this on the basis of the 

documents is sometimes extremely straightforward, but it can 

be very tricky. An order for manufacturing a part presents a considerable 

challenge to the supplier because it is necessary to 

meet the quality requirements of BMW – and today some production 

methods are completely obsolete. But that’s not the 

end of the story. The supplier also has to be prepared to produce 

a relatively low batch volume and costs should not be 

excessive. 

Manufacture and pricing 

Unfortunately, the tools for manufacturing the original parts 

have often been scrapped long since and they then have to be 

remade by a toolmaker. If all the tools are available, an initial 

sample needs to be produced. This sample is tested and modified 

until it meets the quality standard of BMW. Only then is it 

possible to commence actual production. Here there is also an 

ongoing process of quality control and sampling. 

After all, any customer has the right to receive perfect 

goods in return for their money. Sufficient parts are then produced 

to ensure supply for the long term. This might involve 

continuous production of replica parts over a number of years or 

one-off production to 

create a “Stock for Eternity”. 

In order to estimate 

how many parts are necessary, 

research is carried 

out on the market 

BMW 02 Series: front trim 

grille is a typical spare part 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Production of replica parts 

Procedure for manufacture of a replica part 

A complex and often tedious process takes place before a new “old” spare part 

becomes available. This is shown here with reference to manufacturing a replica 

front trim grille in the 02 Series. 

Inspecting and procuring technical 

documentation at BMW. 

Writing a milling program for tool 

production. 

Technical consultation with suppliers. 

Laser machining after the first 

pressing. 

The part is pressed out. The part is produced from a number 

of individual components. 

The part ist tested by the inspection 

machine. 

Fitting a sample in the workshop 

at BMW Group Mobile Tradition. 

Quality control and acceptance 

of the initial sample by BMW. 

Front trim grilles are taken into 

stock at BMW spare parts store. 


and any possible competitors in an 

attempt to estimate the demand for this 

particular spare part so that replica parts 

“never” have to be manufactured again. 

The comparatively high production 

costs – costs for tools, manufacture, storage 

and sales define the pricing structure 

– mean that price increases for replica 

parts often cannot be avoided. However, 

the aim is always to match the price of 

comparable or similar parts. BMW 

regards this as part of the service provided 

by an automobile manufacturer who is 

particularly concerned to meet the needs 

of aficionados driving classic vehicles. 

Once the replica of the spare part 

has been manufactured in the quantity 

ordered or calculated, further quality 

control measures are undertaken and 

the entire production batch is then taken 

into stock. 

There is an average lead time of six 

months from ordering the part, through 

replica production to placing the part in 

stock. However, sometimes it takes even 

longer to manufacture a replica part. This 

is generally due to the difficulty of finding 

suppliers who have the appropriate production 

methods available, meet the 

Supply cycle 

Parts requirement 

current up to 15 years 

Volume 

production 

Page 14 

Parts supply by 

BMW 

up to 50 years 

Individual 

restoration 

Specialist production 

of replica parts 

quality requirements and are also prepared 

to produce a low batch volume of 

this nature. Materials and machining 

spare parts may also be problematic. 

Processing methods are often no longer 

used – in the worst case scenario, the 

material no longer exists. The only option 

then is to look for production methods 

that meet the same or higher standards. 

When the production process presents 

particular technical difficulties, it is generally 

necessary to produce a large number 

of initial samples before quality meets 

the high requirements necessary. 

Spare parts catalogue and 

replica parts list 

BMW Mobile Tradition publishes all the 

available parts in an online parts catalogue 

which is updated on an ongoing 

basis. The same applies to replica parts. 

BMW dealers are now able to order the 

replica part again. A monthly list of replica 

parts is also published. Moreover, automobile 

and club magazines receive information 

about “old” parts that have been 

manufactured again. 

More than 20,000 parts for classic 

vehicles are kept in stock and almost 

half of them have been 

manufactured by BMW 

Group Mobile Tradition in 

this way. In the year 2002 

alone, around 1,000 different 

replica parts were produced. 

However, problems 

don’t always keep to reg- 

Age 

of car 

ular opening times. 

Classic-car aficionados 

can undertake research 

themselves using the 

parts catalogue on CD- 

ROM. Enthusiasts will find 

all the available parts in 

the historic parts cata- 

logue. There is an exploded view of 

each part, parts are coded by type and 

given their designated part number. 

Car owners have also been able to 

access the parts catalogue and the 

monthly lists of replica-part production 

online since May 2003. Anyone interested 

can go to the internet page 

www.bmw-mobiletradition.com and click 

on the field “Parts supply”, select 

“Historic parts catalogue” and then register. 

Registration is simple and free of 

charge. Access to the catalogue is granted 

within two working days. 

Anyone interested in additional information 

on this subject is recommended 

to go to the home page of BMW Group 

Mobile Tradition. There is a link under 

“Tradition Aktuell/News” to a talkshow 

held in German on the stand of BMW 

Group Mobile Tradition at the Techno 

Classica 2003 exhibition. Representatives 

of supply companies discuss the 

situation and the problems associated 

with supplying parts for classic cars. 

Supplied with all the data 

Parts supply organized like this enables 

the owners of historic BMW vehicles to 

maintain their “darlings” to an extremely 

high standard. They can enjoy the feeling 

of driving as it used to be to the full, 

with a minimum of unscheduled interruptions. 

The historic parts catalogue can be 

ordered as a CD-ROM from any BMW 

dealer. The “Parts Catalogue for Historic 

Automobiles and Motorcycles 2003” has 

order number 70 00 0 301 255. This includes 

all the data for classic BMW automobiles 

and motorcycles. There is also a 

printed parts catalogue with part number 

01 20 5 590 032 for classic BMW motorcycles. 

The “Parts Catalogue for Historic 

Motorcycles 2003” on CD-ROM can be ordered 

citing part number 72 00 0 154 486.

Mobile Tradition live: Mr Breuckmann, as President of the BMW Z1 

Club with more than 250 members you are not just the owner of this 

classic car from BMW. In collaboration with Maik Hirschfeld, engineering 

director of the association, you also represent the interests of the 

members when it comes to technical issues relating to this vehicle. 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition has been responsible for supplying parts 

for the Z1 Roadster since 1997. How important is the procurement of 

spare parts? 

Horst W. Breukmann: Procurement of spare parts is a top priority for 

the very existence of a classic car and essential for keeping it on the 

road. A large number of classic car enthusiasts spend a great deal of 

time and effort in exploring all the possibilities for acquiring a key 

spare part that they urgently require in order to breathe new life into 

their stranded classic car. 

The slogan of our brand The Ultimate Driving Machine highlights 

the fact that a BMW Z1 is not an exhibition object, but the mobile 

expression of a development epoch at BMW. Guaranteed production 

of replica parts and supply of spare parts is absolutely essential if 

we are to continue to enjoy this Ultimate Driving Machine in the 

years and decades to come. It’s vital for us to address spare parts 

supply for the future at a very early stage. 

How do you rate the service provided by BMW Group Mobile 

Tradition in maintaining parts supply for the Z1 over the long term? 

We are in the fortunate situation that long before the deadline for 

guaranteeing supply of spare parts expired, BMW AG decided in 

conjunction with our club to keep the classic Z1 Roadster on our 

roads for as long as possible. 

Undoubtedly it’s an innovation that already six years after production 

of our Z1 came to an end, spare parts supply was started up in the 

classic section of BMW. This underlines very clearly that the car has 

succeeded in becoming established in the family of BMW classic 

cars – no mean feat given the relative youth of this car. 

This service provided by BMW AG reassures all drivers of the Z1 that 

they don’t have to lay in a stock of parts as a reserve, which is often 

not terribly effective in the case of many parts. As long as there is 

commitment to supplying spare parts that are in demand over the 

long term – sometimes possibly within a reasonable timeframe – we 

rate the service provided by BMW Group Mobile Tradition very highly 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Production of replica parts 

“We rate the service provided by BMW Group Mobile Tradition very highly.” 

Mobile Tradition live spoke to Horst W. Breukmann, President of 

the BMW Z1 Club, about the nuts and bolts relating to the key issue 

of parts supply for collectors of historic vehicles. 

and trust that the current system will remain in place for many 

years to come. 

To what extent do you use other options for obtaining spare parts, 

for example as used parts? 

The number of models manufactured amounts to just 8,000 and 

the fact that the Z1 has been moving towards classic status for a 

number of years now means that this car is generally extremely well 

looked after. The option of cannibalizing a Z1 hardly ever arises, 

not even with a firm specializing in culling parts from old cars. That 

means that this source of parts is simply not available. 

If the part you happen to be looking for is one of the standard 

E30 parts built into the Z1 (for example in the engine), it’s 

definitely possible to make use of this option. But even if you’re 

dealing with what are supposed to be standard parts, you 

sometimes still need the instinct of a mechanic in order to 

make minor adjustments. 

Otherwise, there are virtually no other options for getting hold 

of the majority of parts specific to the Z1, such as the window-lift 

mechanism, headlamps, the outer panels with their thermo 

plastic elements, the seat elements and similar items through 

any sources other than those referred to. 

Incidentally, one objective of our club is to maintain the Z1 Roadster 

as closely as possible to its original status on the road to becoming a 

classic. This inevitably means that original manufacturer’s parts 

should always be used. 

How satisfied are you with the service you receive when ordering 

spare parts? Are there any suggestions for improvement that you 

would like to make? 

Basically, we’re very satisfied with this service. But as in all other 

areas of life, there’s always room for improvement. We’re in close 

contact with those responsible at BMW Group Mobile Tradition 

in order to solve any problems that crop up. We are extremely 

gratified that they are always ready to discuss any concerns and 

problems we may have. 

More attention needs to be paid to “quality assurance”. This is 

particularly important when suppliers of replica parts change, and 

it is crucial especially in the case of thermoplastic panelling or 

other sensitive elements. The importance of this aspect should 

not be underestimated. 

At this point, I should like to mention that the possibility of accessing 

the current status of replica parts production on the home page of BMW 

Group Mobile Tradition is a very welcome and indeed exemplary service 

for the Z1 and for other cars. 

We should like to thank you for your interview and wish you and all 

the other members of the BMW Z1 Club a good journey in the future. 


Paul Rosche: engine guru and downto-earth 

Bavarian 

20 years ago BMW won the Formula One World Championship with Brabham and Nelson Piquet and a BMW turbocharged engine. The engine was 

designed by Paul Rosche. He is one of the icons of motorsport, even though he has never projected a big profile as a person. 

When Bernie Ecclestone was asked 

about Paul Rosche, he once said: “Paul 

Rosche? He’s a great bloke. Like me, he’s 

one of the old guard. And I mean that 

both in terms of his character and his abilities 

as a designer. There’s a simple formula 

for both: you can rely on him.” The 

world of motorsport calls him “Camshaft 

Paul” and the stories about him are 

Paul Rosche of BMW Motorsport talking to Niki Lauda 

(McLaren). 

Quotes 

“Not only did Rosche have brilliant ideas, you could also have 

a glass of beer with him.” 

Niki Lauda 

“His great achievement is his vision, which he brings to fruition 

with his own inimitable discipline. His most outstanding feature 

is that he never gives up unless there’s a good reason.” 

Karl-Heinz Kalbfell 

“We go down on bended knees to have the privilege of driving 

one of his engines.” 

Keke Rosberg 

“One of Paul Rosche’s greatest strengths was improvisation. 

He had the unique talent of being able to set things in motion 

that appeared hopeless.” 

Dieter Quester 

“Quite simply, he’s a full-blooded engineer who possesses 

universal knowledge. There’s also something else that sets 

him apart: he always says ‘We’.” 

Joachim Winkelhock 

“For me, Einstein was a genius. I can’t be a genius because 

there’s no photograph of me sticking my tongue out.” 

Paul Rosche 

Page 16 

legion. Colleagues, friends and acquaintances 

are full of admiration for the 

Bavarian engine designer, whose legacy 

has lasted way beyond his retirement. We 

want to tell you a bit about him. 

From Kaiserstrasse to BMW 

Paul Rosche was born on 1 st April 1934 in 

Munich’s Kaiserstrasse. That makes him 

a genuine Bavarian. Paul started 

school in 1940, right in the 

midst of the Second World War. 

Later his parents sent him to a 

Jesuit school. 

When he finished at university, 

his mother insisted that he 

should start at BMW. “Look 

here, son, if BMW takes you, 

you’ll have a steady job for life,” 

was her opinion. And so when 

Paul Rosche graduated from the 

polytechnic on 1 st November 

1957, he started work at BMW. 

At that time, there were all of six 

people working in engine design 

at BMW. 

Those six people did everything 

– the engine block, pistons, 

timing chain, oil pump, 

camshaft and valve springs. And 

they did it well. But it was virtually 

impossible to get to bed 

before two o’clock at 

night in those early days. 

There simply weren’t 

enough trained people. 

Alexander Freiherr 

von Falkenhausen, boss 

and friend of Paul 

Rosche, discovered very 

quickly what a talented 

engineer he had among 

the people under his 

wing. Paul developed 

the first camshaft for his 

boss. Even if, as he 

always emphasized, “he 

didn’t have a clue about the geometrical 

form of an operational cam”. 

The first engines that Paul Rosche 

cut his teeth on were the V8 engines in 

the 502/507 Series. The first “real” challenges 

came in 1963: the legendary fourcylinder 

designated as Type 115. This 

was used not only in the BMW 1500, but 

shortly afterwards also generated 130 

bhp as the 118 (fitted with twin Solex carburettors) 

in the 1800 tisa. This sounded 

the starting pistol for a BMW success 

story in motorsport that continues up 

until the present day. 

At the end of 1968, Alexander von 

Falkenhausen decreed that a turbocharger 

should be used. He hoped that this 

would enable BMW to beat Porsche in 

the European Touring Championship. 

The “unloved” turbocharger 

At this time, no one really knew what they 

were letting themselves in for. There was 

virtually no information available then on 

exhaust turbochargers. The turbocharger 

had its debut at Snetterton in England 

and it was a disaster: the BMW 2002 

Turbo could be identified for miles around 

the racing circuit by a big cloud of black 

smoke. 

It was clear that things couldn’t stay 

like that. Paul Rosche and his team there- 

BMW leaves Formula Two: the black armbands were a 

silent protest by the BMW racing team in Neubiberg, 

1970.

Paul Rosche having a serious discussion with Hans-Joachim Stuck. For him, this is all about the Formula 2 World Championship. 

fore developed the supercharged engine 

until it was ready for volume production 

(BMW 2002 Turbo, 1972) – and as an 

engine that won races. Although he had 

never really liked turbocharged engines – 

he preferred four-cylinder aspirated 

engines – the BMW Turbo made his reputation 

as one of the world’s great engine 

designers 

Formula One – to be or not to be? 

Even when the turbocharger was on the 

test stand, Paul Rosche was wondering 

whether this didn’t offer potential for 

Formula One. The neat thing about it was 

that there seemed to be infinite potential 

for power. 

The idea that you could get into 

Formula One with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder 

straight engine (the cast-iron engine 

block came from volume production) was 

finally rejected by the BMW Board of 

Management after a lot of debating. But 

despite the thumbs down, Paul Rosche 

and his team continued. 

There was a sound tradition of disobeying 

orders like that at BMW when it 

came to motorsport construction. At the 

start of the 1970s, Rosche had successfully 

continued to work on racing engines 

in secret after the BMW Board of 

Management had announced they were 

quitting Formula 2. 

At that time, Paul Rosche and a 

group of like-minded colleagues, including 

Formula 2 star Dieter Quester, rented 

a dark garage in Hufelandstrasse. They 

put the racing car together outside regular 

working hours.. 

And that’s how six F2 European 

Championship titles came to Munich in 

the 1970s and more than 550 BMW 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Portraits 

Formula One engines were sold to interested 

teams. This success came with the 

blessing of a BMW Board of Management 

that was now sympathetic, and 

proud of the achievement. At the same 

Alexander von Falkenhausen talking to Dieter 

Basche, at that time racing director at BMW. 

On the right, Paul Rosche and Dieter Quester. 


Paul Rosche: down-to-earth engine guru 

time, BMW Motorsport GmbH was 

founded. Paul Rosche was the hero of the 

moment. 

Back to the turbocharged engine. 

The 1.4-litre turbocharged engine was 

based on the 4-cylinder volume-pro 

duction engine internally designated 

M12. This engine raced very success 

fully in the 3 Series BMW Tourer, finally 

packing a powerful 570 bhp, and Paul 

Rosche reckoned the time was ripe to get 

into Formula One. But the BMW Board of 

Management refused 

to sanction this after a 

lot of toing and froing, 

although BMW racing 

director Jochen Neerpasch 

had already 

established a very 

promising base with 

Niki Lauda as driver 

and McLaren as a 

team. 

Moreover, the F1 

engine M12/13 was 

virtually ready and to 

cap it all this was to 

be sold to France, 

with all rights, to 

Talbot which was still 

in existence as a man- 

ufacturer back then. 

In concert with 

new racing director 

Dieter Stappert, Paul Rosche finally persuaded 

the Board of Management to 

think things through again. 

After F1 is before F1 

The result was that BMW became 

Formula One World Champion with 

Brabham and Nelson Piquet in 1983. But 

there was more to it than that: they went 

down in the annals of Formula One as the 

first “Turbocharged World Champions”. 

Page 18 

Formula 1 for BMW and Rosche was then 

brought to an interim conclusion three 

years later in 1986, when BMW officially 

withdrew from Formula 1. 

From then on, Paul Rosche was head 

of Department E90, and he and his team 

developed racing engines for tourers that 

enjoyed success the world over, highperformance 

engines for BMW M vehicles 

and the twelve-cylinder “S70/3- 

GTR” for McLaren-F1. This was the 

exclusive super sports car for the road, 

Nelson Piquet never lost patience and always provided motivation for the 

BMW turbocharger project. 

“Paul Rosche. A brilliant engine designer” 

Anyone who wants to know more about how the M1 nearly took Paul 

Rosche to his grave or how telemetry was invented needs to read the 

book entitled “Paul Rosche. Ein genialer Motorenkonstrukteur” by Karl- 

Heinz Hufstadt (currently available in German). A wealth of pictures and 

contributions by Bernie Ecclestone, Niki Lauda, Norbert Haug and other 

big names in racing make this book an informative portrait of the famous 

Bavarian engine designer. 

Available from July 2003 onwards through your BMW dealer: 

VGS Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, PO box 101251, D-50 452 Cologne, 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2 21 2 08 11 31 

which was destined to win the first overall 

victory for BMW with a private team at Le 

Mans in June 1995. The world of motorsport 

was not just impressed with the 

fantastic 633 bhp and the even more fantastic 

727 newton metres of torque. The 

incomparable resilience of this engine 

was truly remarkable. 

It allowed the teams to drive for a full 

racing season with a single engine, 

including the Le Mans 24-hour race. This 

twelve-cylinder was modified further 

(BMW V 12 LMR) and in 1999 BMW landed 

the “victory of the millennium” against 

the strongest field that had ever competed 

in the Le Mans 24-hour race. 

Drivers Winkelhock, Dalmas and 

Martini drove the record distance of 

4,967.99 km at a record average speed 

of 207 km/h. Department E90 also 

developed the basis of the 3-litre V10 

engine with which BMW celebrated a 

successful comeback to Formula One in 

2000. When the BMW 

Board of Management 

decided on 11 th March 

1997 to develop an 

engine to go back into 

Formula One, Paul 

Rosche was given the 

brief to establish the 

logistics, infrastructure 

and personnel that such 

a venture required. 

A race engine department 

was set up on 

the old site of the BMW 

marine engine facility in 

the north of Munich, with 

around 200 jobs for highly 

qualified specialists. 

The Formula One engine 

was developed “alongside” 

and the idea of the 

M Roadster took shape in 

parallel. The third project involved the M 3 

being fitted with the 3-litre six-cylinder, 

internationally acclaimed as a “miracle 

engine” with more than 100 bhp per litre 

and a dream torque. 

A world first for electronic, variable 

camshaft control timing delivered exploding 

performance data and standard consumption 

of less than ten litres for 100 

kilometres. 

Rosche continues as a consultant 

When BMW finally restarted activities in 

Formula One, Paul Rosche was already 

well on the way to retiring officially. But 

everything that Paul Rosche had achieved 

in his life had been achieved with his team. 

They were real buddies who would go to 

the ends of the earth for him, and he could 

rely on them all his life. 

Today, he still has a well-equipped 

office in Munich’s Hanauer Strasse, where 

he continues to dream up engines as a 

consultant for BMW.

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Book launch 

From the BMW 3/15 PS in 1931 to the new 6 series Coupé 

– the fascination of the BMW Coupé in a book. 

The resounding success of the book entitled “BMW Coupés, A Tradition 

of Elegance” is now followed by an expanded new edition. 

Alongside the series of books BMW Dimensions and BMW 

Portraits, BMW Group Mobile Tradition has also been publishing 

books on the history of mobility since 1996, in the form of BMW 

Profiles. 

The fifth volume in this series was published in 1999: BMW 

Coupés, A Tradition of Elegance. The volume was written by 

Walter Zeichner, responsible for automobile history in the Historic 

Archives of BMW Group Mobile Tradition. This book focuses on 

one of the most sophisticated challenges in automotive design: 

the coupé. 

The book is in German and English and a new, considerably 

expanded edition is being published in September 2003. Apart 

from numerous new pictures, the content has been comprehensively 

updated and revised to present all the BMW Series 

Coupés that have been launched in recent years. 

The term coupé originally referred to a light, enclosed carriage 

in which two people sat facing in the direction of motion. 

This designation was already being used to describe a twoseater, 

enclosed motor vehicle in the second decade of the 20th 

century. 

BMW Profile 

“BMW Coupés, A Tradition of 

Elegance” 

Available from September 2003 onwards 

through your BMW dealer or from: HEEL Verlag 

GmbH, Gut Pottscheidt, D-53 639 Königswinter, 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2 22 39 23 00 

The epitome of a perfectly styled coupé: BMW 327/28. 

Since the 1930s, the term “coupé” has been synonymous with 

elegant, sporty automobiles. During that period, BMW created 

the 327 model, a coupé that aficionados described as one of the 

most beautiful automobiles in Germany during the 1930s. 

The book BMW Coupés, A Tradition of Elegance charts the 

path of all BMW coupés, starting with the BMW 3/15 ps DA 4 

Coupé from the 1930s, through the BMW 327 to the BMW 503 

designed by Graf Goertz. The 700 Coupé from the 1960s also 

had a big following among a wide range of buyers, as did the 

coupés from the New Class during the 1970s, the first 6 Series 

BMW during the 1980s and then the BMW 850i and the BMW 3 

Series Coupés during the 1990s. 

The last chapter is dedicated to the coupés in the new 

BMW 6 Series, which will be presented for the first time at the 

IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2003 – automobiles 

that bear impressive testimony to the long tradition of the BMW 

Coupé. 

Has this whetted your appetite? If so, you can buy the book 

from September 2003 from your BMW dealer or order it directly 

from Heel Verlag in Königswinter. 

Design drawings for the BMW 700 Coupé. It played an important role in the BMW story from 1959. 


Outbound journey: Homburg/Saar – Tehran, 6,200 km 

Homburg/ 

Saar 


The 12th of April 1956 is the big day. As 

the two intrepid travellers set off from 

Homburg in the Saarland, it is bucketing 

down. But anyone setting out for Persia 

isn’t going to be deterred by a shower. 

Indeed, the weather soon begins to 

steadily improve. By evening they have 

crossed Germany from west to southeast: 

525 kilometres on, they are in 

Traunstein, Bavaria, where they spend 

the night in a youth hostel. The next 

morning they have to replace the Hardy 

disc. This rubber doughnut on the 

Cardan shaft is causing a few problems 

and Hans Winter doesn’t want to take any 

risks. In Austria the R 25/2 faces its first 

acid test, but the fully loaded bike with 

just 12 brake horsepower masters the 9 

percent gradient of the 21-kilometre 

Pötschen Pass without any hitches. By 

evening they have reached Graz in eastern 

Austria. 

On day three they cross the border 

into Yugoslavia. Temperatures are gradually 

rising, and they make good progress 

on the motorway-like road. The locals are 

The journey takes its toll: Hans Winter in Syrian Desert. 

In 1956, 22-year-old agricultural student Hans Winter and his Persian friend Koorosh Eghbal decide to visit the latter’s family in Meshed, Iran. 

There’s just one little problem: the direct flight from Frankfurt to Tehran costs a hefty 2,013 marks. That is approximately the price of a BMW motorcycle, 

and Hans Winter happens to be the proud owner of just such a means of transport. So the two companions resolve to tackle the journey with 

Hans Winter’s R 25/2: a formidable challenge for man and machine. 

by Fred Jakobs, based on notes by Hans Winter 

Page 20 

Belgrade Skopie Istanbul Ankara 

Aleppo Baghdad 

Tehran 

astonished at the two bikers, and for the 

first time on this journey they experience 

generous hospitality. As the youth hostel 

is full up, some students organize two 

beds for them in their hall of residence. 

The travellers are also given the 

address of a friend in Istanbul where they 

can stay once they get there. Beyond 

Belgrade, the road conditions steadily 

worsen. There’s also a bit of trouble with 

the police after Hans Winter photographs 

a factory complex. They are detained at a 

police station for three hours before the

Return journey: Tehran – Homburg/Saar, 9,264 km 

film is developed and the corpus delicti 

edited out. This delay and road conditions 

that sometimes allow speeds of no 

more than 20 km/h mean that by evening 

they have clocked up a mere 183 kilometres. 

But there’s consolation in store. The 

family they stay with feed them well, and 

the youngsters in the village gather 

around their western portable radio. 

On the way to Skopje the next day, 

the road is flooded and the single-cylinder 

engine has a hard time coping with 

the masses of water. Towards evening 

they pitch their tent for the first time on 

this journey. The next day, having crossed 

Macedonia and reached Greek territory, 

they also spend the night in their tent. 

Now there are comfortable roads to 

savour: “They are flat and smooth as marble,” 

notes Hans Winter – a welcome 

improvement on the rough conditions in 

Yugoslavia. They take the coastal road 

and enjoy the views of the Mediterranean. 

In the evening they camp with a shepherd, 

who donates an extra four eggs to 

their evening meal. 

Improvised rubber component 

Day eight takes them back onto difficult 

roads and they encounter their first problems 

with the luggage rack, but these are 

rectifiable. During a brief stop along the 

coast, Hans Winter and Koorosh Eghbal 

manage to recharge their batteries, and 

by evening they have reached Turkey, 

where they camp near Edirne. The next 

day they head off in the direction of 

Istanbul, and it is on this leg that they 

have their first serious technical problems 

to contend with. 

Hans Winter notes in his diary: “Due 

to some fairly dusty roads, the rubber 

buffer of the Cardan shaft has worn 

down. We first search for the BMW representative 

in Istanbul, to which some 

helpful policemen direct us. To our dismay 

we discover that there’s no spare 

part available and that any imports are 

banned. In my mind’s eye I can see our 

trip ending right here. We’re in the middle 

of Istanbul and don’t know what’s 

going to happen next.” 

Koorosh Eghbal’s diary jottings are 

more radical: “Two idiots go on a journey 

to Persia. They make it to Istanbul, but 

First stage completed: Koorosh Eghbal on the 

autobahn near Munich. 

how they are meant to carry on from here 

nobody knows.” As the German consulate 

cannot help either, the two of them 

start making plans to continue by train or 

boat. But chance comes to their rescue: 

as they are asking their way through to 

the address they were given in Belgrade, 

they meet the German manager of 

Istanbul’s Deutz agency at the harbour. 

After they have described their problem 

to him, he immediately offers to help out. 

They accompany him to his repair shop, 

where he takes a vehicle piston and 

shapes it into a mould that will later be 

filled with rubber. This is also an opportunity 

to do some welding work on the luggage 

rack and the exhaust. The workers 

put in extra time, and when the students 

discover they will not accept any payment 

for it, it gives them renewed confidence 

for the continuation of their journey. 

The next day the Deutz agent takes 

them to a rubber 

factory. The owner 

of the plant even 

speaks a little 

German and, after 

a brief consultation, 

he requisitions 

one of the 

production 

machines. By 5 

p.m. Hans Winter 

has a new rubber 

component in his 

hand. He asks for 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Motorcycles 

Tehran Tabris Erzurum Sivas Ankara Istanbul 

Napels Genoa Grenoble 

Alexandroupolis Athens Brindisi 

a second buffer as a reserve, but the 

Turk is so convinced of the quality of the 

part that he gives Hans Winter a verbal 

guarantee for several tens of thousands 

of kilometres. The German doesn’t want 

to offend the businessman – who similarly 

refuses to accept any money for his 

efforts – and, with a heavy heart, desists 

from pressing him for a spare. It 

emerges in due course that the manufacturer 

was not exaggerating – the rubber 

disc will survive even the most rigorous 

conditions over a distance of more 

than 20,000 kilometres. 

Once the two companions have 

crossed into the Asian part of Turkey, the 

next bad tidings await them: the border 

crossing to Persia is closed. They decide 

to drive through Syria and Iraq, which 

involves a major detour that will also 

takes them through the desert. They 

pitch their tent on the land of a family in 

BMW motorcycles for long-distance travel 

Whereas globetrotters of the 1950s had to make do with ordinary road 

models, BMW today has dedicated enduro bikes in its range. The flagship is 

the R 1150 GS Adventure. A comparison with Hans Winter’s R 25/2: 

Displacement 

Output 

Transmission 

Tank capacity 

Ground clearance 

Kerb weight 

Price 

Bike wash: flooded roads in Yugoslavia. 

BMW R 25/2 BMW R 1150 GS Adventure 

(1951) (2003) 

Homburg/ 

Saar 

247 cc 1,130 cc 

12 bhp at 5,800 rpm 62,5 kW (85 bhp) at 6,750 rpm 

4-speed 6-speed 

12 l 30 l (special option) 

92 mm 200 mm 

142 kg 232 kg 

1,990 marks 11,500 euros 



Tuzla, where they are plied with milk, 

cheese and meat stew. As the daughter 

speaks a little English, some conversation 

is possible. Although the family urge 

them to stay on for a few days, the two 

students say farewell the next day and by 

nightfall are 50 kilometres outside 

Ankara. Here, too, they are given food by 

the local villagers. As it is a public holiday, 

the consulates in Ankara are closed, 

so they have to wait an extra day to get 

their visas for Syria and Iraq. During the 

night an armed policeman insists on 

keeping guard over their tent. In order to 

gain time, the two bikers decide to travel 

through the night. The radio, which they 

now use for the first time while on the 

invited is a welcome balm for body and 

soul. The next day they plan to cross the 

Syrian Desert, even though they do not 

have a geographical map, never mind a 

road map, for this region. The locals try to 

talk them out of this plan, urging them 

instead to take a roundabout route via 

Damascus and Jordan. But they stick to 

their resolve, not wanting to add another 

1,000-kilometre detour to their journey. 

It turns out to be the worst day’s journey 

so far. Apart from the heat, they have 

the sand to contend with, which gets 

absolutely everywhere. The last 100 kilometres 

are sheer hell. There’s no marked 

route, and only the telegraph poles serve 

as a guide. It takes them six hours to cover 

Sand, gravel and dust: in the Iraqi desert, telegraph poles are the only means of orientation. 

move, helps pass the long, dark hours. 

They reach the coast at dawn, and an 

extensive swimming break soon helps 

them forget the rigours of the night. In the 

afternoon they continue on towards Syria, 

and then things start to get painful for 

Hans Winter. He got badly sunburnt in the 

morning, and the next few days turn into 

an ordeal for him. In the Syrian city of 

Aleppo they set up camp for the night. By 

this time Hans Winter can hardly walk. 

The lavish meal to which they have been 

Homeward bound through Greece: camping 

on a deserted beach. 

Page 22 

the distance across gravel, sand and 

dried-out river beds. They overnight at a 

customs house on the Iraqi border, 4,630 

kilometres from home. The next day, too, 

the telegraph poles are their only means of 

orientation as they ride through more gravel 

and dust. When they come to an oasis 

on the Euphrates towards evening and fortify 

themselves with tea, dates, figs, bread 

and milk, it feels like being on a South Sea 

island in the middle of the desert. 

The journey then continues on 

towards Baghdad. Floods force them to 

avoid the main road, so they hit the desert 

once more and have to unload the bike 

several times again and carry it across 

ditches and through deep mud. When 

they reach Baghdad at day’s end, it is so 

hot that the tar is sticking to the tyres. 

They camp in a nearby village and one of 

the locals sleeps on the roof of the house 

to keep guard over them. On 29th April 

they embark on the last stage of their jour- 

ney to Tehran. They quickly reach the 

Iraqi-Persian border, and up in the mountains 

the two friends encounter the first 

rainfall since they left Germany. Then the 

roads deteriorate again, and oil tanker lorries 

thundering past add a further hazard 

to the journey. When locals tell them 

Tehran isn’t far off, they decide to ride 

through the night once more. 

But they have underestimated the 

distance, and by the next morning the 

capital is still not in sight. The luggage 

rack is now falling apart, and a lorry driver 

offers to take their gear to Tehran for 

them. The final kilometres take an eternity, 

with the traffic steadily building up and 

a strong wind demanding a herculean 

effort to keep the motorcycle on the road. 

On 30th April, at almost 10 o’clock at 

night, they finally get to Tehran. The 6,200 

kilometres have left their mark: both are 

utterly exhausted, and Hans Winter is 

coming down with a fever. 

The trip count: 15,500 kilometres 

After spending a few days in the Persian 

capital, they take the bus to Meshed near 

the border with Afghanistan. The motorcycle 

stays in Tehran with the BMW agent, 

who will give it a thorough servicing. For 

the two students, their arduous journey is 

followed by a two-month holiday before 

they return to Tehran and embark on their 

homeward trip. Koorosh Eghbal chooses 

to fly back, while Hans Winter puts his 

faith firmly in his overhauled BMW again. 

His return journey, on which he visits 

the sights of southern Europe, covers 

9,000 kilometres – half as much again as 

the outbound trip. He manages it in just 

three weeks. Back in Germany, 

the odometer reading shows 

15,500 kilometres more than 

at the start of this adventurous 

odyssey. 

Hans Winter had a map of the Middle 

East for his return trip.

“My father thought I’d taken leave of my senses.” 

Professor Koorosh Eghbal and Hans Winter 

on their Persian journey 

Mobile Tradition live: When you began planning 

your journey to Iran, what was the reaction of 

your family? 

Winter: Negative all round. They all thought it 

was far too dangerous. 

Eghbal: My entire family warned me against 

going on this journey, my father thought I’d 

taken leave of my senses, and my mother cried 

the whole time until she knew I had reached Tehran. 

Winter: But I have to say that we were very starry-eyed about 

undertaking such a trip at the time, and our families’ scepticism was 

partly justified. 

In what way? 

Winter: For example, we didn’t have any spare parts with us, not even 

a spark plug or a spare tyre. And we only had a road map for Europe that 

stopped just beyond Istanbul. We planned to buy a map of the Middle 

East in Turkey, because we thought they would have better ones there 

than in Germany. As it turned out, we couldn’t find a single one 

anywhere in Turkey, which meant we more or less had to rely on the 

road signs and directions from locals. For the return journey, my father 

sent a map to Persia for me. 

Luckily you didn’t have any major breakdowns. 

Winter: First of all, I have to say that I had total confidence in my bike. 

I had stinted myself for years in order to realize my dream of having my 

very own motorcycle. Every month I would put aside my apprentice’s 

earnings of around 25 to 30 marks, and I saved all the money gifts I 

got on my birthday and other occasions. My father gave me a mark for 

each one that I saved. When I had got all the money together and 

finally went to the BMW dealer to pick up my motorcycle, you can imagine 

I took the greatest possible care of it. In my tremendous pride – and 

for all our naïvety about the trip – I simply couldn’t imagine the BMW 

not lasting the course. 

Eghbal: This machine was unique, very robust and reliable. You just 

can’t imagine what we put that motorcycle through. There were two of 

us, after all, and we had a lot of luggage as well – not just our tent, 

but all the rest of our gear, including a gas cooker and a battery-powered 

radio-cum-record player. The bike really stood up to an awful lot, 

especially on the dirt tracks in Turkey, Iraq and Iran. 

Coming back to your preparations once more, what did your planning look 

like? 

Eghbal: We didn’t really have much of a plan. We just rode when we felt 

like it and then stopped and rested when we didn’t want to go any further, 

or couldn’t go on. 

Did you take it in turns to ride the bike? 

Eghbal: Not at all. Hans rode the whole distance and I was the pillion 

passenger. I have every admiration for the way he got through that 

journey. 

What were your most touching experiences? 

Eghbal: The friendliness of the people ... 

Winter:... and their unstinting helpfulness 

Hans Winter Prof. Dr. Koorosh Eghbal 

BMW Group Mobile Tradition: Motorcycles 

– what hospitality means to these people. 

Virtually everywhere we went, we were invited 

to meals, and often people would also give 

us petrol as well. If we asked permission to 

pitch our tent somewhere, we were never 

turned down. On the contrary, several times 

we were invited to spend the night inside the 

house. 

What was the greatest challenge during 

the journey? 

Winter: Above all the condition of the roads. 

In Syria and Iraq especially, we were travelling 

on terrain without the remotest sign of a marked 

route. Often we had to carry the motorcycle across ditches – after unloading 

all our luggage, of course. Once we covered just 100 kilometres in six 

hours. On top of it all there was the heat, which I just wasn’t used to. Then I 

got myself badly 

sunburnt while swimming in the sea off Turkey. It was incredibly painful 

during the desert stretches we subsequently covered in Syria and Iraq. 

Do you have any regrets? 

Eghbal: I don’t regret anything. It was wonderful. 

Winter: If there’s anything I regret, it’s that we didn’t savour the journey 

enough. Our aim was to get to our destination as quickly as possible, 

and we didn’t take enough time out to enjoy the surroundings or to take 

part in the daily life of the people along the way. 

Almost 50 years have passed since that trip. Did the two of you stay in 

touch over that period? 

Eghbal: Once we got back to Germany, Hans went to Bonn and I began 

my degree in agricultural science at Giessen in 1957. I also did my doctorate 

there before returning home to Iran. After the revolution there, I 

left the country illegally and, until my retirement two years ago, I was 

professor and coordinator of ecological farming at the University of 

Hohenheim. It was only when I came back to Germany that we tracked 

each other down again. 

If a young person today was planning a similar journey and asked 

you for your advice, what would you recommend them or warn them 

against? 

Eghbal: In principle, I would always support such a trip. However, many 

countries aren’t so safe to travel in any more, as recent events in Algeria 

have shown. 

Winter: I would also encourage young people to travel, but I agree that 

the dangers in our day are different. Modern motorcycles definitely have 

better running gear and far more powerful engines. Plus you’ve got 

better maps, satellite navigation and communications equipment that 

can help in the event of a breakdown. On the other hand, we experienced 

real hospitality back then, whereas today you’re likely to encounter 

aggressive begging all the way to extortion or even ambushes. But you 

gather experiences on such a journey which can have an effect on the 

rest of your life and which you wouldn’t want to have missed. 

Talking about the rest of your life, Mr Winter, the trip did indeed have a 

long-term effect, did it not? 

Winter:That’s right. There was one family we stayed with in Turkey and 

with whom I corresponded after the trip. I subsequently visited the 

family several times and by chance met a woman there on one of the 

trips. In 1962 I married that woman in Turkey and we went back to 

live in Germany. We’re happily married to this day.

Mobile Tradition live - BMW Car Club Brasil

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