The pre-war era of automotive manufacturing saw the likes of Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Bugatti, and Mercedes-Benz typify the age with powerful-yet-complex performance machines.

By contrast, the BMW 328 emerged in 1936 as a meticulously engineered, lightweight, well-balanced, and surprisingly user-friendly racer in a time when such qualities rarely transferred to cars intended for the motorsport track.

Entering production in April 1936, the 328 was extensively campaigned by BMW’s Works team at contemporary racing events.

The very first car, chassis number 85001, was driven by Ernst Henne to 1st overall at the Eifelrennen Nürburgring, while in April 1937, the first customer cars were delivered.

A combination of factory and privateer cars were entered into subsequent races, with both scoring notable victories in the late 1930s at the Grand Prix des Frontières, Bucharest Grand Prix, and Eläintarhanajo in Finland.

In 1938, the 328 was victorious at some 125 events, including 1-2-3 finishes ...