Despite its diminutive size, the BMW 700 is one of the most significant models in the Munich firm’s illustrious history.

Conceived by automotive engineer and BMW importer Wolfgang Denzel and styled by none other than Giovanni Michelotti, the microcar was responsible for guiding BMW through one of the manufacturer’s most turbulent periods.

The model accounted for 58 per cent of BMW’s revenue in its first full year of production, and its success is credited with staving off a potential takeover by rival Mercedes-Benz.

The 700 represented forward-thinking design from the outset, with a steel monocoque chassis—a BMW first—housing a rear-mounted 697 cc flat-twin based on that of the R67 motorcycle.

Both Coupé and Saloon versions made their debut at the 1959 Frankfurt Motor Show, garnering interest that led to some 35,000 examples being built in 1960.

Chassis 166540 was first registered on 21 November 1960.

The car changed hands in 1972, 1973, and 1975, always staying in the Essen area...