BMW killed the Glas 1700 in Germany — then quietly kept it alive in South Africa, grafting its own engine and nose onto the same Frua-designed body for years.
Lead trim: 1700 1,682 cc SOHC four (80 PS, 1964–1965) · up to 84 hp
Glas 17001964–1967
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Glas 1700 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactBMW killed the Glas 1700 in Germany — then quietly kept it alive in South Africa, grafting its own engine and nose onto the same Frua-designed body for years.
The Glas 1700 is a middle-class four-door saloon produced by Hans Glas GmbH at Dingolfing, the prototype first presented as the Glas 1500 in September 1963 at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the 1290 cc engine bored out to 1489 cc (a claimed 70 PS). Developed by Frua of Moncalieri (whose similar Hansa 1300 for Borgward never entered volume production), it featured the Hofmeister kink; series production started in August 1964 following the annual holiday shutdown, the engine now enlarged to 1682 cc by a longer stroke with a claimed 80 PS (59 kW) at 4,800 rpm and a quoted 150 km/h (93 mph), with automatic transmission advertised though the first car with it was built only in 1966. In September 1965 claimed power rose to 85 PS (63 kW) at 4900 rpm and top speed to 155 km/h (96 mph). Glas never had the capital to expand production; 13,792 Glas 1700 saloons were produced (including 928 TS and 284 automatics) until BMW, which took over Glas in 1966, ended it in December 1967, the Frua body living on in South Africa as the BMW 1800 GL and 2000 GL (1968–1973), later BMW 1804/2004 and, assembled in Rhodesia, the BMW Cheetah. Wheelbase 2,500 mm (98 in), length 4,415 mm (173.8 in), width 1,610 mm (63 in), height 1,390 mm (55 in) loaded.
Collectors Spotted in the Glas 1700 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Glas 1700 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1700 1,682 cc SOHC four (80 PS, 1964–1965) | 1964–1965 | 1.7 L Inline-4 | 79 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 1700 1,682 cc SOHC four (85 PS, 1965–1967) | 1965–1967 | 1.7 L Inline-4 | 84 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Glas chased more power from the 1700 TS without touching its displacement — just twin carbs and a compression bump to 9.5:1 or 9.7:1, banking on Western Europe's newly available higher-octane fuel.
BMW killed the Glas 1700 in Germany — then quietly kept it alive in South Africa, grafting its own engine and nose onto the same Frua-designed body for years.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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