In 1966, after two years of the introduction of the “New Class Sedan” in the BMW lineup, a more affordable version was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show: the 1600-2 coupe.
While it was known mostly as 1600, the -2 characters meant that the car featured two doors. Even if the general design concept was similar to the bigger brother 1600, it featured a different style. The lead designer was Wilhelm Hofmeister, the man responsible for that particular shape of the C-pillars in all the BMW vehicles since the mid-’60s. A Baur cabriolet version was offered to the market and in 1971 a so-called Touring version in the form of a three-door hatchback was on the sales list. The Touring was produced only a year due to its very low sales.

With a low height, a balanced design, and a tall greenhouse, the 1600 coupe was light, nimble and affordable. Its two round headlights were standard but some versions were offered with four round headlights. The interior was cramped for four occupants but offered enough room for two in the front.

The engine was taken from the 1600 model with four doors, but with a different carburetor. It was mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox. It offered only 96 hp. A year later, a new version was introduced: the 1600 TI that offered 110 hp. It was a revelation for the light, 960 kg (2,116 lbs) car. A 3-speed automatic was offered as an option. For some markets, the little 1600 received a 2.0-liter engine since 1971

BMW introduced the 4-door 1500 sedan at the 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show.
This brand new model featured a quite innovative design and, added with its excellent suspension and powerplant ratings, became the German manufacturer’s best-sold model at the time (also saving the company from bankruptcy). The 1500 brought BMW worldwide recognition and was sold with 9500 marks, around 4.800 EUR, but definitely had a greater value in the ‘60s.

The German producer felt the need to design a medium sized car, however, money was not enough at that time, until the 1959 when they started to design the 1500 model.The BMW 1500 later served as a base model for the more powerful 1800ti and 1600ti models, together with their derivative versions. Its C-pillar featured an innovative ‘Hofmeister kink’ design, meaning a low-forward bend separating the rear window from the rear glass. Its 4-cylinder 1.5-liter unit was able to deliver around 80 hp and was later redeveloped for the 1800 and 1600 models.

The BMW 1500 could go up to 150 km/h and delivered excellent performances compared to its competitors. The car rocketed to 100 km/h in 12.6 seconds. The interior was designed in such a way to provide both functionality and a clean, sophisticated look.
The BMW 1500 was appraised for its all-round visibility, sportiness and luggage space, although the first models were developing some issues like the separation of the semi-trailing arm mounts from the body and rear axle failures. All in all, the car offered both comfort and reliability.
In 1972, the 1500 was discontinued and BMW unveiled the 5 series.