BMW 327
The BMW 327 is a medium-sized touring coupé produced by Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) in 1937-1941 and 1946–1955.
The first BMW 327, a cabriolet, was launched in 1937. The following year, a fixed head coupé was added to the lineup.
The BMW 327 was based on a shortened version of the chassis for the BMW 326 (a medium-sized sedan). In addition to being shorter, the BMW 327 was also lower than the 326 sedan. Yet, you could definitely see similarities between the two, such as the distinct “BMW grill” and the aerodynamically streamlined shape.
A total of 1,965 BMW 327 were built 1937-1941, of which 1,396 had the base engine. The production rate after the war was more modest, with a total of 505 rolled out in 1946-1955.
The BMW 327 was assembled in Eisenach, a city that a few years after the end of World War II became a part of the newly formed East Germany (DDR). The BMW automobile factory had only been partly destroyed during the war, so production could be resumed pretty quickly once the war was over. This included assembly of the 327 cars. The Soviet Union, who was in control of the area, did not wish to return the Eisenach factory Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW), a company headquartered in Munich, in West Germany. The cars produced in the Eisenach factory after the war were therefore not under the control of the BMW company. BMW protested against the continued use of the BMW brand for such cars, and in 1952 it was decided that cards produced in the Eisenach factory would be badged EMW (Eisenacher Motoren Werke) instead of BWM. The badge was also changed from the blue and white roundel associated with BMW to a red and white roundel. It is unclear how many of the 505 post-war 327s that were produced before the badge change.
Info about the BMW 327
| Class | Grand tourer |
| Available body styles | 2-door coupé 2-door cabriolet |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Curb weight | 1,100 kg |
| Engine | 1971 cc M78 I6 (for the BWM 327)
1971 cc M328 I6 (for the BMW 327/28) |
| Transmission | 4 speed manual |
| Advertised top speed | 125 km/h |
For the BWM 327, BMW used the same gear box, clutch, hydraulic brake control, and front suspension system as for the BMW 326. The live axle was the same as for the BMW 320.
Engine
The BMW 327 used the BMW M78 straight-6 engine (1971 cc M78 I6).
This was a version of the 326 engine that had been given a new cylinder head and the power had been boosted to 55 bhp (41 kW; 56 PS) at 4500 rpm. (Compression ratio: 6.3:1.)
The 327/328
The BMW 327/328 car was an extra powerful model that came with the M328 engine (1971 cc M328 I6). Up to 1940, a total of 569 BMW 327/328 were manufactured.