BMW 700 in Romania

Astazi BMW 700 e o masina aproape uitata. Dar are o parte importanta in istoria marcii din Bayern: intre 1959 si 1965, productia acestei masinute, ieftine si populare, a salvat firma BMW, care era aproape de faliment.

Si au existat si in Romania! Pozele arata exemplare berlina (Poiana Brasov 1968, Timisoara 2011), si coupe (Bals 1999, Hunedoara 2015).

Din pacate, slabe sanse ca vreun 700 autohton sa fi salvat / salvabil.

 

Today the BMW 700 is an almost forgotten car. But it has an important part in the marque's history: between 1959 and 1965, production of this popular little car saved the firm, which had been close to bankruptcy.

Ad they existed in Romania, too. Photos show the saloon (Poiana Brasov 1968, Timisoara 2011) and coupe (Bals 1999, Hunedoara 2015) versions.

Sadly, it's unlikely that a Romanian 700 will be saved - or indeed saveable.

Chitanta din 1936 / Receipt from 1936

Un document rar: o chitanta din 1936 pentru vanzarea unei masini marca "Vipet", la suma de 6,000 lei. "Vipet" e de fapt "Whippet", marca apartinand firmei americane Willys-Overland. Autoturismele Whippet au fost produse intre 1926 si 1931. Numarul de motor ne spune ca e vorba de un model Whippet 96A, din 1929. E de fapt o greseala in chitanta, motorul fiind nu de 10, ci de 40, cai putere, propulsand masina pana la 96/km/h. Un exemplar model 96 din 1928, din Cernauti, se afla in poza 2. Un 96A din 1929 e in poza 3.

Remarcam pretul extrem de ieftin, ceea ce insemna ca un invatator de la tara isi putea permite o masina, chiar una veche. In 1936, un Fiat 500 nou costa 95,000 lei; un Opel Olympia era 125,000 lei; iar un Chrysler incepea la 185,000 lei. Tot in 1936, 1 dolar american era 136 lei. Salariile medii lunare erau aproximativ 2,000 lei - crescand la 10,000 lei pentru un medic si peste 30,000 lei pentru un ministru.

A rare document: a receipt from 1936 for the sale of a "Vipet" automobile, for 6,000 lei. "Vipet" is actually "Whippet", a subsidiary brand of the US firm Willys-Overland, produved between 1926 and 1031. The engine number indicates this is a Whippet 96A from 1929. There is one type - the horsepower was not 10hp but 4ph, taking the Whippet up to a top speed of 60mph. A model 96 from 1928, registered in Cernauti, is in photo 2. Photo 3 shows a 96A from 1929.

Notable is the extremely cheap price, enabling a primary school teacher from the coutnryside to get a car - albeit an old one. By comparison, in 1936 a new Fiat 500 cost 95,000 lei. An Opel Olympia was 125,000, and a new Chrysler started at 185,000. One US dollar exchanged for 136 lei. The average monthly salary was around 2,000 lei, rising to 10,000 for a doctor and over 30,000 for a Government minister.