Grey Ghost – BMW 1600 Neue Klasse – Video
“This car draws people’s attention—mostly its vintage folks—usually 2002 owners, they say, ‘I love your 2002’ and then they realize it has four doors and the whole Neue Klasse’ story comes into play,” says Jim Huff, the owner of this rarely-seen BMW.
What is this small BMW sedan? It’s a 1600 ‘Neue Klasse’, so-named for the “new class” of cars that the company developed to save the company in the early ’60s. This car led directly to the company’s longstanding success in touring car racing, which was literally born from the 1600’s incredible performances by privateer racers in Europe. After stumbling on the car a few times—including in a gift from his wife—Huff decided to find one of his own.
“I was seeking knowledge, and trying to find one,” said Huff. He found this example on Craigslist, saying, “I wasn’t going to walk away without getting that car in some shape or form.”
“This car gets used in several ways. It does highway runs…it gets driven on the backroads of California quite a bit,” he says. “In my own right, with a group of friends that drive Alfas, Porsches, you name it—we drive the backroads alone, once or twice a month. This car’s geared to hang.”
Huff’s future plans for his Neue Klasse? To drive it, of course.
BMW 1600 Specs:
| Engine manufacturer: | BMW M116 (M10-series) |
| Engine type: | spark-ignition 4-stroke |
| Fuel type: | petrol (gasoline) |
| Fuel system: | carburetor |
| Charge system: | naturally aspirated |
| Valves per cylinder: | 2 |
| Valves timing: | |
| Additional features: | Solex 38PDSI |
| Emission control: | |
| Emission standard: | |
| Cylinders alignment: | Line 4 |
| Displacement: | 1573 cm3 / 96.4 cui |
| What power? | |
| Horsepower net: | 62.5 kW / 85 PS / 84 hp (DIN) |
| Torque net: | 124 Nm / 91 ft-lb |
| Horsepower gross: | 70.5 kW / 96 PS / 95 hp (SAE) |
| Torque gross: | |
| Car power to weight ratio net: | 67.9 watt/kg / 30.8 watt/lb |
| Car weight to power ratio net: | 14.7 kg/kW / 10.8 kg/PS / 24.1 lbs/hp |
Curb weight (without a driver):
920 kg / 2028 lbs
Weight distribution f/r (%):
Dry weight:
Shipping weight:
Curb weight estimated:
Gross vehicle weight rating GVWR:
1320 kg / 2910 lbs
Payload:
400 kg / 882 lbs
Payload estimated:
| Top speed: | 169 km/h / 105 mph |
| 0-60 mph (sec): | 12.1 |
| 0-100 km/h (sec): | 12.8 |