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Glas V8
View on Wikipedia| Glas V8 (1966–1967) BMW-Glas V8 (after July 1967) | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Hans Glas GmbH |
| Also called | Glas 2600 |
| Production | July 1966 – May 1968 666 built |
| Assembly | West Germany: Dingolfing |
| Designer | Pietro Frua |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,500 mm (98.4 in) |
| Length | 4,600 mm (181.1 in) |
| Width | 1,750 mm (68.9 in) |
| Height | 1,380 mm (54.3 in) (loaded) |
The Glas V8 is a V8-engined coupé produced by Hans Glas GmbH at Dingolfing. The car was first presented in September 1965 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where it became nicknamed the "Glaserati" because of its Frua design, which shared many themes with contemporary Maseratis.
The V8 shared its wheelbase with the company's existing Glas 1700 sedan, resulting in long overhangs at each end which some commentators felt compromised the aesthetics of the striking design and the car's road holding.[1]
Development
[edit]The manufacturer took the decision in 1964 to build on the popularity of the existing Glas GT and produce a six-cylinder GT coupé. The intention was later to add a sports saloon to the range based on the new coupé.
However, the company's finances were already precarious and to save on development costs it was decided instead to use the manufacturer's 1290 cc four-cylinder engine as the basis for a new V8 engine, which is why the size of the new engine, at 2580 cc, was precisely twice that of the existing engine. The engine had two overhead camshafts — one for each bank of cylinders — and these were driven using two cam belts.
The contract for the car's design again went to Frua of Moncalieri, with the proviso that as far as possible they should avoid the requirement to design new components where existing parts might be obtained from other manufacturers. The resulting design, therefore, featured, among its many “borrowed” components headlights from a Setra bus, window winder mechanisms from a Mercedes-Benz 230SL and the door locks of a Porsche 911. The bodywork was built by hand, with moving parts such as the doors and bonnets as well as the chrome trim stripe at top of the grille, being made to fit each individual body. All such parts thus carry the chassis number of each car and mean that they are not directly interchangeable between cars.[2]
The design presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1965 was seen as sensational, its similarity to the Maserati Quattroporte (another Frua design) earning the new Glas coupé the sobriquet “the Glaserati”.
2600 V8
[edit]Following a familiar pattern with Glas new model launches, it was nearly a year later, in July 1966, that new V8s started to emerge from the Glas plant at Dingolfing. The 2580 cc engine produced a claimed maximum power output of 110 kW (150 PS; 148 hp), which was sufficient to take the full four-seater up to a maximum speed of 198 km/h (123 mph) where conditions on the country's rapidly growing Autobahn highway network allowed. Thanks to the hydraulic struts developed by Boge, this was the first production car in Germany to feature self-levelling suspension. Failure to match the targeted 200 km/h (126 mph) maximum speed were attributed to "problems" involving the carburetors.
BMW-Glas 3000 V8
[edit]
By February 1966 Glas were running a prototype V8 with the engine bored out to 2982 cc (literally a doubled up version of the 1489 cc unit found in some versions of the company's Glas GT) and a three way carburetor. This version offered maximum power output of 118 kW (160 PS) and according to some sources now managed to top the 200 km/h (126 mph) maximum specified in the original brief for the car. In a 1967 test by Auto Motor und Sport, only 193.3 km/h (120.1 mph) was attained.[2] During 1966 a 3.2 litre engined version providing maximum power output of 129 kW (175 PS) was also under development, but 1966 was the year when the company's precarious finances drove a crisis that resulted, in September 1966, in a take-over by BMW. The 3.2 litre Glas V8 never entered production.
With the Glas model range now under the control of BMW, the Glas company's former rivals, production of the 2600 V8 Glas was ended in August 1967, (although the model continued to be listed until December). In September the 3000 V8 developed under Glas management the previous year appeared on the market, virtually unchanged, except that it carried a BMW badge on the bonnet/hood and was branded as the BMW-Glas 3000 V8. Production of this model ended in May 1968, however, and exactly a year after its appearance it was delisted in September 1968. In contrast with their treatment of the smaller Glas GT, BMW resisted any temptation to give the BMW branded BMW-Glas 3000 V8 a BMW style “twin kidney” grill.
Production
[edit]
When the car first appeared at the 1965 motor show, the projected price was a sensationally low DM18,000. By the time cars were available for sale, in 1966, the price was DM19,400, which was still seen as a very competitive price for a low-volume specialist GT. In terms of volumes, sources differ: According to Werner Oswald, the company produced 277 of the 2600 V8s with smaller engines and 389 of the more powerful 3000 V8s.[3]
Sources and further reading
[edit]- ^ Oswald, Werner (2001). Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, volume 4 (in German). Motorbuch Verlag. pp. 454, 466 & 467. ISBN 3-613-02131-5.
- ^ a b Woytal, Bernd (July 2017). "Glanznummer" [Big number]. Motor Klassik (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motor Presse Stuttgart. pp. 123–125. ISSN 0177-8862.
- ^ Oswald, Werner (2001). Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, volume 4 (in German). Motorbuch Verlag. p. 467. ISBN 3-613-02131-5.
- Hanns-Peter Rosellen: Vom Goggomobil zum Glas V8. Zyklam-Verlag Frankfurt 1985.
- Wiedmaier, Michael (2015). GLAS 2600 & 3000 (in German). Freilassing: WKP-Verlag. ISBN 9783980727174.
This entry is based on information from the German Wikipedia Glas V8 article.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Glas 2600 at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to BMW-Glas 3000 at Wikimedia Commons
Glas V8
View on GrokipediaDevelopment
Concept and Origins
In the early 1960s, Hans Glas GmbH experienced significant growth amid West Germany's post-war economic boom, expanding from its roots in agricultural machinery and small vehicles like the Goggomobil to a broader lineup of sedans and coupes, reaching a workforce of around 4,000 employees by mid-decade.[4][5] This success, particularly with the 1963-launched Glas 1300 GT coupe—a stylish halo model praised for its performance and design—encouraged the company to pursue higher-end offerings to elevate its market position.[5] By 1964, Glas decided to develop a V8-powered grand tourer as part of its strategy to transition from compact economy cars to the luxury segment, aiming to compete with established Italian brands like Maserati through a more prestigious, performance-oriented vehicle.[4] To achieve this, the company commissioned Italian designer Pietro Frua in 1964 to style the prototype, drawing inspiration from elegant Italian grand tourers such as the Maserati Quattroporte, resulting in a sleek, boxy coupe that earned the nickname "Glaserati" from the press.[4][6] Frua completed the prototype by May 1965, marking Glas's first foray into V8 engineering and building on the underpinnings of the Glas GT for cost efficiency.[4] The concept debuted publicly at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1965, where it generated considerable interest as a bold step toward luxury grand touring, though Glas's limited capital posed challenges to realizing its ambitions.[6][5]Engineering Innovations
The Glas V8's powertrain represented a bold engineering endeavor by Hans Glas GmbH, culminating in the creation of an all-new V8 engine derived from the company's existing inline-four designs. Engineers combined two 1,300 cc four-cylinder units from the Glas 1300/1700 series, mounting them at a 90-degree angle on a shared cast-iron crankcase with aluminum cylinder heads to form a compact 2,600 cc V8, later enlarged to 3,000 cc. This configuration featured dual overhead camshafts—one per cylinder bank—marking an advanced valvetrain setup for a European production engine of the era, with belt drive to the camshafts, each operating two valves per cylinder for the four cylinders in its bank. The result was a lightweight yet robust power unit, emphasizing smooth operation and high-revving capability suitable for a grand tourer.[7][8] A key innovation in the engine's design was the adoption of plastic timing belts to drive the overhead camshafts, building on Glas's pioneering work in the 1962 Glas 1004, which introduced the world's first mass-produced engine with such a system. These belts, reinforced for durability and quiet operation, replaced traditional metal chains for the camshaft timing, reducing noise, vibration, and maintenance needs while enhancing reliability in a high-performance application. Complementing this, the engine incorporated chain-driven auxiliary components for precise synchronization, further minimizing wear and contributing to the V8's refined character. This combination of belt and chain elements underscored Glas's focus on balancing innovation with practicality, setting a precedent for future overhead-cam engines in production vehicles.[9] The chassis engineering prioritized superior handling and load stability for the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, beginning with a front independent suspension using double wishbones, coil springs, and telescopic shock absorbers. This setup provided precise wheel control and responsive steering, optimized for the car's grand touring dynamics. At the rear, a De Dion axle with radius arms and a Panhard rod was paired with semi-elliptic leaf springs, but the standout feature was the self-leveling hydropneumatic struts developed by Boge, marking the first such system in a German production car. These struts automatically adjusted ride height under varying loads—such as with passengers or luggage—ensuring consistent handling and comfort without manual intervention.[7][10] Braking performance was equally forward-thinking, with servo-assisted hydraulic disc brakes fitted to all four wheels, positioned close to the rear differential for improved cooling and modulation. This all-disc configuration, uncommon in mid-1960s European coupes, delivered strong stopping power and fade resistance, aligning with the V8's performance ambitions and enhancing safety in a rear-drive grand tourer. Overall, these innovations positioned the Glas V8 as a technically sophisticated vehicle, blending in-house engine ingenuity with advanced suspension and braking solutions to rival established luxury competitors.[7]Design and Specifications
Body and Chassis
The Glas V8 featured a 2-door coupé body styled by Italian designer Pietro Frua, characterized by a low-slung, elegant profile with flowing lines that evoked grand tourer sophistication.[6] Its curvaceous form, including a tapered roofline and subtle fender flares, earned it the affectionate nickname "Glaserati" due to visual similarities with Maserati models also penned by Frua, such as the Quattroporte.[11][12] This design emphasized aerodynamic poise and aesthetic appeal, positioning the vehicle as a refined alternative to more angular contemporaries. The car's dimensions contributed to its balanced proportions: a length of 4,600 mm, width of 1,750 mm, height of 1,380 mm, and wheelbase of 2,500 mm, resulting in a curb weight of approximately 1,350 kg.[13][14] These measurements supported agile handling while providing sufficient space for grand touring duties. The underlying structure utilized a steel unibody construction for rigidity, complemented by hand-built body panels crafted by Italian coachbuilder Maggiora to ensure precise fitment and lightweight construction.[6][1] The suspension consisted of independent front suspension and a De Dion rear axle with leaf springs, while braking was handled by four-wheel disc brakes. To enhance the luxury experience, components such as window winder mechanisms were sourced from the Mercedes-Benz 230SL, adding a premium tactile quality to daily operations.[6] Inside, the cabin was appointed with leather upholstery and wood trim accents, creating an upscale ambiance suited to extended journeys.[4] The seating configuration accommodated four passengers comfortably, with supportive front buckets and a rear bench optimized for long-distance touring, underscoring the model's intent as a versatile grand tourer.[1] This front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout further integrated the chassis design to prioritize driver engagement and ride refinement.[4]Engine and Performance
The Glas V8 featured an innovative single overhead camshaft (SOHC) per cylinder bank in its iron-block V8 engine with aluminum cylinder heads, marking one of the first production automotive V8s with this configuration for improved breathing and efficiency.[15][2] The initial 2600 V8 displaced 2,580 cc and produced 110 kW (150 PS) at 5,600 rpm with 206 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm, fed by three Solex 35 DDIS downdraft carburetors and a compression ratio of 9.2:1.[14] This setup emphasized smooth power delivery suitable for grand touring, with the engine's compact design derived from pairing two inline-four units from the Glas GT series.[13] In 1967, the engine was enlarged to 2,982 cc for the 3000 V8 variant, boosting output to 118 kW (160 PS) at 5,100 rpm and torque to 235 Nm at 3,400 rpm while retaining the same fuel system and compression ratio of 9.2:1.[16][17] The increased displacement enhanced low-end pull without significantly altering the engine's character, allowing for refined highway cruising. Both versions utilized a toothed timing belt for valvetrain drive, an advanced feature for the era that reduced maintenance compared to traditional chains.[1] Power was delivered through a four-speed manual transmission with floor-mounted shift, providing precise control and rear-wheel drive for balanced dynamics.[13] The 2600 V8 achieved 0-100 km/h acceleration in approximately 10.5 seconds and a top speed of 195 km/h, while the 3000 V8 improved to 9.4 seconds and 195 km/h.[14][16][1] Fuel economy averaged 15 L/100 km combined for the 2600 and 16 L/100 km for the 3000, supported by an 85-liter tank that yielded a practical range of around 500 km.[1] These figures positioned the Glas V8 as a capable performer in the luxury coupe segment, blending V8 refinement with European agility.[18]| Variant | Displacement | Power | Torque | 0-100 km/h | Top Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2600 V8 | 2,580 cc | 110 kW @ 5,600 rpm | 206 Nm @ 4,500 rpm | 10.5 s | 195 km/h |
| 3000 V8 | 2,982 cc | 118 kW @ 5,100 rpm | 235 Nm @ 3,400 rpm | 9.4 s | 195 km/h |