When Two Cylinders Were Enough
One of the few '60s/'70s BMW models I never got to drive when I worked for the UK importer 45 years ago was the 700. I could kick myself now, as I’m sure I had the opportunity a time or two, but with youthful arrogance was too preoccupied with getting behind the wheel of such glamorous things as the 3.0CSL and the 2002 Turbo. At that time I was still running for fun my Saab 96 Two Stroke, an early influencer in my now lifelong liking for small, stubby cars. More like an addiction actually, and one fed just the other day by the sight and sounds of this characterful 700 Coupe at Lydden – see above. It looked superb out on the circuit and was quick enough for a 950cc, 62 year old car, qualifying 7 th (of 15) for the Jack Sears Trophy despite being the only car with a sub-1 litre engine. And the noise it made whilst doing this was great – gruff and quite coarse, just as I like, and entirely befitting a twin cylinder, air cooled unit. Such small, ‘unusual’ engines are very