A SAAB for America - the Sonett II

Saab’s automotive manufacturing activity began with the 92 in 1949. The model incorporated the basic vehicle format and many of the signature features that would characterise Saab’s road vehicle products over the succeeding two decades: compact, aerodynamic body, two stroke engine, (later replaced by a V4 four stroke), and front wheel drive. It was superseded in ’55 by the 93 which had similar – though ‘modernised’ - looks, but with numerous improvements, both mechanical and body-wise. Significantly, modifications to the 3 cylinder engine endowed it with 30% more power. While the new model had been in development, a small group of engineers/designers operating as a skunkworks team established a concept for a sports car based on the 93. With competition use in mind, it was a roof-less lightweight – likely inspired by the Porsche 550 Spider even though technically very different in terms of the drivetrain. However, whilst a production run was commenced following first presentation as the 'Saab Sonett' in Spring ’56, the model was cancelled after only six examples had been completed. Focus was to be on the replacement for the 93, a much improved model launched in ’60 – the Saab 96.

Whilst the 93 had established Saab in export markets, including the U.S., the more sophisticated 96’s increased sales level gave rise to a dynamic American dealer network. This community, knew from its experience with the products of other European makers that its hunger for incremental volume and profit could best be satisfied by having sports models available for their customers. Representatives of the dealers successfully lobbied Saab’s management for the creation of a Saab coupe/GT. Design, under leadership by Sixten Andersson, was commissioned from Malmo Flygindustri, a company based in the Bulltofta locality of Malmo and specialising in the manufacture of light aircraft. The company produced a prototype, code named MF113, which was presented at the Geneva Motor Show, March ’66 as the Saab Sonett II.

Sonett II, Geneva Show ’66  Courtesy David Phipps/Motorsport Images

The Type 97 Sonett II had a fabricated sheet steel chassis, fibreglass body (with front clamshell) and running gear mostly derived from the 96.  The engine was the Sport version – 841 cc with triple Solex 34W2 carburation and lubricated by oil injection rather than petroil fuel.  It was 42% more powerful than the standard 96’s motor at around 58 bhp.  Kerb weight was 710 Kg, allowing a 0-60 mph time of 11.4 secs and a top speed of around 105 mph.  The chassis number range of Two Strokes is 000001-000258 (’66 and ’67).  The four stroke 1498 cc Ford V4 version was introduced in mid-’67 and was in production until ’69.  Production numbers have been reported as: Two Stroke: 257 (’66/’67); V4: 1610 (’67-’69), total 1867.  All these cars were left hand drive and most were exported to the U.S.

#000190 rolling chassis; #000178 clamshell; #000048 841 cc engine   Courtesy Cute Italian Posteriors (Pinterest); Conceptcarz; Marc Vorgers

The earliest Sonett II of which I have an up to date photograph is #000048, built in ’66.

#000048  Courtesy Marc Vorgers

One of the aspects of the Sonett II Two Stroke is that it carries no model-identifying badge.  However, there is a marque badge front and rear to make sure you know it’s a Saab:  Near the leading edge of the clamshell, the script SAAB/aeroplane symbol is mounted centrally.  A SAAB script badge is affixed to the boot lid, between the number plate and the left hand tail lamps.  Both badges were bright alloy or chrome plated.

With this feature a major aesthetic difference between the Two Stroke and V4 is obvious.  The V4 has a script SAAB badge on the clamshell just about in line horizontally with the centre of the headlamp and aligned vertically with the steering column’s position, (left, below).  Near to the centre of the clamshell is a badge, (centre, below), with the script SONETTV4 on a black ground, in a form analogous to an air intake as present near to the panel’s trailing edge.  Most Sonett V4s have no badge affixed to the rear, though there are many examples of customisation whereby a SAAB script badge has been applied to the boot lid, (right, below), or the SAAB/aeroplane symbol badge has been mounted on the horizontal surface between the rear screen aperture and the top edge of the rear panel.

#001189  Courtesy Saabfactory (BaT); 001358  Courtesy Lug_Nut (BaT); #000503  Courtesy H&H Classics

As evident in the photographs above, the bulge in the V4’s bonnet centre is considerably more pronounced than that seen on the Two Stroke, (below), reflecting the greater height of the four stroke unit. 

#000048  Courtesy Marc Vorgers

Standard road wheels, (left, below), were steel with chrome plated hub caps featuring an embossed SAAB/aeroplane symbol, 15” diameter and carrying 155 width tyres.  Optional alloy rims, more usually seen on the Sonett II V4, include the ‘Soccerball’ (second left below), Roal Minilite-style (second from right, below) and JP Cromodora-style (right, below):

The standard steering wheel is as seen left, below on V4 #001417.  Aftermarket wheels, e.g. Momo (#000052) (second left, below), Nardi (#001757) (second right, below) and Britannia (#000408) (right, below) are common on surviving Sonetts.

Courtesy  BrochureMuseumNL; Bonhams Cars; BiddersHighway; Mrtorgue (BaT)

The specification of the Sonett II was summarised in a brochure published in ’69:

The car’s features were extolled in the same publication as below:

Recently sold/offered Sonetts:

Two Strokes:

V4s:

 

1970 saw a new model – the Sonett III, seen below.  This had significantly revised styling and increased – to 1699 cc – engine capacity.  It was in production through to ’74 with over 8,000 examples manufactured.  The Sonett III was not a good looking car, continuing a trend, for the V4 was less successful aesthetically than the Two Stroke  – just look at that disproportionate bonnet length.  And that was that – Saab never again dabbled with ‘sportscar’ manufacture.

Saab Sonett III  Courtesy Petrolicious

The Fiat 850 Coupe's Glamorous Cousin

As said in the Do Look Back post, ‘Small but Perfectly Formed,’ with the advent of the 1960s, Moretti transitioned from an automotive manufacturer to an ‘enhancer,’ upgrading Fiat mainstream products with, mostly, aesthetic improvements – though some mechanical upgrades were also available at customer request.  Given Moretti’s previous affinity with the sports car sector – the 750 Gran Sport being obvious testament to this – it’s not surprising that the marque took a keen interest in the Fiat 850 Coupe at its ’65 launch.  With a powertrain specification different from the saloon model, the Coupe’s engine, running on a Weber 24/32 or 28/36, delivered 47 bhp with 59 Nm torque, enabling it to be ‘sporting’ enough for the era on a kerb weight of 725 Kg.  For anyone wanting more urge, the factory would arrange tuning by Giannini, resulting in an additional 50% bhp.  And the ‘look’ was good too, with in-house styling led by the father and son Boanos.  So, it was felt that a profitable niche market sector opportunity existed for a Moretti-bodied/badged version for customers valuing a measure of exclusivity.  The resulting car was styled by Dany Brawand who had become familiar at the Grugliasco factory while working for Micholetti (and moonlighting) prior to joining the Moretti business on an official basis in late ’65.  The Tipo 100G, named ‘Sportiva,’ was unveiled at the Turin Show in early November ’65.  It is therefore likely that Brawand was working on the design much earlier in the year as a personal job while still employed by Michelotti – it was Michelotti’s discovery of such moonlighting that prompted him to fire Brawand.

Production and sales of the ‘Sportiva,’ model S, began in ‘66, with pricing ‘from’ 1,095,000 lire (about) £635.  A ‘SS’ model with 50 bhp and 62 Nm torque was also offered, this being priced at 1,350,000 lire.  Two cars with ’66 attribution are present on the Moretti Registry - #0524208 and #0636135.  A photograph of that second car, seen below, shows that head on, there was a hint of Corvette about the early Sportiva front end:

#0636135 Courtesy Moretti Registry

Whilst much has been written about the generally pleasing aesthetics, including favourable comparison with the Fiat Dino, the front panel/nose profile/headlighting has been the subject of some criticism.  One objection is to the bluff front panel, unrelieved by any aperture/grille, not functionally necessary of course with the rear engine location.  Also apparently disappointing to some eyes is the modest headlighting – it being suggested that a ‘sporting’ character would have been better indicated by a four lamp array, and that this too would have helped counteract the bland vertical plane of the front panel.  Moving to a 3/4 or side view, adverse comment has been made about how the leading edges of the front wings interact with the front panel, with the charge that there is no harmonious flow in how these components come together.  The disjointed  character is emphasised by an abrupt change of plane in the front wings above the leading edge of the front tyres, (circled in the photograph below).

#0677840 Courtesy Vintagesarasota (BaT)

This infelicitous aspect of the car was resolved by the ’68 facelift which created the ‘S2’ model, as seen in the example below:

#1445000 Courtesy Moretti Registry

Although some critics have suggested that the rear of the Sportiva S is plainer than the curvaceous front might lead you to expect, the various elements seem to me well matched and blended.  The engine deck lid is the main component, the upper surface of which is well relieved by the five groups of (10 each) cooling intake slots.

#100G-1084286 Courtesy Moretti Registry

The full width, wraparound rear bumper and circular tail lamps (standard Fiat items) are unfussily styled and work well with the rear panel and wings.  Two distinctive points to notice – the additional length of the side elements of the bumper, required by the Sportiva’s greater measure of overhang, and the central, twin hemispherically-capped licence plate lamp bulb arrangement, (Fiat versions using a single, lozenge-form element).

Courtesy Moretti Registry; Car and Classic

The Sportiva was badged, 1) Script ‘FIAT MORETTI’, chrome with black or deep red ground, mounted centrally on front panel, (with chrome ‘whiskers’ running either side to the headlamp apertures); 2) ‘MORETTI,’ chrome, red and white castellated shield crest over rectangular ‘MORETTI TORINO’ script with chequer pattern, mounted on the front wings between the trailing edge of the wheel arch and the leading edge of the door aperture; 3) ‘MORETTI’ and ‘FIAT 850’ or ‘850 Special’ chrome script badges on the rear panel.

Courtesy Rajveteranu.cz; Kristoj (BaT); OldMotors.net

For the SS model, a signifying chrome script badge was added, usually between the ‘FIAT 850’ script and the right hand rear tail lamp.  See below; #0524208, for example.

Courtesy Moretti Registry

Inside the Sportiva, a Moretti crest was usually to be seen on the gear knob, horn button and dashboard, (central, above the centre console). – see below:

Courtesy Kristoi (BaT)

Nardi steering wheels were a popular choice for Sportivas – both black and wood rimmed, some signed on the right hand spoke, and some with a Nardi badged horn button.  An alternative was the Ferrero two spoke model.

Courtesy Wikiwand; ClassicVirus.com

Standard road wheel rims were 12” (145 width tyres) either Borrani wires or Cromodora alloys.

Courtesy Car and Classic; Kristoi (BaT)

For ’68, an additional version became available.  At 1,500,000 lire, the ‘1000 Sport Coupe’ offered an appreciable enhancement of performance capability thanks to the additional capacity (139 cc), a Solex 34 PBIC carburettor, (in place of the Weber), and increase in the compression ratio from 9.2:1 to 9.5:1.  The result was 62 bhp, enough to reduce the 0-60 mph time by 3.4 seconds.  At the same time, the base model was re-designated ‘S2’ and upgraded with a substantial styling facelift to the front end bodywork and lighting, as illustrated above by #1445000.  At the car’s rear, a more subtle revision was that to the engine decklid with four groups of cooling intake slots as opposed to the five on the original design.  An ‘S2’ badge was added to the rear quarter panels.

S2 Courtesy Kristoi (BaT)

 

One of the fundamental compromises for the Sportiva was the lack of any +2 seating.  Where, on other such cars, there might have been some semblance of seats that might accommodate small children, the Sportiva had just a luggage storage area between the engine compartment and the seat backs.  This was largely due to the lack of boot space ahead of the cabin, this being taken up by the spare wheel which could only be mounted horizontally in what was a shallow void.  Moretti sought to address this limitation of the Sportiva’s appeal by creating a four seat version, named S4 and first-shown at the ’69 Turin Show.

Sportiva S4 as shown in a Moretti range leaflet

The S4 sold to those liking the basic concept of the Sportiva whilst wanting more interior room, but its looks must have been a significant deterrent to a broader appeal.  Although the model was launched after the S2, it had not adopted the latter’s more aesthetically successful front end.  Also less pleasing was a top heavy impression given by a disproportionately ‘tall’ glasshouse coupled with seemingly too-small wheels.  The rear quarter panels too appear ‘odd,’ as does the shape of the rear side glass.  Notable is the use of an S2 type engine deck lid and six elements tail lamps. 

Two examples of the S4 appear on the Moretti Registry, #1266944, below, and #1282958, lower below, both ’70:

In regard to both the S and S2 variants, ‘Special’ was added to the nomenclature, (and indicated by a rear panel-mounted badge), in some instances, but clear documentation of what specification upgrades gave rise to this designation is not available.

 

A convertible version of the Sportiva was marketed in 850 form initially, subsequently as an SS and finally in 1000 guise.  Very small numbers were made and there are no examples on the Moretti Registry.  I have also been unable to find details of a convertible Sportiva being sold in recent times.

 

Even at the beginning of the Sportiva’s production run, Moretti had turned its attention for future model lines to the new Fiat products – ultimately with a revised drivetrain format - which would emerge in the second half of the Sixties.  Initially, this saw Brawand drawing a coupe body for the Fiat 124 chassis and this resulted in both 5 seat and 2+2 versions introduced in ’66.  Within short order, the larger Fiat 125 was used as a basis for another new Moretti, titled GS 1.6.  Then, in ’69, Moretti presented its coupe version of the 128, especially significant in view of its front wheel drive layout, breaking with the rear engine configuration with which it had worked for so long.  The phase in which the company had created a coupe on the Fiat 850 saw justified respect for its product, with the Sportiva widely admired – especially in its S2 form – for its looks and general character.  It is usually given that Moretti built about 300 Sportivas and that 52 of those were of the S2 type.  Final sales occurred in ’71.

Axed Too Soon

 

Everyone knows about Ferruccio Lamborghini’s ‘journey’ from tractors to supercars via heating and climatization appliances, but not so many are aware of the meandering path taken by the Bavarian car maker, Hans Glas GmbH.  This also involved initial production of farm machinery, but was abruptly switched to scooters when they became popular post-war, only for that focus to be abandoned when micro cars became the next new craze in the mid-Fifties, resulting in the Glas signature product, the Goggomobile.  Over a 14 year production run more than a quarter of a million Goggomobiles were built at the Dingolfing factory, with a healthy proportion being exported, including to the U.S. despite that market being characterised by vehicles four times the size!

The Glas Factory at Dingolfing, North East of Munich

Indeed, such was the success of the Goggomobile that in ‘59 Glas was considered to be in sufficiently good financial health to be fit to support BMW and Auto Union when both were struggling to survive. A plan was formulated for the three marques to collaborate with a consolidated/simplified range of products, but Hans Glas declined to agree to the idea. Ironically, a few years later, when it was Glas that was slipping from ongoing viability, BMW provided the solution, taking the company over in November ’66.

That situation had come about because of Glas’s failure to create and effectively market new conventionally sized models to take over from the diminutive Goggomobile. Several models, from the Isar, (launched ’58), through to the 2600 and 3000 V8 Coupes, (launched ’66), did not capture customer enthusiasm and fell short on planned projected sales volumes/market share. But, amongst these, a model with two variants boasted many positive features, looked very good and performed well: the type 211, 1300 and 1700 GTs. Perhaps they amounted to a success-likely combination of Italian aesthetic flair with Germanic engineering quality and efficiency.

The Glas 1300 GT as presented in ‘65

Torinese stylist Pietro Frua had re-established a carrozziere in his own name in the late 50s after a period of employment at Ghia.  Several design projects were then completed in collaboration with Carrozzeria Italsuisse.  These attracted praise from within the industry and enhanced his reputation, but for his business the breakthrough came in ’62 when Frua entered into talks with Glas.  The first outcome was a prototype GT closely based on a design Frua had been developing for Borgward.  This was debuted at Frankfurt, in autumn ’63.  It went into production with a 1290 cc engine and body made by Carrozzeria Maggiora, (at Moncalieri, just south of Turin), the following Spring.  Reception was broadly favourable, Road & Track magazine for instance commenting in its road test report: 

In designing the Glas 1300, the factory started with a clean sheet of paper, no limitations imposed by the necessity for incorporating parts of existing models, and some refreshing ideas. The result is a handsome, comfortable, small GT car of advanced design with as much performance as one can rightly expect from a 1290 cc power unit.

The magazine did however express concern, not so much about its features themselves, but about possible customer resistance arising from unfamiliarity with some aspects of the engine’s specification.  Mainly, this related to the employment of a belt to drive the overhead camshaft.  Glas had pioneered this form of valve gear actuation on a ‘normal’ car only two years previously, on the 1004 models.  Road & Track thought that the 25,000 miles belt replacement schedule might deter customers from considering purchase, though the writer claimed that the renewal operation was very easily and quickly performed – presumably parroting what the factory engineers had told him and quite at odds with the contemporary, well known reality whereby much care is required since even a small error in reassembly can result in very serious damage to an engine.

Glas GT cutaway engine/transmission showing the belt-driven valve gear

The most basic specification version of the Glas 1300 GT was priced at around £1070.  This put the model at a disadvantage as, for instance, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1300 was significantly less expensive – though, perhaps surprisingly, the Glas was quicker, with 88 bhp against the Alfa’s 80. 

Registered in ’65, #1894 featured on Bring a Trailer in 2021; its reserve of $9500 however was not reached.  It appeared to be in usable condition at that time, though comprehensive restoration would be necessary sooner or later.  As seen below, the seats are trimmed in black vinyl, standard specification at the time.  This is the only 1300 built in ‘64/’65 with a flat bonnet panel for which I have a survivor photograph.  Ongoing from September ’65, the model was manufactured with the same panel used for the 1700 – this having a longitudinal, central, rectangular ‘hump’ needed because of the height of the larger capacity engine.  This bulge incorporated an air intake aperture just behind the trailing edge of the front panel.

Courtesy Kucarfa

Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The central bonnet bulge and air intake aperture are seen in the photograph above of #1364.  RM Sotheby’s 2020 auction lot description details imply that this is also a survivor from the first year of production, (despite the bulge form bonnet).  It was offered on the basis of a need for thorough restoration as the car had been out of use for many years.  This can be readily appreciated from the view of the engine bay seen below.  This also shows the standard twin Solex 35 mm carburettor installation.  Also reproduced is the chassis number plate - a standard format and rivetted to the right hand inner front panel of each and every car.

The front bumper on #1364 differs from the form seen on later cars in not having a pair of indicator lamps mounted to the underside of the blade in line vertically with the headlamp units.  The particular car is also missing the circular reflectors usually mounted between each pair of rear tail and indicator units, (though the appropriate holes are present in the rear panel).  Also noted on cars from early in the production run, are 13” road wheels.  15” wheels were substituted in Autumn ’65 and remained standard specification until the end of production in September ’67.

Another early (’65-built) car – chassis number unknown – is currently in excellent condition and provides a good basis for appreciation of detail features such as the rear lamp units as mentioned above and the two front wing badges mounted one above the other forward of the door aperture leading edge:

Courtesy Columbus Klassic

Also with a chassis number I’ve been unable to trace, the 1300 GT seen below is a ’66 first-registered example.  This is also in nice condition today and the interior shows the pleasing aesthetics of the design.  The instruments layout is easy on the eye and functionally good.  Other points of note are the Nardi-style steering wheel with decorative rim rivets and horn button featuring the Glas crest created for the GT-designated models, dashboard-face script badge to the left of the glove box door and the light colour vinyl trim to the seats and door cards.

Courtesy Gassmann GmbH

In Autumn ’65, the 1290 cc engine was upgraded and consequently re-rated at 74 bhp.  At the same time the 1682 cc version of the engine available in the TS Berlina since the previous year was made available in an additional model named 1700 GT.  As the unit was a little ‘taller,’ a revised bonnet panel with longitudinal raised centre section (’hump’) was necessary, as mentioned above. The 1682 cc engine breathed through twin 40 mm Solex single barrel carburettors, whereas the 1290’s were smaller at 35 mm.  In the GT body this unit enabled a maximum speed of 115 mph and a 0-60 mph time of around 11 seconds (and under 10 seconds according to Sports Car Graphic’s test).  Compared with the Alfa Giulia 1600, the Glas was appreciably faster flat out, though the Giulia had a small advantage in acceleration capability.  Road & Track’s November ’66 Road Test Report, with full performance data, is shown below:

The 1700 GT was priced at around £1285 in the UK – a moderate premium compared with the 1300, justifiable in the light of its higher top speed, something which had become more significant with the extension of motorway/autobahn networks in the UK and Germany. 

A ’66 1700 (chassis number unknown) restored in recent times, shows the limited revisions to the rear bodywork relative to that of the 1300 – boot panel script badge (to ‘1700’) and the reflectors becoming rectangular with radiused corners, where the 1300’s were circular; (however, some 1700s are seen with the circular version):

Courtesy Marc Vorgers

The revised ‘GLAS 1700 GT‘ script badge mounted in the upper right area of the boot lid mentioned above, is seen below on another car – probably ’66 built - for which the chassis number is not currently known.

Courtesy Bonjourlavieille

As seen on #5635 with ‘gold’ finish:

Courtesy Cog Classics

The car is in excellent condition and shows the sleek lines of the fastback very well, as below:

Courtesy Cog Classics

Another ’66 1700, white over red, has had a recent restoration and features a nicely presented engine bay:

Courtesy Bimmerlife

 

#5500 – also from ’66 – is seen below from an angle which enables perception of the shallow V form of the bumper and the lower front bodywork of the GT:

Courtesy GetYourClassic

Alongside the Coupes, the GT was also available as a Cabriolet.  However, only about 7% of production was of cars in this form.  As would be expected, the Cabriolet was a little heavier than the Coupe.  The chassis plate in all, (both 1300 and 1700), closed cars is stamped with a total weight value of 1200 Kg.  As regards kerb/’dry’ weight, the lowest value quoted (factory) for the 1300 Coupe is 800 Kg, while the Cabriolet is 850 Kg.  However, I have seen the value 920 Kg suggested for the Cabriolet.  No other credible variations of these figures for the 1700 have been published. 

The 1700 Cabriolet  was priced at circa £1400 in the UK. 

As always with a car of this type and of its era, production figures as given by different sources vary to some degree.  Consolidating the available data, the approximate number of units per model manufactured were: 1300 GT: 3500;  1700 GT: 1680; 1300 Cabriolet: 230; 1700 Cabriolet: 120.

 

A ’66 1700, this Cabriolet is apparently fitted with the wider wheel rims, (for 175 mm as opposed to 155 mm width tyres), as specified for the V8-engined Glas Coupes.

Courtesy PreSelect

 

Another ’66 Cabriolet is this example, sold recently by Scuderia Sportiva Colonia – describing it as a car which had undergone a 10 year restoration process concluding in ’22, which included, ‘many small improvements such as seats with headrests (original seats are still available), and conversion to 12 volts.’  The price expectation was circa £85,000.

Courtesy Scuderia Sportiva Colonia

#5220 is again a ’66 1700 GT Cabriolet.  Despite having apparently been restored within the last ten years, the car failed to meet its reserve when offered on Bring a Trailer in ’23, (high bid $35,288).  The BaT description/gallery shows a car in generally good condition with some nice distinctive touches such as 14” Borrani wheels and a wood rimmed Nardi steering wheel.

Courtesy Mario_L, Bring a Trailer

The Glas GT on-track:

 

The early Sixties saw a lot of interest in production specification-based sports car racing, governed by the F.I.A. and run under a hierarchy of Categories (car type/production volume) subdivided by Classes (mainly identified by engine capacity/induction type).  Regarding the latter, there were several classes/’divisions’, for example in ’64, for cars, (1) with an engine smaller than 1150 cc; (2) 1151-1299 cc; (3) 1300-1599 cc, etc.  In the 1151-1299 cc class, a Glas 1300 GT would be pitted against some formidable competition, e.g. Abarth Simca 1300 GT, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato, Lotus Elite and Bonnet Djet.  At the Nurburgring 1000 Kms in ’64, unsurprisingly, Abarths finished 1-2-3 in class.  However, despite the relative lack of development and experience, the Glas 1300 GT of Gerhard Bodmer/Dieter Schmid came home in 4^th.

Bodmer/Schmid 1300 GT, ‘Ring, ’64. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In August, again at the ‘Ring and that same year, Bodmer took the class victory at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis meeting.  Belief in the potential of the 1300 GT as a competitive racing car was evidenced by there being no less than five examples running in the Neubiberg round of the Deutsche Rundstrecken-Meisterschaft, (‘DARM’), with drivers, Karl Gollwitzer Jr, Walter Strohmaier, Karl Heblich, Otto Brindl and Helmut Maier.  In the same series, Bodmer finished 2^nd at the DARM round in September at Wunstorf, and 3^rd in the Preis von Tirol at Innsbruck the following month.  Bodmer was placed 4^th in the DARM for ’64. 

1300 GTs were to be seen once again in the DARM the following season, with a win for Bodmer in May at the ‘Ring and a 1-2-3 for the model later that month at Zolder.  In July a 1700 GT appeared at Solitude, though resulting in a DNF, it was not an impressive debut.  Bodmer ‘s 1300 GT was 6^th at the ‘Ring, (GP von Deutschland), on the 1^st August.

Bodmer, Nurburgring, August ’65. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In October, Bodmer enjoyed another class win, this time at Innsbruck.  Bodmer finished the ’65 DARM as champion, (on equal points with Manfred Schiek, who was killed before the end of the season).  Note: some records indicate that Bodmer achieved this championship at the wheel of a Glas 1204 TS, but as can be seen in the photograph above, and in those below (Nurburgring 1000 Kms) he was in a 1300 GT.

With the ’66 season, May saw another good result – 2^nd in class - at the ‘Ring for Bodmer in the ADAC-Hansa-Pokal race, while Helmut Eck went one better and was the class victor later that month at Zandvoort.

Helmut Eck, class winner, Zandvoort, May ‘66. Courtesy Volker Eck

Meanwhile, back at the ‘Ring, Bernd Terbeck won the 1.3 class in a non-championship race and at Hockenheim was equally successful in the DARM.  A week later at the same circuit he was again first across the line.  Terbeck remained on good form, winning at Zandvoort on 5^th June, while Karl Herd was victorious at Hockenheim in the middle of the month.  There was another DARM win for Bodmer at Mainz-Finthen, 19^th June, and in July Herd scored a further championship class win at Hockenheim.  A fortnight later Herd won again at the ‘Ring at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis event.

Karl Herd, another class win at the ‘Ring, August ’66. Courtesy H-J Roegler

Later that August, Bodmer and Herd recorded a 1-2 at the DARM in Wunstorf.  Terbeck and Eck did the same thing at Zandvoort in the Girling Brakes-sponsored race, 14^th August.  Early in September, Bodmer was again first in class at the ‘Ring 500 Kms, while Joachim Kautz achieved the same feat at Zolder, mid-month.  As the season came towards its end, Bodmer took class honours in mid-October at Aspern.  In ’66, Glas was classified 4^th in the European Touring Car Challenge.

At the Fassberg Flugplatz in late April ’67, Herd and Manfred Becker were 1-2 in class.  Bodmer and Herd replicated that result in May at the Hansa-Pokal DARM meeting.  Another impressive 1-2 was chalked up that month at the ‘Ring 1000 Kms with Bodmer/Schmid leading Friedrich Noenen/Manfred Herbertz over the line.

Bodmer/Schmid, ‘Ring ’67. Courtesy Michael Bratz

Through the rest of the ’67 season, Bodmer continued to secure class wins, 10 in total, mainly in the DARM rounds. Herd scored 2 more, at Mainz-Finthen while Otto Arnold and Becker both drove 1300 GTs to class victory. So ’67 was a notably successful season for the model, with Gerhard Bodmer remaining its leading exponent.

Class wins were elusive in ’68 and though there were a few DARM podiums, reliability had deteriorated, possibly due to drivers needing to push harder against the competition of newer, better performing rival models.

In 1970, Franz-Adolf Kremer founded the Yellow Arrow Racing Team (YART) in Duisburg, Germany. He selected a ’64 Glas 1300 as the team’s car for the debut season, racing it in German, Belgian and Dutch events. Pictures from that year, as displayed on the YART website are seen below:

Courtesy YART

The team’s results were summarised:

Seeking increased competitiveness the following season, the car was modified/rebuilt and raced in the Prototype category, 1300 class.  Power was upped to 138 bhp, while the weight was reduced to 700 Kg.  Running mainly in hillclimb events, a victory was achieved at Osnabruck, with podiums scored at Risselberg, Hoxter and at the circuit race at Zandvoort in August.  The car is seen below at Mainz-Finthen, June ’71:

Courtesy YART

1300/1700 GTs are today, occasionally, seen in Historic events and race meetings, as below:

Courtesy Eyke Wohlbold

 

The impressive ‘65 1300 GT of Helmut Riemer is seen above at the ’22 Riedenburg Classic.

The Glas 1300/1700 GT was an attractive and innovative car with the potential for a long and successful production run. Unfortunately, the Glas company was out of steam, yielding to a take-over by BMW in late ’66. While the Munich marque was primarily interested in acquiring the Glas factory manufacturing capacity at Dingolfing, it was not blind to the potential of the GT, and proceeded at speed to re-engineer the car such that the BMW M116, 1573 cc version of the M10 four cylinder engine could be substituted. At the same time, the rear was reworked to incorporate independent suspension, and styling changes were made to the front and rear in order to create the distinctive ‘BMW look.’. The work was completed in little more than six months, allowing the BMW 1600 GT to go on sale in June ’67. Despite this notably expedient effort, BMW halted production the following year, with only 1259 units built. Strategic review had led to the conclusion that with the existing Neue Klasse range expanding and selling well, a parallel but technologically-variant model of similar size and in the more niche form of a sports coupe would make for additional manufacturing and marketing costs that would not be recoverable by incremental volume.