1939 BMW 335 – BMW Museum München 2022

Rather than chasing outright sportiness, BMW’s largest pre-war passenger car was conceived to demonstrate technical maturity and mechanical authority. The 1939 BMW 335 stood at the top of the company’s civilian range, intended for customers who required space, torque, and composure at speed rather than agility. It was BMW’s answer to the established six- and eight-cylinder luxury cars of the late 1930s, developed just before civilian production came to an abrupt halt.

Technical Details:

The BMW 335 was powered by a front-mounted inline six-cylinder petrol engine with a displacement of 3,485 cc. This overhead-valve unit produced approximately 90 horsepower, emphasizing smooth torque delivery and relaxed high-speed cruising rather than rapid acceleration. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox, partially synchronized, in keeping with BMW’s established drivetrain layout. The chassis was a robust ladder-frame construction. At the front, the suspension used independent wheels with a transverse leaf spring, while the rear employed a rigid axle located by trailing arms and torsion bars, a configuration chosen to balance comfort and stability for a large vehicle. Hydraulic drum brakes were fitted on all four wheels. With its long wheelbase and strong six-cylinder engine, the BMW 335 was capable of sustained autobahn speeds well above 140 km/h under favorable conditions, positioning it among the more capable long-distance cars of its class.

• Manufacturer: BMW
• Model Name: BMW 335
• Year of Manufacturing: 1939–1941

Design:

The design of the BMW 335 reflected restrained authority rather than flamboyance. Its proportions were large by BMW standards of the period, with a long hood, spacious passenger compartment, and well-defined rear section. The kidney grille appeared taller and more prominent than on smaller BMW models, reinforcing the car’s status within the range. Chrome detailing was present but controlled, used to frame the grille, headlamps, and window surrounds without overwhelming the bodywork.

Most BMW 335s were delivered as four-door saloons, though a small number of cabriolets were produced by specialist coachbuilders. The exterior lines were clean and formal, avoiding the overt streamlining trends seen elsewhere in late-1930s design. Inside, the interior prioritized comfort and clarity. Seating was generous, materials were of high quality, and sound insulation was improved compared to smaller BMW models. The dashboard layout was logical and understated, underscoring the car’s role as a serious long-distance machine rather than a display of luxury excess.

Historical Significance:

The BMW 335 occupies a unique position in BMW’s pre-war history as the largest and most powerful civilian automobile the company had produced up to that point. Introduced alongside the more sporting BMW 327 and 328, it demonstrated BMW’s ability to scale its engineering philosophy to a significantly larger and heavier platform. The six-cylinder engine of the 335 represented the upper limit of BMW’s pre-war engine development for passenger cars.

Production began in 1939 and remained extremely limited due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Only a few hundred examples were completed before BMW’s manufacturing capacity was redirected toward military production, including aircraft engines. As a result, the BMW 335 never had the opportunity to establish a strong market presence. Nevertheless, it provided a technical and conceptual preview of the large BMW saloons that would emerge decades later, once civilian car production resumed under very different conditions.

Quirks and Pop Culture:

The BMW 335 is largely absent from popular culture, reflecting both its rarity and its brief production run. One notable quirk is that, despite being BMW’s flagship model, it arrived at a moment when private ownership of such large cars was becoming increasingly constrained by political and economic realities. As a result, many of the completed vehicles were allocated to official or semi-official use rather than private customers.

Among enthusiasts, the BMW 335 is sometimes referred to as BMW’s “forgotten flagship,” overshadowed by the fame of the BMW 328 sports car. Today, surviving examples are exceptionally rare and are usually encountered only in museums or major concours events, where they attract attention precisely because of their understated presence and historical context.

Display and preservation:

This vehicle was exhibited at the BMW Museum. The museum is located in Munich, Germany, next to the company’s headquarters and the BMW Welt, near the Olympiapark. It first opened in 1973, shortly after the Munich Olympic Games, and was extensively renovated and reopened in 2008. The museum presents around 120 exhibits, including automobiles, motorcycles, engines, and design studies from BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Unlike many automobile museums that focus mainly on vehicles, the BMW Museum is organized thematically, linking technology, design, and corporate history. Its distinctive bowl-shaped building is also a notable architectural feature.

Conclusion:

The 1939 BMW 335 represents the culmination of BMW’s pre-war ambitions in the luxury segment. With its large-displacement six-cylinder engine, advanced suspension layout for a heavy saloon, and restrained but authoritative design, it was engineered for effortless long-distance travel. Limited production and the disruption of war prevented it from achieving wider recognition, but in retrospect the BMW 335 stands as an important indicator of how BMW envisioned its role at the upper end of the market. It remains a rare and telling artifact from the final chapter of interwar automotive development.