When BMW launched the all new 1500 during the 1961 Frankfurt Motorshow, it was soon realised that the chassis could absorb much more power than the 80 BHP that the original 1500 cc engine produced. It was no surprise therefore that in 1963 the original car got company from two new versions, the 1800 and the 1800TI, which engine size increased to 1773 cc and producing 90 and 110 BHP respectively. The 1800 TI was fitted with twin double barrel Solex carburetors, which where a workshop’s nightmare, but turned the car into a really fast four door family saloon. It sounds all relative now, but performance figures of a top speed 170 kph and a 0-100 kph acceleration in 10.5 seconds, was not the order of the day in the mid-sixties.
In order to fully realise the potential of the car, BMW launched a special series of the 1800 TI, which was named TI/SA, SA standing for Sonder Ausstattung, or “special version”. Its power output increased to 130 BHP, mainly because of the fitting of 45DCOE double Webers, which were also a much better basis for further power increases than the Solex ones. The car had a 5 speed Getrag gearbox, and a limited slip differential could be fitted as well. To enhance its long distance running capabilities a 105 liter fuel tank could also be installed. Official top speed was now 185 kph and 0-100 could be done in 9 seconds, of course the depending on the final drive, for which also various options were available. The car was an immediate hit and scored many wins in the hands of drivers like Hubert Hahne, Rauno Aaltonen and Dieter Quester. Already in 1964 a factory entered 1800 TI came second in the 24 Hour Spa Touring Car Race. (The winner was Eugen Bohringer’s Works Mercedes 300SE). In 1965 the Spa 24 Hours race was duly won.
Only 200 TI/SAs left the factory officially. Many of these have been further upgraded and actively raced, and “unmolested” examples are rare. Further to that many “normal” 1800 bodies have been stripped and rebuild according to TI/SA specifications, and so provide a relative cheap way to enter a fully competitive racing car, that regularly beat the Lotus Cortinas as well as the rare Ford Galaxies, Mustangs and Falcons that were also entered during that great period of European Touring Car racing. It found its match when Alfa Romeo managed to get the GTA homologated as a touring car. It forced BMW to enter the 2000 TI, which however was never offered in an SA version.
Shown here is a nice original example, which, although having had a racing career in the USA, has now been brought back to its original 130 BHP specifications. It was offered during the 2006 Bonhams auction at the Quail Lodge. With an estimate of 25-30,000 US$ the owner must have been pleased to get 34,000US$, which can still be considered a bargain for such a rare car.
Also shown is a recent “build-up” which appeared last year for the first time during the Silverstone Historics, a.o. driven by Jacky Oliver and Richard Shaw with not much success, but the same car and drivers came back this year to score an overall win in the Touring Class.
