1963 BMW 700 Coupe Appears on Bring a Trailer Auction

Bring a Trailer lists a 1963 BMW 700 Coupe with a rear-mounted 697cc flat-twin engine and manual transaxle. The historic compact BMW is currently offered in a live auction.

A 1963 BMW 700 Coupe has appeared on the Bring a Trailer auction platform, offering a glimpse into one of the most unusual chapters in the history of the Bavarian brand. The car is located in Los Angeles and is being offered on dealer consignment with a clean California title. At the time of publication, the current bid stands at $1,900, with just over a day remaining before the auction ends.

This compact coupe uses a rear-engine layout — a configuration rarely associated with BMW today. Power comes from an air-cooled 697cc flat-twin engine paired with a four-speed manual transaxle, sending power to the rear wheels. The mechanical setup is simple and period-correct: four-wheel drum brakes, 12-inch steel wheels, and a Solex carburetor.

The example currently offered was acquired by the present owner in 2018. Under previous ownership the car was repainted in red with a white roof, while the interior received replacement upholstery. The front bucket seats are trimmed in gray vinyl with cloth inserts. Inside, the cabin reflects the minimalist approach typical of small European cars of the early 1960s, featuring a heater, an AM radio, hand-crank windows, a floor-mounted shifter, and rubber floor coverings.

The five-digit odometer shows 44,000 miles. The listing also points out several cosmetic and mechanical details, including flaws in the chrome bumpers, flaking paint on one wheel, torn steering rack boots, and a separated trim element from the speedometer needle resting at the bottom of the gauge. According to the seller, the Solex carburetor was rebuilt under current ownership and the fluids have been changed.

The BMW 700 occupies a distinctive place in the brand’s history. Produced from 1959 to 1965, the model reached a total production of 188,211 units, including 31,062 coupes. The commercial success of the small rear-engined car helped stabilize BMW financially at the end of the 1950s. It was also the company’s first production model with a monocoque body, marking an important engineering milestone.

The body design was created by Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti, giving the compact car a modern appearance for its era. In addition to standard versions, BMW offered sportier derivatives such as the 700 Sport and 700 CS, which featured a more powerful engine producing around 40 horsepower.

Discussion on the auction page has also touched on the specification of this particular car. Based on its chassis number, the vehicle may correspond to the 700 CS (Coupe Sport) variant. However, the installed engine with a single carburetor appears closer to the standard configuration. For potential buyers and collectors, this detail adds an additional layer of interest and invites closer examination of the car’s original specification.

Today, the BMW 700 is remembered as a rare and unconventional chapter in BMW history — a compact coupe with motorcycle-derived engineering, a rear-engine layout, and a significant role in the company’s survival during a challenging era. Cars like this often sit at the intersection of two worlds: accessible classic motoring on one hand and historically important BMW heritage on the other.