Items starting with B

This car is a mystery to us. Lane Motor Museum purchased it from a seller in England. We were purchasing the 1924 Citroën 5CV which is located in the French section, and he asked if we would also like this car.

Berkeley was Britain’s leading caravan maker in the 1950s. In 1956, Lawrie Bond approached Charles Panter of Berkeley Caravans with his new design. It was an ideal project for Berkeley who had developed considerable skills in the use of fiberglass and were looking for something to fill the gaps in the very seasonal caravan market. 

The Bertone X1/9 is a two-seater sports car designed by Bertone and built by Fiat. Intended to be the first affordable mid-engined sports car, the X1/9 is notable for its sharp styling and impeccable handling.

A short-lived classic! The BMW 320 was built for just one year. First presented in July 1937, the 320 showed a close resemblance to the transitional 329. The 320 was smaller, lighter, and less expensive than its predecessor. The 320 was a high performance car with many admirers. 

In 1957, BMW brought out a 4-seater development of the Isetta. The 600 (named for its engine size), has two doors: the swing-up front door as on the Isetta, and a door on the right side for passengers.

One of Germany’s well-known car makers, BMW began building engines for airplanes. Forbidden to continue making airplane engines after WWI, BMW turned to engines for motorcycles and heavy trucks. 

Driven by the need for post-WWII affordable transportation and restrictions placed by post-war agreements, in 1955 BMW decided to supplement slow sales of their larger models with an inexpensive car.