Dramatic DRM: 1978 BMW 320 Group 5 For Sale
Images via Duncan Hamilton
This magic 1978 BMW 320 Group 5 has history racing with GS Tuning in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and is fresh from a restoration to race-ready condition. It’s up for sale at Duncan Hamilton.
The car, chassis E21R108, is one of 28 Group 5 BMW 320is. It began its motorsport career in 1978 when BMW motorsport director Jochen Neerpasch signed Markus Höttinger to drive Division 2 for the GS Tuning Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (DRM) team.
The pair debuted in DRM at the first round of the season at Zolder, and spent much of the 1978 season on the podium. Their first trip to the podium came in the second round of 1978, at the ADAC Goodyear 300 km Rennen, and their first win one round later at the ADAC-Eifelrennen on the Nordschleife.
E21R108 and Höttinger would pick up two more wins that year, at the Int. AvD/HMSC Flugplatzrennen in Mainz-Finthen and the ADAC-Westfalen-Pokal-Rennen at Zolder. Three further podiums would place Höttinger fourth overall and second in Division 2 at the conclusion of 1978.
In 1979 E21R108 would again tackle Division 2 DRM, this time with Wolfgang Braun behind the wheel. While the pairing were consistent and picked up some good finishes, most notably fifths at the Norisring and Zolder, they didn’t reach the same heights as 1978’s performance.
Following the 1979 season the car went to Koenig Specials, who kept it until 1989, when it moved into private hands. It’s current owner recently treated it to an extensive restoration to bring it into race-ready condition while maintaining its originality.
It’s up for sale at Duncan Hamilton. Head to their official website for the full details.
Images via Duncan Hamilton
