Glas
V8
1966-1968
The Glas 2600 V8 was unveiled in September 1965 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and quickly earned the nickname Glaserati thanks to its elegant Frua styling, reminiscent of contemporary Maseratis. Originally planned as a six-cylinder GT, the project evolved into a V8-powered coupé as Glas sought to limit development costs. Ingeniously, the 2.6-litre engine was created by effectively combining two of the company’s existing 1.3-litre four-cylinder units. Designed by Frua with the use of various sourced components, the car was largely hand-built in Dingolfing from July 1966. However, Glas’ fragile financial position led to its takeover by BMW later that year, and production of the 2600 V8 ended in August 1967 after just 277 units.
1966
Glas 2600 V8
sheet, German
published 10-66
Dating
publicity code W-V8-X/66
The more powerful 3000 V8 evolved directly from Glas’ original development work and was introduced in September 1967 under BMW ownership as the BMW-Glas 3000 V8. Its engine was enlarged to 3.0 litres, based on a doubled version of the 1.5-litre unit used in the Glas GT, and featured triple carburettors for improved performance. Visually the car remained almost unchanged from the 2600, retaining its distinctive Frua-designed body without adopting BMW’s signature kidney grille. The 3000 V8 represented a transitional model, combining Glas engineering with BMW branding. Production continued only briefly, ending in May 1968 after 389 units.
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