This Bimmer is simply not talked about enough in my opinion. The 700 single-handedly saved BMW from certain doom in the early 60s. It has an amazing racing history having both the old and the new generation of great racing drivers pilot it around Europe’s fiercest tracks. At age 60 Hans Stuck Sr clinched the 1960 German Hill Climb Championship in a 700. One of the new generation of race drivers then took his turn in a 700 with none other than Jacky Ickx making his competition debut in a BMW 700 at Course de Côte de la Roche.

This is an interesting creature indeed. Avia is a Czech aircraft and automobile company founded in 1919. Although they mostly built airplanes and trucks they did manage to make a very cool race car. It follows the Colin Chapman theory of “Simplify and add lightness” by basically frosting the minimal frame with thin aluminum. Very Birdcage Maserati I must say. Get over to the excellent writeup by the guys at the hooniverse and enjoy the interesting history lesson.

Hemmings is one of my favorite auto magazines. Its for the same reason Top Gear is so perfect a car show. They get “it”! What is “it”? “It” is that understanding among car enthusiasts that you are one of the club, not some phony who doesn’t know his Dino from his Ferrari. The drivable dream feature is always the first thing I flip to when a new Hemmings comes in the mail.

I grew up believing the roundel was the whirling, blurry blades of an aircraft propeller. Watch as a BMW historian tells us the history of the Roundel.