Glas
Encyclopedia
Hans Glas GmbH is a former German automotive company, which was based in Dingolfing
. Originally a maker of farm machinery, Glas evolved first into a producer of motor scooters, then automobiles. It was purchased by BMW
in 1966,
mainly to gain access to Glas's patents, they were the first to use a timing belt
with an overhead camshaft in an automotive applications,
with its limited model range shortly phased out by its new parent.
Mechanic
Andreas Glas founded a repair company for agricultural machines at 1895 in Pilsting
. He named the company Andreas Glas, Reparaturwerkstätte für landwirtschaftliche Maschinen mit Dampfbetrieb (in English
: Andreas Glas, repair-shop for steam-powered agricultural machines). During the summer periods about 16 people worked for him. In 1905 Andreas Glas' company built their first sowing machines. He then had sufficient work to employ all his employees during the winters. The production of sowing machines rose from year to year:
Since 1905 Glas had a branch office in Dingolfing
. He started to produce in Dingolfing in 1908 with 150 sowing machines per year. The production count rose each year.
After World War II
, the market for sowing machines was declining, and the company began building little carrows and later working machines for baker
s along with sowing machines.
Glas were known for small cars like the Goggomobil
. However in 1964 the company introduced the Glas 1300GT coupe and later the 1700GT. The body was designed by Pietro Frua
. However competition, mostly from British cars, was tough and in 1966 released the 2600GT powered by a SOHC V8 engine, with a volume just under 2.6 litres. However this didn't help and later the same year the company was sold to BMW
. The Glas models were kept in production by BMW, but fitted with BMW engines. The Glas 1300 GT coupe was fitted with a 1.6 litre BMW engine and renamed BMW 1600 GT. BMW also fitted a 3 litre engine and named it 3000 GT. This model kept the Glas name, but had a BMW logo in the front and rear. In 1968 BMW created their own large coupe, the BMW 2500 CS, and this meant the end for Glas. 277 copies of 2600 GT was made and 389 of the 3000 GT.
scooter
from Piaggio in Verona, Italy. He was so enthused that he began production of motorscooters that July.
The scooter debuted with a 125 cc motor, increased over time to 150 cc and 200 cc. Until 1956 46,181 motor scooters were built. Production of scooters stopped because of the Goggomobil cars. From 1953 on, load-carrying scooters were built as well. With the 200 cc engine and 9.5 bhp, they had a capacity of 250 kg.
plant. In 1966 management decided to buy Glas and absorb the Glas model line.
.
Dingolfing
Dingolfing is a town in Southern Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the Landkreis Dingolfing-Landau.- History :The area now called Dingolfing was first mentioned in Tinguluinga in the year 833....
. Originally a maker of farm machinery, Glas evolved first into a producer of motor scooters, then automobiles. It was purchased by BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
in 1966,
mainly to gain access to Glas's patents, they were the first to use a timing belt
Timing belt
A timing belt, or cam belt , is a part of an internal combustion engine that controls the timing of the engine's valves. Some engines, such as the flat-4 Volkswagen air-cooled engine, and the straight-6 Toyota F engine use timing gears...
with an overhead camshaft in an automotive applications,
with its limited model range shortly phased out by its new parent.
History
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
Andreas Glas founded a repair company for agricultural machines at 1895 in Pilsting
Pilsting
Pilsting is a municipality in the district of Dingolfing-Landau in Bavaria in Germany....
. He named the company Andreas Glas, Reparaturwerkstätte für landwirtschaftliche Maschinen mit Dampfbetrieb (in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Andreas Glas, repair-shop for steam-powered agricultural machines). During the summer periods about 16 people worked for him. In 1905 Andreas Glas' company built their first sowing machines. He then had sufficient work to employ all his employees during the winters. The production of sowing machines rose from year to year:
- Winter period 1905/06 - 10 sowing machines
- Autumn 1906 - 20 pieces
- Winter period 1906/07 - 40 machines
- 1907 - 60 pieces
- Winter period 1907/08 - 254 sowing machines.
Since 1905 Glas had a branch office in Dingolfing
Dingolfing
Dingolfing is a town in Southern Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the Landkreis Dingolfing-Landau.- History :The area now called Dingolfing was first mentioned in Tinguluinga in the year 833....
. He started to produce in Dingolfing in 1908 with 150 sowing machines per year. The production count rose each year.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the market for sowing machines was declining, and the company began building little carrows and later working machines for baker
Baker
A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...
s along with sowing machines.
Products
Goggomobil
Goggomobil was a series of microcars produced in the Bavarian town Dingolfing after World War II by Glas.Glas produced three models on the Goggomobil platform: the Goggomobil T sedan, the Goggomobil TS coupé, and the Goggomobil TL van...
. However in 1964 the company introduced the Glas 1300GT coupe and later the 1700GT. The body was designed by Pietro Frua
Pietro Frua
Pietro Frua was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early years:...
. However competition, mostly from British cars, was tough and in 1966 released the 2600GT powered by a SOHC V8 engine, with a volume just under 2.6 litres. However this didn't help and later the same year the company was sold to BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
. The Glas models were kept in production by BMW, but fitted with BMW engines. The Glas 1300 GT coupe was fitted with a 1.6 litre BMW engine and renamed BMW 1600 GT. BMW also fitted a 3 litre engine and named it 3000 GT. This model kept the Glas name, but had a BMW logo in the front and rear. In 1968 BMW created their own large coupe, the BMW 2500 CS, and this meant the end for Glas. 277 copies of 2600 GT was made and 389 of the 3000 GT.
Scooters
In 1951 Andreas Glas saw the VespaVespa
Vespa is an Italian brand of scooter manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian.The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A...
scooter
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
from Piaggio in Verona, Italy. He was so enthused that he began production of motorscooters that July.
The scooter debuted with a 125 cc motor, increased over time to 150 cc and 200 cc. Until 1956 46,181 motor scooters were built. Production of scooters stopped because of the Goggomobil cars. From 1953 on, load-carrying scooters were built as well. With the 200 cc engine and 9.5 bhp, they had a capacity of 250 kg.
Cars
- GoggomobilGoggomobilGoggomobil was a series of microcars produced in the Bavarian town Dingolfing after World War II by Glas.Glas produced three models on the Goggomobil platform: the Goggomobil T sedan, the Goggomobil TS coupé, and the Goggomobil TL van...
T250, T300, T400, Sedan (1955-1969), Coupé (1957-1969), Transporter (1957-1965) - Glas Isar T600, T700 (1958-1965)
- Glas 1004, 1204, 1304 (1962-1968)
- Glas 1300 GT, 1700 GT (1963-1967)
- Glas 1700 (1964-1968)
- Glas 2600 V8, 3000 V8 ("Glaserati") (1966-1968)
Absorption by BMW
In 1962 BMW released the BMW 1500. The popular four-door compact's success exhausted the production capacity of the MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
plant. In 1966 management decided to buy Glas and absorb the Glas model line.
Changes under BMW
- The 04-type, the GT and the 1700 sedan were given BMW badges in the last year of their production.
- The GT was reengineered and so it was built with a BMW engine and rear axle and sold as BMW 1600 GT until 1968.
- The V8 got a bigger engine constructed by Glas and was also sold until 1968 as BMW-GLAS 3000 V8.
- The 1700 sedan was built and sold by a South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n importer with several changes as BMW 1800 SA until 1974. - The Goggomobil T300, T400, T400 Coupé (renamed Sport), Glas Isar T700 and the Glas 1204 were licensed for manufacture in Argentina during the 1960s.
Closure
In the late 60s BMW shut down Glas and built entirely new production facilities which would eventually become an important production site. As of 2008, BMW's Dingolfing branch is BMW's largest factory, with 22,000 workers producing both thirteen hundred 5-, 6- and 7-series cars and bodies for Rolls-RoyceRolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
.