Glas Logo

Hans Glas established Glas in 1883, starting as an agricultural machinery business in Dingolfing, Germany. The company gradually shifted focus to the production of motorcycles and scooters in the early years of the 20th century.

The unveiling of Glas’s first automobile, the Goggomobil, marked a significant milestone for the company in 1950. The Goggomobil, a small two-seat microcar with a glass fiber body, was a major success, with sales surpassing 90,000 units.

Towards the mid-1950s, Glas pivoted to manufacturing larger, more mainstream sedans and coupes, complete with V8 and six-cylinder engines. These models included the 1004, 1700, and the 2600 V8.

However, Glas ran into financial difficulties by the onset of the 1960s. This crisis led to a takeover by BMW in 1966. BMW had a keen interest in acquiring Glas’s patents and engineering expertise.

By 1968, BMW had phased out the existing Glas models and integrated the company’s operations into its own. One of Glas’s significant contributions to automotive innovation was the development of the first timing belt-driven overhead camshaft engine, which was utilized in the Glas V8.

During the late 1950s, Glas employed around 10,000 people in its prime before it was eventually assimilated into BMW.