Glas 2600 V8 1966

[Sick Cylinder]

The Glas 2600 V8 was a luxurious grand touring car produced by Glas of Dingolfing in Germany. The Company had made bubble cars and when that craze ended they pushed upmarket with their 1300 GT. That trend was continued with their 2600 V8 coupe which was styled by Pietro Frua of Italy who had also styled cars for Maserati hence the car was nicknamed the Glaserati. The V8 engine was based on the 4 cylinder unit from the 1300GT and featured one overhead camshaft per bank and three carbs with a progressive linkage producing 150bhp DIN and giving a top speed of over 190kmh. Commencing in August 1966 three hundred of these luxury coupes were built by Glas with the 2.6 litre engine. Unfortunately the company experienced financial difficulties and was taken over by BMW who produced a further 418 Coupes in 1968 fitted with a 3.0 litre version of the engine producing 160bhp which increased top speed to over 200kmh. The BMW versions were sold in the USA for $6,250, but the model was dropped from the BMW range in 1968 - a sad end to a once famous marque.

This was a very luxurious grand touring car and it would be a pleasure to take this little known make and model for a cruise in the game. Below grand interior with wood rimmed steering wheel and comprehensive instrunmentation.

 

[JKgo]

@Sick Cylinder ........hey, um, it says "large 2.6 litre V8 engine with two overhead camshafts". But you say ONE overhead....so....um, who's correct? Also, a bit of typo, "290km top speed"....that seems a little excessive...

 

[Not_A_Guest]

I think it looks really nice. 2.6L V8 is pretty weird though. They should have gotten something from GM or Mopar
And I just wanted to point something out...

producing 160bhp DIN and giving a top speed of 290kmh.

I don't know anything about this car but if I know anything about cars at all then 160 Hp isn't going to get you anywhere near 290 km/h. You should fix that.

 

[Sick Cylinder]

I think it looks really nice. 2.6L V8 is pretty weird though. They should have gotten something from GM or Mopar
And I just wanted to point something out...

I don't know anything about this car but if I know anything about cars at all then 160 Hp isn't going to get you anywhere near 290 km/h. You should fix that.

Thanks for comments guys - yes there was a typo which I have now corrected. The marketing people wanted a top speed of over 200kmh, but with the 2.6 litre engine the car achieved over 190kmh. It wasn't capable of breaking 200kmh until the engine was enlarged to 3.0 litres.

The engine had two overhead camshafts (hence the advert), but only one overhead camshaft for each bank of cylinders. calling it a "large 2.6 litre V8" is 1960's European marketing speak - it was a large engine by European standards at that time. For example we had the 2.5 litre Daimler V8 which was also fitted in some Jaguars.

The reason for the engine size is that they doubled up an existing four cylinder in the same way that Triumph did later with the V8 Stag engine.

Unfortunately the Glas V8 was designed with too short a wheelbase, with the result that handling was not as good as it should have been given its specification.