For Sale: Sebastian Vettel-Driven F1 BMW-Sauber and Vintage 1946 BMW F2 Racers
Looking to buy a BMW open-wheel racer? We’ve found the motherload.
Two historic BMW open-wheelers have surfaced for sale on Race Cars Direct, making us crave a good 'ol dose of Bavarian sheet metal. The lineup: one is a postwar Formula 2 race car, and the other a modern Formula 1 car that's been piloted by famous F1 drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Robert Kubica, and Nick Heidfeld. Of course, if you have a hard time choosing one over the other for your perfect weekend getaway, we suggest simply buying both.
1946 BMW F2
Constructed in the wake of World War II for the newly developed Formula 2, this BMW F2 car has a tube-frame chassis and a drivetrain sourced from pre-war BMWs. Up front sits a 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated inline six that sends a whopping 90 horsepower to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission, also sourced from a pre-war BMW 326 or 327.
Power flows from the driveshaft to a 326-sourced differential, and into axles from a 327, which supports the chassis using leaf springs from (again) a 326. Controlling spring movement is, surprisingly, an adjustable shock absorber setup, which looks high-tech compared to the rest of the car.
Like most race cars of its era, this BMW has no serial number, but it does have documents from the FIA that attest to its status as a vintage race car, meaning it can compete in FIA-sanctioned vintage races. This car is listed for sale without a price, because if you're looking to take up vintage racing as a hobby, money probably isn't an object to you.
2007 BMW-Sauber F1.07
Similar can be said for anyone looking to buy any Formula 1 car, for any reason, be it for racing or display purposes. Listed on the same site as the above BMW F2 car is a 2007 F1 car, the F1.07 from BMW-Sauber. Denoted as chassis 06B, this F1.07 is claimed to have been driven by the team's three drivers that year, which included Heidfeld, Grand Prix winner Kubica, and eventual four-time world champion and Ferrari driver Vettel. Note that the listing says driven by, rather than raced by, suggesting that F1.07-06B was a developmental chassis rather than one meant for racing.
Regardless, its performance potential should in theory match that of the F1.07s that actually raced, and successfully at that, with the car claiming two podium finishes in the 2007 season. It won't be capable of winning BOSS GP races as sold, however, because this car is sold without its 2.4-liter BMW V8. As the car's carbon monocoque was designed around this engine, MacGyvering anything other than the correct engine into this car would be close to, if not outright impossible.
BMW will probably sell you an engine that'll fit, but as with the above, if you have to ask how much that'll cost you aren't the customer they're looking for.
