BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke) automobile production facilities in Eisenach, DDR, were marooned from the parent company and became a separate firm. In 1952, following legal proceedings, it was named Eisenacher Motorenwerk and produced cars with the EMW label for a few years before further name changes were made. A brief Wikipedia entry in English is here, and from there one can link to a more detailed entry in German.
In 1949-51 three prototypes of large sedans were announced by EMW (still known as BMW at the time). These are pictured below.
This car featured tall windows that helped reduce slab-side induced visual bulk. The front end styling followed BMW practice.
In 1949 EMW/BMW model 340s received non-traditional BMW grilles, so this car had its version. I do not know for certain if two prototypes were built or whether the 342-2 was a facelifted 342-1.
Again, the 342-1 body might have been facelifted to become the 343, whose front and rear differed from the 1949 designs. The grille is kind of a mess, sporting USA style large chrome bars. I suppose the justification of the central round element is that it incorporates the round BMW/EMW logotype.
Wow, that second concept looks like they really drew inspiration from Buick! (If not outright plagiarizing.) And the third one is a hot mess.
ReplyDeleteNot sure, but it looks like they never made an actual production car in that period that was as modern a near pontoon body as these, but first made prewar style sedans and then a new but more prewarlike model. I bet there's a book or articles somewhere explain all of it, complicated by the German E/W split.
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