News & Features December 6, 2007, 2:49PM EST

Post-War Bimmer Racer

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1948 Veritas BMW Rennsport

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By the early 1950s, Veritas cars had become very expensive and no longer competitive with the new offerings from Ferrari, Maserati, and Jaguar, so the company was shut down and most of the people went back to BMW. My sources suggest that 22 Rennsport models were constructed, of which roughly 15 survive. In the late 1940s, these and Frazer Nash shared the mantle as the epitome of the light, agile, sophisticated approach to auto racing. Cars like Talbot-Lago and Allard took the simpler-chassis, big-engined approach.

It may seem to the casual reader that 572 big ones is a lot to pay for a 1948 sports racer with a 2-liter production-based engine, but it actually has its own very clear logic. We're talking "horses for courses" here. Though collector street cars often have a value in their beauty and image, vintage racing cars tend to have value based on what you can do with them.

Best event, best people, best parties

In all of vintage racing, without doubt the most prestigious and desired event is the Monaco Historic Grand Prix. It is the best event, with the best people and the best parties, and is held every other year the weekend before the real GP. As befits a GP, it is almost exclusively for open-wheeled formula cars, but there is one exception. In 1952, times were hard and the GP was run allowing sports cars to ensure a full entry, so the Historic GP has one grid of sports racing cars. Because of the demand to enter the sports car grid, entry is strictly limited to cars constructed and with international racing history prior to June 1952, as well as interesting, significant, and/or unusual cars to boot. There is simply no more desirable or difficult vintage race entry in the world.

So let's take a look at the Veritas with this in mind. The car is old enough, beautiful, very significant, and rare enough that there aren't likely to be many others asking to participate. Even if there are, they won't look like this one, since all Rennsports were more or less one-offs. As a result, you'll have a good chance of being accepted for the event.

If you are accepted (and you're a good driver), we get to the next part. Monaco is a very tight, demanding, relatively slow street circuit that favors light, nimble cars. The Rennsport may be BMW 328-based, but you recall that it is also called a Bristol 2-liter, and these days 160 drivable horsepower is easy to develop from one.

The Veritas weighs about 1,200 pounds and has every bit as much tire and brake as anyone else that can run. Last time, a Frazer Nash won the event. The Veritas is certainly a front-runner and potentially a winning car at Monaco or similar events. It all starts to make sense, yes?

Yeah, it's a lot of money for a little car, but it sold for $207,020 at the Barret-Jackson/Coys Monte Carlo sale in 2000 to better its estimate by $35,000. It's appreciating in line with the market, and you're going to look long and hard to find anything likely to be acceptable, much less competitive, at the big-noise events for any less. It's also going to be a great and useable car that your wife might actually enjoy riding in on the various touring events that it would always be very welcome to join. It's not a car for the thin-wallet crowd, but then neither is prestige vintage racing these days, so there you have it. I'd say fairly bought.

(Introductory description courtesy of Sportscar Auction Co.)

Details

Years Produced: 1948-52

Number Produced: 22

Original List Price: Unknown

SCM Valuation: $500,000-$700,000

Tune-up Cost: $600

Chassis # Location: Unknown

Engine # Location: Right side block toward front

Club Info: Vintage Sports Car Club

Website: click to visit

Alternatives: 1948-56 Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica, 1948-55 Osca MT4, 1948-50 Ferrari 166 MM