The Car That Came In From The Cold – The Borgward P100

For many years, this writer has regarded the Borgward P100 ‘Big Six’ as one of the most fascinating German cars of its generation. To find an ex-Guernsey RHD example being recently sold by Classic Car Auctions | 1961 Borgward P100 B g S x-F r Sale sorely tempted him, for the P100 belongs in a world of Cold War spies.

The P100 made its bow at the 1959 Frankfurt Motor Show as the successor to the 2400 Pullman. The styling, with its vestigial tail fins, was in the contemporary German-American idiom (Opels of that era had a similar look). The 2,440cc straight-six engine was based on the smaller Isebella’s 1.5-litre unit and one of the P100’s main selling points was an all-new design of air suspension. This redated Daimler Benz’s better-known system; the introduction of the 300SE was in 1962.

The air suspension was initially optional on the P100 but subsequently became a standard fitting. To quote Autocar:

The system is pressurized by an air pump, belt driven from the front of the crankshaft, feeding a reservoir housed under the bonnet; this reservoir incorporates filters for cleaning the air and for removing its water content.

The P100 looked far more up-to-date than the BMW 3200 ‘Baroque Angel’, while its principal domestic rival was, of course, the Mercedes-Benz 220S/SE ‘Fintail’, which also debuted in 1959. Borgward enthusiasts will happily tell you that not only did the Big Six combine the handling and road holding of the smaller Isabella but it also had a more upmarket image than its Stuttgart competitor.

Full production commenced in January 1960 and when Autocar tested the P100 later that year its UK price was a vast £2,395 5s 10d. This may have meant it was slightly cheaper than the Fintail 220S at £2,524 but the Jaguar Mk. IX was just £2,043 and the Rover P5 3-Litre was an even more reasonable £1,864. The Borgward flagship was clearly a car for the Smart Set rather than the mean streets of East Cheam.

The test praised the Big Six’s suspension as “very successful without being revolutionary in its behaviour” and “outstandingly good in resisting roll on severe cornering”. They also noted the cabin had enough room that “a hat could be worn by a person of average height” – clearly a vital consideration. In conclusion, the P100 would:

attract buyers by virtue of its performance, particularly by the characteristics associated with its air suspension. It is our impression that this system has many advantages and no snags if well applied.

A similarly impressed The Motor thought the P100 a “fast, refined and beautifully appointed big brother to the famous Isabella”. But Borgward sold only 2,547 examples when production ended in July 1961. The circumstances of the company’s bankruptcy remain highly controversial and will be covered in another blog. However, the Big Six did have a post-script in Mexico, where its manufacturing equipment was sold in 1963. Four months later August 1967 Gregorio Ramirez Gonzalez commenced building a local version of the P100, and Mexican production continued until 1970.

That handsome white P100 sold by Classic Auctions now has a new owner – but this writer still craves the mighty Borgward. It is a truly a car of presence.

With Thanks To: Classic Car Auctions - Home