At just 23 years old, Arnold Schwarzenegger owned a BMW 1600—a car that symbolized his newfound independence and ambition in America. Fast forward to 2022, and he found himself behind the wheel of a BMW once again, this time as the star a BMW Super Bowl commercial. A year later he joined BMW in CES for the i Vision Dee reveal.
But today, the former governor of California is going back to his roots. In the latest BMW Group Classic podcast, J.P. Rathgen had the opportunity to spend a day with Schwarzenegger in Los Angeles. Rathgen says that meeting one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures was already special, but the experience was elevated by the presence of a classic BMW 1600—the very car that had played a role in Schwarzenegger’s American dream and in BMW’s history as well.
Born in 1964
The BMW 1600 was part of BMW’s legendary Neue Klasse lineup, a family of cars that laid the foundation for the brand’s reputation as a maker of sporty, driver-focused sedans. While the BMW 2002, which followed, often gets the lion’s share of praise—rightfully so, as it remains one of the all-time greats—the 1600 was an outstanding car in its own right. Like all Neue Klasse models, it combined precision engineering with a lightweight, agile chassis, delivering a driving experience that was both engaging and refined.
The 1600 was introduced in 1964 as a successor to the BMW 1500. It featured an engine with a displacement of 1,573 cc. This inline-four engine produced 83 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 113 Nm (83 lb-ft) of torque at 3,000 rpm, offering a strong balance of performance and efficiency for its time. The 1600 sedan remained in production until early 1966.
Around the same time BMW discontinued the 1600 sedan, it introduced a more compact two-door variant under the same “1600” name—often referred to as the 1600-2. This model would become the foundation of what later evolved into the celebrated 02 Series, ultimately paving the way for the iconic 2002. While the 2002 may have stolen the spotlight, the 1600 played a crucial role in BMW’s transformation into a maker of world-class sports sedans, and it remains a highly regarded classic among enthusiasts today.
Let’s hear Schwarzenegger share his tale with the BMW 1600 and why it has a special place in his heart!