After the war in 1945, the car was part of the reparation payments and was given to the USSR and ultimately to Artiom Ivanovich Mikoyan, head of the Mikoyan i Gurevich Design Bureau, best known as the creator of Russian MiG warplanes

RM Auctions, is consigning of one of the world’s most significant pre-war sports racing cars. The one-of-a-kind 1937, BMW 328 Mille Miglia ‘Büegelfalte’, chassis no. 85032, will make its auction debut at RM’s inaugural Sporting Classics of Monaco sale on 1 May, 2010 at the Grimaldi Forum.

Chassis 85032 was manufactured in May 1937 as a standard-bodied car for Rudolf Schleicher´s Experimental Department at BMW. The car participated in the 1937 Le Mans with the well-known British driver of the period, A.F.P. Fane, as well as the 1937 Tourist Trophy in the hands of H.G. Dobbs. The following year it participated in the 1938 Mille Miglia and won a notable victory in the 2.0-litre class, again with Fane driving and William James as co-driver.

The bodywork of ‘85032’ was designed by Wilhelm Kaiser, a very experienced member of BMW`s new design department, Künstlerische Gestaltung, headed by Chief-Stylist Wilhelm Meyerhuber. The car was built at the factory racing department in Milbertshofen, Germany.

Of significance to BMW historians, the ‘Buegelfalte’ is the only special roadster ever built at the BMW factory in Munich; the two other second series streamline roadsters (after having been assembled) got their final outer Aluminum body skins by independent coachbuilder, Touring of Milan.

After the war in 1945, the car was part of the reparation payments and was given to the USSR and ultimately to Artiom Ivanovich Mikoyan, head of the Mikoyan i Gurevich Design Bureau, best known as the creator of Russian MiG warplanes. His son used the car and eventually traded it with Mr. Giudo Adamson of Riga for a brand new Lada in 1972.

A copy of the Büegelfalte was made and now resides in the BMW Museum.

'Our Monaco sale will feature some truly outstanding historic cars, but the totally unique nature of this BMW and its fascinating history make it an exceptional opportunity for any collector of significant motor cars', said Max Girardo, managing director of RM Europe.

For more information, visit www.rmauctions.com