“The Forgotten Italian-Built BMW Only 389 People Own” Most people have never heard of the BMW 1600 GT — and that’s exactly what makes it special. Originally designed by Italian stylist Pietro Frua as the Glas GT in 1963, it was rebadged after BMW acquired Glas in 1966. With a 1.6L inline-four producing 105 HP and one of the first timing belt engines in production history, this 2 2 coupé blended Italian style with German engineering. Only 389 units were ever built, making it one of BMW’s rarest a