Glas 1300 GT Coupé

The Glas 1300 Coupé was a two-door grand touring coupé designed by Pietro Frua and produced by Hans Glas GmbH between 1963 and 1967. It marked the beginning of the collaboration between the Turin-based coachbuilder and the Bavarian manufacturer, establishing a design language that would later evolve into the larger Glas 1700 and BMW-Glas models. The project originated when Glas sought a more prestigious model to complement its compact saloons. Pietro Frua was commissioned to design a modern coupé using the mechanical platform of the Glas 1004/1204 range. The resulting body combined restrained Italian styling with practical 2+2 accommodation, giving Glas an entry into the growing European GT market. The steel body was manufactured in Italy by Carrozzeria Frua before being transported to Dingolfing for final assembly. Its design featured clean, straight surfaces, a long bonnet, a low waistline and a formal roofline terminating in a short rear deck. The front was characterised by twin circular headlamps and a simple horizontal grille, while the rear adopted slim horizontal lamps and restrained brightwork. The overall proportions reflected Frua’s preference for balanced volumes rather than exaggerated styling details. Initially introduced as the Glas 1300 GT, the model was powered by a 1,290 cc overhead-cam four-cylinder engine producing approximately 75 hp. In 1965 the range was expanded with the 1700 GT, fitted with a 1,682 cc engine developing around 100 hp. Both versions used a four-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels through a live rear axle. The Frua-designed coupé received only minor styling revisions during its production life. Following BMW’s acquisition of Glas in 1966, the model continued briefly as the BMW-Glas 1600 GT, incorporating BMW mechanical components while retaining Frua’s body almost unchanged. The Glas 1300 Coupé established Pietro Frua as the principal stylist of the Glas range. Its design influenced several later Frua projects, including the Glas 1700 saloon, BMW-Glas 1600 GT, Maserati Quattroporte and numerous one-off grand tourers.