This story starts with a problem. The agricultural machinery factory GLAS which was created in 1883, established itself over the years in lower Bavaria under the name Isaria as a successful family enterprise, felt at the end of the 1940's a strong decrease in demand for its agricultural machinery. The drive to explore new markets for their products took an unsuspected turn during an agricultural machinery show in Modena, Italy.

Seeing the triumphant success of the Vespa in Italy first hand, Andreas Glas the junior boss felt that this scooter boom was also possible in postwar Germany. Back in Dingolfing they immediately started the design of a scooter and developed its first prototype. Production started in July 1951 sporting an Ilo two-stroke engine with 125 ccm displacement and a three-speed transmission. The youngest child in the Glas family was called Goggo, a name that was also given to this scooter.

Describing the Goggo scooter one could not refer to a graceful beauty, but it was a solid design and of robust construction, certainly qualities welcome in the market place. The Goggo scooter became one of the most-sold scooters in the Germany at the time. Soon the program was extended offering a 150 ccm and later a 200 ccm motor, the Goggo scooter could be ordered with a sidecar by Royal, Kali or Steib and also various utility scooters showed up in the lineup. 46,181 scooter were sold between July 1951 and December 1956, certainly an impressive showing. With this scooter the company also earned money and thus created the basis to enter into the automobile scene.

In postwar Germany, the scooter was the link between the motorcycle and the automobile. The longing for mobility with a roof over the head continued to increase. The desire for a small car needed to be satisfied. A true small car boom developed, but most of these adventurous constructions were not suitable for everyday life. In 1952 GLAS started the development of a small car. One had learned from the mistakes of others.

It didn’t matter that the Goggomobil of 1954 was hailed as a four-wheeled scooter with a roll-up canvas sun roof and with the first prototypes still using a door up front. Starting in February 1955 a serious small car, with two conventional doors and room for a family of four was offered for a price of less than $750.00. This little sedan offered a lot of space for its size and was a solid and durably built car. Felix Dozekal, formerly with Adler, developed the motor, a parallel - two-cylinder – two-cycle engine first with 250 ccm, then enlarged to a 300 ccm version and finally a 400 ccm version. Performance was between 13,6 HP for the basic version right up to 20 HP for the 400-ccm top version.

The Goggomobil chassis with its low center of gravity, swing axle suspension and independent springs at each was far above its direct competitors, the Messerschmitt, the Isetta, the Heinkel Kabine and all the other micro cars of the time. The German magazine “Hobby” wrote in its first test report: “The only way to flip a Goggomobil is to drive it over a land mine.”. In other words, even today the Goggomobil would have passed the moose test successfully. The concept of the Goggomobils was so far ahead of its competitors that is was no surprise that success came to the small car manufacturer in Dingolfing. In 1956 the Goggomobil was already exported into 36 countries, daily production was 170 vehicles and on June 21, 1956 25,000 Goggomobile were built.

With the Goggomobil Coupe, with a production start date of February 1957 and with the Goggo transporter from November 1957, which was even available in a pick-up version, variation of this small car were offered, which were ideally suited to the different needs of the rapidly growing affluent society. Success came immediately. On March 28, 1958, only three years after production started, the 100.000th Goggomobil was produced and with more than 280,000 vehicles built the Goggomobil has become the most successful small car produced in Germany.

However the Goggomobil was just a mini car. With rising prosperity the demand changed and GLAS started to implement plans to extend the model program upward. The Isar, which was called unfortunately "the large Goggomobil", was to guarantee progress. Equipped with 600 ccm, two-cylinder, four-cycle boxer motor, producing 19 HP, which was designed by lschinger, formerly with BMW, the Isar goes into production in August 1958. Soon a 700-ccm engine with 30 HP was offered and in November 1959 a station wagon version was added.

Despite enormous difficulties in the beginning 87,585 Isars were produced and sold right up to the end in 1965. But the Isar did not possess the charm of a mini car and as a full-grown vehicle it was never fully accepted. All that changed suddenly in 1962, as GLAS astonished the industry with a completely new automobile including a new four-cylinder engine. With a displacement of 1000 ccm the engine produced 42 HP, which ranked among the most modern engine concepts of its time. Also it was the first mass produced motor, which used a timing belt to drive the cam shaft and therefore it was way ahead of its time.
The engine was the strong heart of the GLAS 04-Serie, which began in May 1962 with the S1004 Coupe. The car did find supporters, because of its sporty qualities and its success on the racetrack. It became known as the "The poor man’s Porsche.".

The car looks rather conventional. The long overhang in front and back and the template like sharp edges needed some getting used to. However in 1962, with a base price of $1,345.00 the 1004 was a very good value. Also with the 04-Series the program is quickly expanded. In 1963 a sedan and a cabriolet are added and in 1966 a hatchback version was offered. Engine choices were 1200 ccm and 1300 ccm up to 85 HP and a with its high performance version, the 1304 TS with 85 HP, GLAS outperformed many of the so called middle-class cars and became something to be reckoned with on the German Autobahns. With this 04 as its being called, between 1963 and 1965 GLAS is also very successful on the racetrack and wins in 1965 with Gerhard Bodmer, the German touring car championship. These successes are important for the image and for the sales figures.
The industry acknowledges the pioneer spirit and the technological competence displayed by GLAS and begins to regard the label GLAS as a serious competitor.

Then in 1963, at the IAA in Frankfurt, GLAS presents the GLAS GT and the 1700 sedan to a surprised automotive world. The GLAS stand became the sensation of the IAA. The experts are amazed in what a short time this small privately owned company created such an interesting construction, which also is unbelievably beautiful. The cooperation with the Turin design house Pietro Frua opens completely new dimensions for GLAS technically and optically.
Sales start well, but it also fast becomes clear that GLAS advanced into price regions, where more than a convincing product counts. What is missing is reputation and tradition. For many people GLAS was still synonymous with the Goggomobil.

This problem was fully understood by GLAS and therefore it was agreed to be taken over by BMW, which took place on November 10, 1966. In the official press release BMW proclaimed: "This event enriched the Bavarian automobile history. These signatures on this contract made the GLAS automobile factory part of the Bavarian Motor Works in Munich. This event makes Bavaria finally an important automobile center".

Sixteen eventful years, in which GLAS wrote automobile history in a few paragraphs. The technical accomplishments were impressive and the products convincing. Today from all this, profit those who keep this history alive, as they drive their 2 or 4 wheeled GLAS and therefore keep alive the memory of a great automotive brand.