The Unique 528 GT Coupe: An Italian Interpretation of BMW

Based on the first-generation BMW 5 Series E12, the 528 GT Coupe remains one of the lesser-known concept cars connected to the German brand. Created between 1976 and 1977, the car was fully designed and built by Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua, whose work often blended German engineering with Italian styling elegance.

Frua was already known for several limited-production BMW-based projects, including the Glas-derived 1600 GT Coupe, the 2002 GT4 Coupe, the 2800 GTS Coupe, and the fastback 3000 V8 Coupe. The 528 GT Coupe, however, arrived during a difficult period for custom coachbuilt automobiles, when demand for one-off luxury designs was declining and manufacturers were focusing on efficiency and mass production.

A Project BMW Initially Rejected

Historical records suggest BMW management did not initially approve the project. Minutes from a board meeting in early 1976 indicate that executives opposed Frua’s plan to present a coupe based on the E12 at the Geneva Motor Show, citing product development policy concerns.

Two weeks later, after direct discussions with Frua, BMW reluctantly allowed the project to proceed under strict limitations. The company requested that Frua first build a single prototype coupe using the BMW 520i as a base. Only after reviewing the finished car would BMW consider supporting any limited production proposal.

Time constraints made a Geneva debut impossible that year, and BMW reportedly refused to supply certain components. As a result, Frua sourced parts from Italian vehicles, including turn signals from the Alfa Romeo 1750 GT and taillights from the Maserati Bora.

Italian Style Meets Bavarian Identity

Despite its independent construction, the front end clearly reflected BMW’s design language of the era. Four round headlights and a slim kidney grille defined the nose, while the forward-leaning hood created the classic “shark nose” profile associated with BMW in the 1970s.

The rest of the car combined BMW proportions with Italian fastback coupe styling and a 2+2 seating layout. The finished prototype was officially presented in November 1976 at the Turin Motor Show, where BMW representatives from both the design and research departments were present.

Mechanical Changes and Later Appearances

The prototype initially used BMW’s M10 four-cylinder engine. In 1977, Frua replaced it with the larger BMW M30 inline six. The car was finished in a red tone similar to Phoenix Red offered on the E12 sedan.

Inside, the cabin featured beige leather upholstery, while the car rode on distinctive 14-inch Alpina wheels with a 20-spoke design.

The 528 GT Coupe appeared again in 1978 at both the Geneva Motor Show and the Turin exhibition, and it also participated in the Concours d’Elegance in Nice. Afterward, the car was acquired by BMW AG before being sold to a Mexican client in March 1979.

A Surviving One-off Prototype

Today, the car remains in Mexico with a subsequent owner and shows fewer than 30,000 km (about 18,600 miles). It has been modified over time, now wearing a different shade of red paint, black leather upholstery, and Recaro seats instead of the original interior specification.

Even with these changes, the 528 GT Coupe survives as a fascinating piece of automotive history. It represents Pietro Frua’s attempt to merge Italian design artistry with BMW engineering, creating a one-of-a-kind coupe that captured both traditions in a single automobile.

This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.