Borgward Hansa 1500: Which Version Should You Buy?
The Borgward Hansa 1500 catalogue covers one generation of Cabrio models produced from 1949 to 1954, so the buying decision is not between generations or body styles. It is between five recorded versions: two 1.5 MT entries and three 1.8 MT entries, distinguished by power, fuel type, gearbox, performance, weight, and production period.
The Borgward Hansa 1500 catalogue covers one generation of Cabrio models produced from 1949 to 1954, so the buying decision is not between generations or body styles. It is between five recorded versions: two 1.5 MT entries and three 1.8 MT entries, distinguished by power, fuel type, gearbox, performance, weight, and production period. The strongest choice on paper is the 59 hp Gasoline 1.8 MT with the 4-speed Manual gearbox: it has the best acceleration, the highest top speed, and the most favourable weight-to-power ratio in the range. Buyers who specifically want Diesel instead get 42 hp and 103 Nm, while the earlier 1.5 MT versions offer 47 hp or 51 hp but no advantage in recorded weight or tank capacity.
Generations: what changed during production?
There is one generation, produced from 1949 to 1954 as a Cabrio, with five recorded versions. Because no separate restyling is identified in the supplied data, every version belongs to this same generation. The 1.5 MT versions were offered from 1949, while the 1.8 MT entries begin in 1952 or 1953. The later cars therefore broadened the engine choice rather than creating another generation: the catalogue includes 1,498 cc Gasoline engines, 1,758 cc Gasoline engines, and a 1,758 cc Diesel engine.
Borgward Hansa 1500 engine and gearbox comparison
Every version uses a front, longitudinal engine with 4 Inline cylinders, 2 valves per cylinder, no boost, and RWD. The Gasoline engines have a Carburetor, whereas the Diesel uses Direct injection (direct). All transmissions are Manual, but one 59 hp 1.8 MT has 3 gears while the other four entries have 4 gears.
| Exact version | Production | Power | Torque | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders and layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 MT, 47 hp | 1949–1950 | 47 hp (35 kW) at 4,000 rpm | 98 Nm at 2,300 rpm | 1,498 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 4-speed Manual | RWD |
| 1.5 MT, 51 hp | 1949–1952 | 51 hp (38 kW) at 4,400 rpm | 98 Nm at 2,500 rpm | 1,498 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 4-speed Manual | RWD |
| 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 4-speed | 1952–1954 | 59 hp (44 kW) at 4,200 rpm | 125 Nm at 2,100 rpm | 1,758 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 4-speed Manual | RWD |
| 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 3-speed | 1952–1953 | 59 hp (44 kW) at 4,200 rpm | 125 Nm at 2,100 rpm | 1,758 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | 3-speed Manual | RWD |
| 1.8 MT, 42 hp | 1953–1954 | 42 hp (31 kW) at 3,200 rpm | 103 Nm at 2,200 rpm | 1,758 cc | Diesel | 4, Inline | No | 4-speed Manual | RWD |
The 51 hp 1.5 MT produces about 34.0 hp per litre, compared with about 31.4 hp per litre for the 47 hp 1.5 MT. Both 59 hp Gasoline 1.8 MT versions deliver about 33.6 hp per litre, while the 42 hp Diesel 1.8 MT produces about 23.9 hp per litre.
Moving from the 51 hp 1.5 MT to either 59 hp Gasoline 1.8 MT adds 8 hp and 27 Nm. The larger Gasoline engine also reaches peak torque 400 rpm earlier, at 2,100 rpm rather than 2,500 rpm. Compared with the 47 hp 1.5 MT, it adds 12 hp and the same 27 Nm.
The Diesel 1.8 MT is different rather than simply stronger. Against the 51 hp 1.5 MT, it has 9 hp less but 5 Nm more torque. Its maximum power arrives at 3,200 rpm, which is 1,200 rpm earlier, and its maximum torque arrives at 2,200 rpm, which is 300 rpm earlier. No reliability or problems data are provided for any engine, so neither fuel type can be ranked for dependability from this catalogue.
Performance and economy: acceleration, top speed, and mpg
| Exact version | 0–100 km/h | Top speed | City consumption | Highway consumption | Combined consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 MT, 47 hp | 34 seconds | 120 km/h | not measured | not measured | not measured |
| 1.5 MT, 51 hp | 34 seconds | 120 km/h | not measured | not measured | not measured |
| 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 4-speed | 30 seconds | 145 km/h | not measured | not measured | not measured |
| 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 3-speed | 34 seconds | 120 km/h | not measured | not measured | not measured |
| 1.8 MT, 42 hp | 34 seconds | 105 km/h | not measured | not measured | not measured |
The 59 hp, 4-speed 1.8 MT is the clear performance choice. It reaches 100 km/h 4 seconds sooner than every other listed version. Its 145 km/h maximum is 25 km/h higher than either 1.5 MT and the 3-speed 59 hp 1.8 MT, and 40 km/h higher than the Diesel.
The comparison between the two 59 hp 1.8 MT entries is especially important. Their engine specifications are identical—59 hp, 125 Nm, 1,758 cc, Gasoline, and no boost—but their recorded performance is not. The 4-speed car reaches 100 km/h in 30 seconds and 145 km/h, while the 3-speed car requires 34 seconds and reaches 120 km/h. On the supplied figures, the 4-speed version therefore buys substantially better performance without requiring more engine output.
Fuel consumption and mpg are not measured for any version. CO₂ output and environmental class are also not measured, so the Diesel cannot be described as more economical and none of the versions can be ranked by fuel cost from these data.
Dimensions, weight, clearance, tank, and wheel sizes
| Exact version | Kerb weight | Gross weight | Ground clearance | Tank | Wheel sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 MT, 47 hp | 1,240 kg | 1,530 kg | 170 mm | 40 L | not measured |
| 1.5 MT, 51 hp | 1,240 kg | 1,530 kg | 170 mm | 40 L | not measured |
| 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 4-speed | 1,240 kg | 1,530 kg | 170 mm | 40 L | not measured |
| 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 3-speed | 1,270 kg | 1,570 kg | 170 mm | 40 L | not measured |
| 1.8 MT, 42 hp | 1,245 kg | 1,570 kg | 170 mm | 40 L | not measured |
The 59 hp, 4-speed 1.8 MT again has the strongest numerical case because its 1,240 kg kerb weight matches both 1.5 MT versions. It carries the larger, more powerful engine without a recorded kerb-weight increase over those cars.
Its weight-to-power ratio is about 21.0 kg per hp. The 51 hp 1.5 MT has about 24.3 kg per hp, the 47 hp 1.5 MT about 26.4 kg per hp, the 59 hp 3-speed 1.8 MT about 21.5 kg per hp, and the 42 hp Diesel about 29.6 kg per hp. The 4-speed Gasoline 1.8 MT consequently has the best ratio, while the Diesel has the highest weight burden per horsepower.
The 3-speed 59 hp 1.8 MT weighs 30 kg more than the 4-speed version and has a gross weight 40 kg higher. The Diesel is 5 kg heavier than the 4-speed Gasoline 1.8 MT, while its gross weight is also 40 kg higher. Ground clearance is 170 mm and tank capacity is 40 L throughout the range. Wheel sizes are not measured for any version.
All versions have Independent, spring front and rear suspension, Disc front brakes, and Drum rear brakes. The supplied data therefore provide no suspension or brake specification that would make one version preferable to another.
Which Borgward Hansa 1500 version should you buy?
Choose the 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 4-speed if the decision is based on measurable performance. It combines the range-leading 145 km/h top speed and 30-second acceleration time with the best weight-to-power ratio, while retaining the same 1,240 kg kerb weight, 170 mm clearance, and 40 L tank as the 1.5 MT versions.
Choose the 1.8 MT, 59 hp, 3-speed only if that exact gearbox configuration matters to you. It gives the same 59 hp and 125 Nm as the 4-speed car, but weighs 30 kg more, takes 4 seconds longer to reach 100 km/h, and has a top speed that is 25 km/h lower. Its catalogue figures do not reveal a performance advantage.
Between the two 1.5 MT entries, the 51 hp version is the stronger numerical choice. Both have 98 Nm, weigh 1,240 kg, reach 100 km/h in 34 seconds, and top out at 120 km/h, but the 51 hp car has 4 hp more. The 47 hp 1.5 MT is mainly the choice for someone specifically seeking the version produced from 1949 to 1950; its recorded performance does not exceed that of the 51 hp entry.
Choose the 42 hp Diesel 1.8 MT only when the Diesel engine and Direct injection (direct) configuration are themselves priorities. It provides 103 Nm, which is 5 Nm more than either 1.5 MT, but it also has the slowest recorded top speed at 105 km/h and the least favourable weight-to-power ratio. Because consumption, mpg, reliability, and problems are not measured, the data cannot establish an operating-cost or durability advantage.
No supported price or for-sale comparison can be made. Whether searching for a Borgward Hansa 1500 for sale or using the German term “kaufen,” the most defensible catalogue choice is the 59 hp 1.8 MT with the 4-speed Manual gearbox—provided condition and price are evaluated separately, because neither is included in the supplied data.