These were high-performance versions of the 315 and 319 respectively, with tuned engines and lightweight roadster bodywork.

The hubs were located with the spring mounts at the top and control arms at the bottom.

[9] The 303 was the first German car in its size and price class to have automatic "one-shot" chassis lubrication.

[2] The 303 was the first BMW to use the 'kidney grill',[7] which has since become a defining feature of the company's models.

[7][9] Two-door saloon and cabriolet bodies were manufactured, at first by Daimler-Benz's coachworks in Sindelfingen, and later by Ambi-Budd in Berlin.

[7] At the time it was being made, the 303 was the least expensive six-cylinder car in Germany.

The combination of soft spring rates at the front and hard spring rates at the rear caused understeer, body roll, and a generally unsettling pitching movement.

A total of 6,646 BMW 319s of all types were built by the end of production in 1937.

However, with compression ratio increased to 6.8:1[19][18] from 5.6:1 in the saloon,[2][3] and with the use of three Solex carburetors,[19][18] power increased to 30 kW (41 PS; 40 hp) at 4300 rpm, while the roadster bodywork reduced kerb weight to 750 kg (1,653 lb).

[20] The 315/1 and 319/1 were replaced by the BMW 328,[17] which was based on an all-new tubular steel ladder frame, but used the steering gear and suspension of the 319/1.