The 3200 CS was the final variation on BMW's early postwar luxury platform that began with the 501 introduced in 1951.

[2] After deliberation, the management rejected Bonsch's proposal and instead ordered chief engineer Fritz Fiedler to commission Bertone to design and manufacture a coupe body for the 3200S.

[2] This used a perimeter frame,[3] a 3,168 cc (193.3 cu in), twin-carburetor version of the BMW OHV V8 engine, delivering 160 horsepower (120 kW),[2][4][5] a four speed manual gear box,[2][5] a live rear axle,[5][6] disc brakes on the front wheels,[4][5] and torsion bar springs at all four wheels.

[7] While the 1500 represented a completely new direction for BMW,[7] the 3200 CS was based on the chassis of a car introduced at the Frankfurt show ten years earlier.

[2][13] As such, it was the last BMW automobile to have pushrod-operated engine valves, a perimeter frame, or a solid rear axle.