The BMW Bavaria was a variant of the BMW E3 New Six that debuted in 1971. Offered exclusively in the United States, the Bavaria was the brainchild of BMW importer Max Hoffman, who convinced BMW to use the 2800's 2.8L engine in the 2500. This combination gave the Bavaria higher performance, without the added weight of all of the luxury trimmings found on the 2800. While these sporty sedans used the 2.8L engine for 1971, engine changes at BMW saw the Bavaria fitted with a larger 3.0L inline six starting in 1972. Although offered with either a manual or automatic transmission, most Bavarias were equipped with the manual gearbox. Production of the E3 BMW Bavaria lasted until 1974.