BMW 507 Serie I

The BMW 507

In 1954, Max Hoffman, the general importer for German premium brands in the USA and the initiator of vehicles such as the road version of the Mercedes 300 SL and the Porsche 356 Speedster, approached BMW's development department in Munich. He saw a gap in the model range of BMW and BMW's competitors – a sporty car, ideally a convertible, that could be positioned between the very expensive 300 SL and the British sports cars. Hoffman saw BMW's 501 and 502 sedans as an ideal platform for constructing an elegant convertible with relatively little development effort. Hoffman's idea was well received in Munich, and Fritz Fiedler was instructed to develop a chassis, with the body to be designed by Ernst Loof. However, Hoffman disliked Loof's designs and insisted that the designer Albrecht Graf von Goertz create a new design. The result, named the 507, was presented at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in the summer of 1955. The schedule development schedule had been so tight that only one of the two exhibition vehicles was able to drive. Series production would not start until autumn 1956. The car was based on the shortened frame of the BMW 502 and was powered by a V8 engine with a displacement of 3.2 litres and an output of 150 hp (a 165 hp version was available as an option). The engine housing is made of aluminium, as is the handcrafted body – a well-proportioned, slim yet athletic shape with a long bonnet and large wheels. The main market for the vehicle was North America, where Hoffman believed he could sell over 1,000 units per year. However, the car was also available in Germany for 26,500 Deutschmarks. That was 5.5 times the annual salary of an average worker. The car was very popular in international high society, though, with celebrities such as Fred Astaire, John Surtees, Elvis Presley, Aga Khan, Alain Delon, Hans Stuck, Ursula Andress, Prince Rainier of Monaco, and Crown Prince Konstantin II of Greece among the elite group of owners. 

Count von Goertz also secured himself an example. Despite this good publicity, the car was not a commercial success for BMW, but made a loss with every unit. This was part of the difficulties that put a financial strain on BMW, requiring an investment by the Quandt family to save the company. In total, only 252 examples of the 507 were manufactured between 1957 and 1959. Today, 220 examples are still known to exist, five of which are in BMW's own car collection. Many years later (1999), the 507 was the inspiration for the BMW Z8 – a modern interpretation of a roadster based on the classic model. The fact that the 507 was not a real success in its day pays off today, with the small number of units built making the BMW 507 all the more valuable and sought-after. With its combination of high exclusivity, elegant yet sporty design and high driving potential, it is a German automotive icon from BMW. The BMW 507 is recognised as one of the most beautiful sports cars in the world, and rightly so. This example is an impressive proof of this and lives up to the title. In excellently restored condition, this 507 can even be presented and enjoyed as a participant in the Mille Miglia. Its 1957 year of construction makes it possible. Of course, such an exquisite and renowned sports car is also a welcome guest at other important classic car events such as the Tour Auto or the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

This motor car

This BMW 507 is one of just 34 examples of the early Series I out of a total of only 252 507s produced. The year of 1957 makes it eligible for the Mille Miglia. The car was completed at the factory on the 3 of July, making it one of the last examples of Series I to be built. A week later, it was delivered to the BMW dealer Automag Buchner & Linse in Munich. The original colour scheme of the delivery was Papyros white with a red leather interior. A confirmation from BMW Classic regarding the original delivery condition is available. The first owner (name known) in Frankfurt did not keep the BMW for long and sold it to the second owner (name known) in April 1958. In 1963, the car came to its third German owner (name known), who drove and maintained it regularly. It remained there for a whole 51 years (!) – half a century. During this time, the car was presumably painted in turquoise green, which it retained for a long time. All German owners are recorded in the available original German registration document (Fahrzeugbrief). It was not until 2014 that the fourth owner (name known) in Canada acquired the car. Three years later (2017), the sports car was passed on to its fifth owner (name known) in France. He had the car technically overhauled by BMW Classic in spring 2018. This included overhauling the original "matching numbers" engine and the transmission, the front and rear axles, the brakes, and the suspension, replacing all fuel and brake lines, cleaning the fuel tank, replacing the radiator, and installing a new exhaust system. However, the body and interior were left unchanged. 

Disc brakes had already been fitted at the front by the previous (fourth) owner to increase the braking power for better drivability. In April 2018, the car was registered with a "Carte Grise" and took part in the renowned "Tour Auto" rally in France at the end of April with start number 129. It then underwent another extensive service at BMW Classic. In 2019, the 507 was acquired by a renowned classic car dealership and underwent a comprehensive and perfect "frame-off" restoration in which no expense was spared. As part of the restoration, the roadster was given a stylish colour scheme in dark blue metallic with a beige-brown leather interior. This makes this 507 much more interesting than the quite common Papyrus white with red leather. The original Rudge centre-lock rims and an original hardtop complete this fantastic offer.