1958 BMW 507 Roadster

The BMW 507 was not designed with motor sports in mind, though several examples were entered in major racing events, including the Mille Miglia and the Tour de France. Depending on the gear ratio selected, the 507 was capable of achieving 125 mph to 135 mph. They could race from zero-to-sixty mph in less than 10 seconds. Production of the 507 commenced in November 1956 and came to a close in May 1959, and just 252 examples were built.

The BMW 507 Roadster was designed to fill the gap between the low-priced English imports and the expensive Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster. They commanded a sum of $8,988 in the US and 26,500 marks in Germany, making it one of the most expensive cars of its day. Though it was not a commercial success, the BMW 507 did accomplish the company's goal of building a limited-production, highly desirable V-8 roadster.

This example was delivered new to Werner Preis in Düsseldorf, Germany finished in Spring White and outfitted with engine 40175 and a hardtop.

In early 2000 it was in the care of Charles Crail and then sold to Microsoft Vice President Rick Thompson of Bellevue, Washington. At the time, the 507 Roadster was finished in white with black leather. It was described as having 77,000 km since new and was equipped with disc brakes, Rudge wheels, hard top, full complement of tools, full ownership history, and the original engine.

In February of 2000, the car was delivered to John Giles at TT Workshops Ltd. in Westbury, England for restoration. The complete, body-off restoration took over two years to complete, and included the rebuilding of the engine (numbered 40175) and five-speed gearbox.

Shipped to the US in July, the BMW 507 was completed just in time for its participation in the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance the following month. The car was finished in BMW Midnight Blue with dark red leather interior.

In February of 2003, the car was acquired by the current owner. During that time, the car has accrued around 2,000 miles. It participated in the 2007 Kirkland Concours d'Elegance Tour and Kirkland Concours d'Elegance where it won First in Class; the 2008 Kirkland Concours where it again won First in Class; the Copperstate 1000 in April 2008; and Cars in the Park, The Allure of the Automobile at Portland Art Museum in July 2011.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2014