1959 BMW 507

The BMW 507 of the 1950s catered to transatlantic tastes and was unmistakably European in origin. It was styled by a New York-domiciled German ex-patriot and built in Germany, aimed at the United States market. Its inception is credited to Austrian-born entrepreneur Max Hoffman, at that time the US importer of various European makes. He convinced BMW that if they built a sports car to rival Mercedes-Benz's successful 300 SL, he could sell sufficient in the 'States to make the project viable.' Ernst Loof created the initial body design but it was rejected by Hoffman. Designs that followed were created by Count Albrecht von Goertz, an independent industrial designer who had worked for Raymond Loewy on the trend-setting Studebakers and had designed everything from furniture to fountain pens. Prior to the 507, Goertz had never styled an entire car.

At the heart of the 507 was a 3.2-liter (3,168 cubic centimeter / 193.3 cubic inches), all-aluminum alloy, OHV V8 engine sourced from the existing 502 saloon. It had two Zenith 32NDIX two-barrel carburetors, pushrod-operated overhead valves, high lift camshafts, a chain-driven oil pump, a compression ratio of 7.8:1, and polished combustion chamber surfaces. It was backed by a close-ratio four-speed manual transmission with a standard rear-end ratio of 3.70:1. Optional final drive ratios of 3.42:1 and 3.90:1 were available.

The engine was installed in a shortened, rigid box frame chassis for the 507, with a wheelbase size of 98 inches (down from 111.6 inches). The length measured 172.6 inches and the height was 49.5-inches. The mechanical design was handled by BMW stalwarts Fritz Fiedler and Alex von Falkenhausen. Alfin drum brakes of 11.2 inches provided the stopping power, with power brakes being offered as optional equipment. BMW 507s built near the close of production had front Girling disc brakes and rode on Pirelli 185VR16 Cinturato radial tires. The front suspension was comprised of parallel double wishbones with torsion bar springs and an anti-roll bar. In the back was a live axle with torsion bars located by a Panhard rod. A transverse A-arm controlled braking forces and acceleration.

To enhance its sporty persona and reduce weight, the bodywork was formed from aluminum, and the finished car tipped the scales at around 1,280kg. With a top speed of around 200 km/h (125 mph) and zero-to-sixty mph (100 km/h) accomplished in 11 seconds, the 507 offered ample performance with nearly unmatched amounts of torque over a wide rev range. The vehicle's athletic stance was complimented by sweeping, harmonious lines and aggressive rear haunces, with a classic kidney grille at the front.

Visitors to the Frankfurt Motor Show in late 1955 were greeted by two new variations on the V8-powered 502 - the 503 and the 507. Both models had been influenced by Max Hoffman and designed by von Goertz, but it was the 507 that stole the show. Production of the 507 commenced in November of 1956, and by the time it was shown at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York in the summer of 1955, it carried a price tag of USD$9,000, falling far short of Hoffman's $5,000 price target. It cost more than double that of a Ford Thunderbird or Chevrolet Corvette, and ranked among the most expensive automobiles of its era, guaranteeing its exclusivity and limited lifespan.

BMW built thirty-four examples of the Series I between 1956 and early 1957. Distinguishable features included a welded aluminum fuel tank of nearly 30 U.S. gallons located behind the rear seats, which limited passenger space and trunk (boot) space. The gasoline fumes were rather strong in the cockpit when the soft top was up or the hardtop in place. The Series II cars had a smaller, 17.4 U.S. gallon fuel tank located under the trunk, shaped around the space for the spare tire.

Since these cars were almost entirely hand-formed, no two models were exactly the same. Eleven customers selected the optional hand-fabricated removable hardtop when new, and since these cars have so many differences from car-to-car, hardtops only fit the car for which it was made.

Among the list of celebrity and prominent buyers were Elvis Presley (who purchased two), Hans Stuck, John Derek, and Georg 'Schorsch' Meier. A total of 252 examples plus two prototypes were built before production closed in 1959, falling far short of the intended production run of 5,000 units a year. The high sticker price was attributed to high production costs which did not help BMW recoup its investment, losing money on the project.

Due to the vehicle's exotic nature, powerful engine, and limited production, it became a halo car for the company and later influenced the Z3 and Z4 models. Between 2000 and 2003, BMW built the exotic Z8 roadster in celebration and homage of the 507, previewed in October of 1997 at the Tokyo Motor Show by a concept called the Z07.

The BMW 507's existence had been brief, but it was a pleasant reminder of the company's sporting heritage that had flourished with the successful BMW 328 prior to World War II.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2022