1958 BMW 507

Maximilian (Max) Edwin Hoffman was the New York-based importer of luxury European automobiles into the United States during the 1950s. He was instrumental in the creation of several sports cars that included the Porsche 356 Speedster, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and the BMW 507 roadster.

In the immediate post-war era, BMW built a reputation around its economy cars like the Isetta, a microcar that was instrumental in its survival. Seeking to boost its image, the company began offering a luxury model in the 1950s equipped with a new dual-carbureted V-8 engine. It was given an advanced box-frame chassis designed by BMW engineer Fritz Fiedler using as many pre-existing components as possible. It utilized a shortened frame from the 503, from 111.6-inches to 98-inches, and its overall height measured 49.5-inches. The suspension was comprised of parallel double wishbones with torsion bar springs and an anti-roll bar at the front, while the rear used a live axle with torsion bars, a Panhard rod, and a central, transverse A-arm. The Alfin drum brakes measured 11.2-inches and power brakes were optional. Later examples of the 507 had Girling disc brakes in the front.

The aluminum alloy overhead-valve V-8 engine displaced 3168 cubic centimeters, with two Zenith 32NDIX two-barrel carburetors, a chain-driven oil pump, high-lift cams, pushrod-operated overhead valves, polished combustion chamber surfaces, and a compression ratio of 7.8:1. The 150 (metric) horsepower produced by the engine was sent to the rear wheels via a close-ratio four-speed synchromesh manual transmission. The standard final drive ratio was 3.70:1, but optional ratios of 3.42:1 and 3.90:1 were available. The Lightweight alloy coachwork was penned by Count Albrecht Goertz and its sensual curves made it among the most elegant open sports cars of the 1950s. The early body designs were by Ernst Loof but were unappealing to Hoffman, so von Goertz was tasked with the design. The body was almost entirely hand-formed of aluminum which resulted in each vehicle being unique in detail.

The BMW 507 was introduced in the summer of 1955 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. It was an exclusive automobile with just 252 examples (plus two prototypes) built between 1956 and 1959, of which 34 were exported to the United States. 11 examples were sold with an optional hand-fabricated removable hardtop. A total of 202 examples are known to have survived.

The BMW 507 was a roadster version of the BMW 501 and BMW 502 saloons, and with its $8,988 price tag in the United States, it fit between the more expensive Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster and the lower-priced English imports such as Triumph and MG. Hoffman had hoped to sell the 507 in the $5,000 range, but high production costs increased the price, ultimately reaching $10,500. While the Isetta had provided a much-needed influx of financial resources for BMW, the 507 did the opposite and the company lost money on each 507 built. Had it not been for a capital infusion from Herbert Quandt, BMW would have been forced into bankruptcy. The new BMW 700 and 'New Class' 1500 models eventually helped the company recover financially.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2021