1957 BMW 507

Prior to World War II, BMW operated in Bayerische, Germany, and produced mostly motorcycles. They later relocated to Munich, and by 1950, their first postwar car debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show. This was the 501, sporting a 2.0-liter six-cylinder engine. By 1954, its stablemate arrived, the 502, with a 2.6-liter V8 producing 100 horsepower.

In 1955, BMW added new models, the 503 and the spectacular 507, which were introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1955. A car which 'looks like its doing 100, sitting still.' The 507 was BMW's first sports car offering since the 328. Styled by Albrecht Goertz, the 507 offered a sleek, svelte, beautiful two-seater to a lucky few. Only 253 were produced between 1956 and 1959. The 150 horsepower V8 used dual Zenith carburetors, wore aluminum cylinder heads, had dual exhaust and a four-speed gearbox. There was a great deal of aluminum used in the engine, with the crankcase, manifolds, valve covers, side plates, sump, water pump and other castings all being made of the lightweight alloy. A BMW 507 sprints to 60 mph in nine seconds and tops out over 120 mph. It had drum brakes all around, with optional front discs, hidden by distinctive and attractive pressed steel wheels.

New, a 507 cost $10,000, and reportedly BMW lost $1,000 for each car sold. Thankfully, the accountants weren't in charge at BMW.

Max Hoffman
Production of the BMW 507 was brief, lasting just three years (1956 to 1959) and 252 examples were built during that time. Its existence is attributed to Max Hoffman, an American automobile importer who was instrumental in the development of many memorable automobiles during this era, including the Porsche 356 Speedster and the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. His intimate knowledge of the U.S. automobile market allowed him to predict which existing and new types of models would be successful.

Hoffman suggested to BMW management that a roadster version of its two luxury models, the 501 and 502, would fill the gap between the Mercedes-Benz 300SL and the MG and Triumph sports cars. A design by Ernst Loof was presented to Hoffman who rejected it and instead suggested that they commission the work to Albrecht von Goertz, an independent industrial designer who had worked for Raymond Loewy. At the time, von Goertz had an extensive resume of designing everything from furniture to fountain pens but had never before styled an entire car. The elegant and sporty design penned by von Goertz would later influence the Z3 and Z4, particularly with the horizontal front grille and the chromed side vents.

BMW introduced the 507 in the summer of 1955 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. Production followed shortly thereafter, in November 1956.

Hoffman intended the 507 to be priced in the $5,000 range, below the 300SL but above the entry-level sports cars. When the 507 hit the market, its high production costs had caused its price to exceed its estimates, initially selling for $9,000 in the U.S. By the end of production, the price had risen to $10,500, putting it in direct competition with the 300SL. Out of reach by most consumers and battling stiff competition, only 252 examples were built (plus two prototypes).

Mechanical Specification
Chassis
The chassis designed by BMW engineers Fritz Fiedler and Alex von Falkenhausen had a wheelbase size of 97.6 inches, a length of 172.4 inches, a width of 65 inches, and a height of 49.5 inches. It was the frame of the 503 that had been reduced by 14 inches (in its wheelbase) and was comprised of 2.5mm gauge steel. The front suspension used parallel double wishbones, torsion bar springs and an anti-roll bar. At the rear was a live axle, torsion bars, a Panhard rod, and a central, transverse A-arm. The Alfin drum brakes measured 11.2 inches in diameter. Power brakes could be ordered as optional equipment. Near the close of production, the front drums were replaced with Girling discs.

The body was made of aluminum, and since it was almost entirely hand-formed, no two examples are exactly the same.

Engine
The 3,168cc (3.2 liter / 193.3 cubic-inch) V8 engine was made of aluminum alloy, had pushrod-operated overhead valves, a chain-driven oil pump, high-lift cams, polished combustion chamber surfaces, and a pair of Zenith 32NDIX two-barrel carburetors. With 7.8:1 compression, the engine delivered 150 PS DIN at 5,000 RPM.

Transmission
The close-ratio four-speed manual transmission had a standard rear-end ratio of 3.70:1, with ratios of 3.42:1 and 3.90:1 being optional.

BMW 507 Series I
The Series I version of the BMW 507 was built from 1956 to early 1957 with a total of thirty-four examples constructed. The Series I cars had a 29.1 gallon (US) fuel tank made of welded aluminum and fitted behind the rear seats. Due to the size of the tank, there was limited boot space and it encroached on the passenger compartment. Due to its proximity and location to the cabin, the Series I cars suffered from the smell of fuel when the soft top (or hardtop) was in place.

BMW 507 Series II
The Series II cars had a smaller fuel tank (17.4 gallons / 66 liters) that was placed under the trunk (boot), shaped around the space for the spare tire.

Performance
Tipped the scales at around 1,280kg, the lightweight 507 was capable of around 200 km/h (125 mph), with 100 km/h (62 mph) accomplished in 11 seconds. Along with performance, the 507 offered relaxed cruising, and its state-of-the-art V8 engine delivered ample torque over a wide rev range.