1955 BMW 507

While the BMW 328 sports car was a forerunner, another two-seater sports car treaded all-new paths in terms of design and elegance in the mid ’50s: The BMW 507. When Graf von Goertz unveiled his interpretation of an open two-seater sports car in New York in 1955, he not only presented a new car but also set the benchmark in terms of design. Elongated side lines, a curved body and a seemingly never-ending bonnet were the characteristic features of this dream car’s timeless design.

A short while later, the two-seater, which was technologically based on the 502 featuring a V8 engine, also caused a sensation at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The further development of the prototypes leading up to series production was very time-consuming. It was not until 1956 that a variant of the light-alloy V8 power unit with a maximum output of 150 bhp was completed. In November of the same year, the first BMW 507 was given to its proud owner, a member of high nobility.

Depending on the transmission, the sports car reached a top speed of up to 200 km/h (124 mph). At a price of DM 26,500 plus an extra DM 1,000 if a hard top was ordered, customers received a sports car with ample space and a bodywork which is still considered to be one of the finest of all times. The list of rich purchasers comprised numerous celebrities in Germany and abroad, such as Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock’n Roll". Up until 1959 no more than 253 BMW 507 roadsters were produced, 251 of which featured a standard body. Two cars had bodies made by Loewy and Michelotti respectively. Most of these legendary sports cars exist still today, being the most exclusive classic automobiles of the post-war era.

Из-под пера Альбрехта Графа Герца вышел прекрасный легкий спортивный автомобиль – BMW 507. Оригинальная облицовка радиатора, изысканные формы кузова – баварцы произвели этакий утонченный Gullwing. «Жабры» на крыльях только усиливают эффект дежа вю. Что это – новый немецкий стиль, или попытка «перенимания опыта»? Несмотря на всю свою красоту, 507-я не имела значительного коммерческого успеха. Да и создавалась эта машина больше для участия в кольцевых гонках и ралли, нежели для гаражей обывателей. С 1956 по 1959 год было выпущено всего 252 экземпляра. Однако и сегодня BMW 507, по общему признанию (по крайней мере европейскому), является одной из самых ярких и красивых моделей прошлого столетия.