BMW 507 (1956 – 1959) Review

The 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show was a busy event for BMW where it managed to unveil a family of three cars, all based upon the same platform. The first was a limousine, which never made it into production and the other two were sports cars designed by Albrecht von Goertz. The 503 and the 507 were both impossibly pretty, and proved that BMW had ambitions to become a world class car manufacturer. Although the 503 appeared first, the 507 was the better of the two. It was a lithe, low two-seater with a detachable hardtop and a folding hood that tucked out of sight behind the seats.

The clean but muscular lines meant performance, which was amply provided by the running gear. Performance was impressive, with BMW’s V8 engine, propelling the 507 to a top speed of 120mph. Predictably, the 507 was extremely expensive and in five years, just 253 were sold. It attracted celebrity owners, such as Elvis Presley (he gave the car to Ursula Andres), John Surtees, and Frank Sinatra. Because of its styling and superstar associations, the 507 is one of the most legendary BMWs produced, along with the pre-war 328.