The BMW 507 was a brief but brilliant reinstatement of BMW’s sporting heritage that flourished with the prewar 328 and enigmatic racing derivatives just prior to the outbreak of World War II. Launched in 1955, the 507 was envisioned for the American market by groundbreaking European-car importer Max Hoffman to fill the wide gap between the Mercedes-Benz 300SL and the far less expensive and powerful offerings from Britain’s MG and Triumph. Mechanicals, including the chassis and 3.2L V-8 engine, were sourced from the 503, with engineering led by Fritz Fiedler. Since Hoffman was dissatisfied with preliminary body designs, he eventually had American expatriate Count Albrecht von Goertz, designer of the gorgeous and expensive 503, pen the sensuous 507. The 507 chassis was a shortened version of that used on the 502 sedan, which also furnished the fabulous burble of BMW’s all-aluminum 3168cc OHV V-8 breathing through a pair of Zenith twin- choke carburetors. With the V-8 rated at 150 HP, the 507 was good for 124 MPH. While Hoffman initially targeted a $5,000 price point for the hand-built 507, BMW lost money on each one built, and despite a price increase to more than $11,000, the car nearly bankrupted the company. However, lofty pricing did not deter the elite target market envisioned for the 507, including Elvis Presley while he was stationed with the U.S. Army in Germany. Another famous owner was eventual Grand Prix world champion John Surtees, who was given a 507 by Count Agusta as a reward for winning the 1956 500cc World Motorcycle Championship. Repainted in 2024 to its original factory black color, this late- production 1959 BMW 507 Roadster is No. 242 of just 252 produced and one of the final BMW 507 Roadsters produced. As a very late production Series II model, it benefits from improvements made to the basic design, including the revised cabin that increased space and leg room, along with the fuel tank relocated further aft to the trunk floor. One rare extra seen on this example is the included optional hard top, believed to have been supplied to just 11 examples of the BMW 507. Of note to collectors, each hard top was individually fabricated to fit a particular car, as the hand-crafted bodies slightly, but significantly, varied from one car to another. This BMW 507 also features a Blaupunkt radio and a three-piece luggage set. This BMW 507 roadster was previously owned by well-known BMW collector Goetz Pfafflin, a long-time BMW Car Club of America member and founder of the BMW Vintage and Classic Car Club of America. Its 3168cc/150 HP all-aluminum V-8 engine, equipped with dual carburetors and backed by a ZF 4-speed manual gearbox, was rebuilt along with the suspension and brakes in the late 1990s. In 2001, Pfafflin completed the 3,500-mile BMW Vintage Marathon of Europe, and then sold the car in 2002 to a collector who maintained possession of the 507 Roadster for more than 20 years. With 202 known still extant of the 252 built, the BMW 507 is far rarer than the Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster, which totaled 1,858 in sales. Carrying beautiful styling with an irreplaceable aura of exclusivity, speed and pure adventure, this BMW 507 is more than worthy of inclusion in the finest collections celebrating postwar European sporting legends.
