1956 Bmw 507: The Legacy Of The Post War

The BMW 507 is a two-seater car with a sporty look and paved the way to new and elegant designs in the 1950s. While BMW was still recuperating from the post-war effects, the American car importer, Max Hoffman convinced the company to create a new car that will bridge the gap between the expensive vehicles of Mercedes-Benz and cheaper versions of Triumph and MG cars. It was their way of trying to re-enter the luxury car market and uplift the image of the company. In 1955, the BMW 507 made its debut and in 1956, formal production for the car began.

Design

BMW did not only produce a new car but revolutionized the idea of roadster vehicles. With the help of industrial designer Albrecht von Goertz, they were able to create a new sports car. The elongated side lines with long bonnet were the main features of the dream car. It shared the same frame with BMW 503 but just shorter by 111.6 inches. The hand-formed aluminum body made the sports car very distinct.

Marketing

The 1956 BMW 507 was intended to help the company get back on its feet from the post-war crisis. The main goal was to produce thousands per year but because of its hefty price, the total production was only at 252 cars. The initial price was only US$5,000 but due to the high production cost in Germany, each vehicle reached the cost of US$10,500 and thus, only very few afforded to purchase it. Because of the loss per unit, the company was near to bankruptcy and later decided to end its production in 1959.

Popular Buyers

The gorgeous design of the 1956 BMW 507 attracted many famous buyers especially the celebrities. Popular celebrity buyers were Hans Stuck, John Surtees, Georg Meier, and other rich and famous people from Germany. The most notable of them all is the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley who bought the sports car in 1959 for US$3,500. Despite the celebrity buyers, the 1956 BMW 507 did not receive a good share in the luxury car market.

Legacy

Today, the 1956 BMW 507 is one of the most sought after collectible sports cars as the design paved the way for succeeding BMW designs of the 90s. Because of the limited numbers, each of them can cost you a fortune. In different auctions around the world, the prices vary but the highest was noted to be as high as $900,000.