BMW 501
Encyclopedia
The BMW 501 was a luxury saloon car manufactured by BMW
from 1952 to 1958. Introduced at the first Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, the 501 was the first motor car
to be manufactured and sold by BMW after the Second World War
. The 501 and its derivatives, including the V8
powered BMW 502, were nicknamed “Baroque Angels” by the German public. The BMW 502 was the first postwar German car to be manufactured with a V8 engine.
While the 501 and 502 model numbers were discontinued in 1958, variations of the model, with the same platform and body, were continued until 1963.
restarted in late 1945 with pre-war BMW models. However, Eisenach was in the Soviet occupation zone, and the cars were not being manufactured by BMW AG, but by the Soviet manufacturing entity Autovelo
. Despite not being made by BMW, these cars bore the BMW logo and were being sold as BMWs
Meanwhile, BMW AG restarted manufacture on a much smaller scale, starting with pots and pans, and eventually moving up to household hardware and bicycles. Eventually, with permission from the U.S. authorities and funding from the banks under which BMW had been put into receivership, they began manufacturing motorcycles in 1948.
To end Autovelo's continued trademark infringement
, the Eisenach branch of BMW was dissolved effective 28 September 1949 and was legally severed as at 11 October. Without any legal arguments to continue using BMW's name and logo, Autovelo changed the name to EMW (Eisenacher Motoren Werke) and changed the blue colour in the logo to red.
, to produce their vehicles under licence. In particular, Donath was looking to produce old products under licence, so that he could buy tooling along with the licence.
in miniature.
, with a perimeter frame
, double A-arm front suspension with torsion bar springs, and a live axle
with torsion bar springs at the rear. The steering mechanism was similar to a rack and pinion system except that the rack was semi-circular instead of straight.
The 501 was powered by a development of BMW's pre-war two litre six cylinder engine. The cylinder head was revised, the inlet manifold was a new design, and a reinforced crankshaft with bigger, more modern bearings was used. The engine retained its pre-war capacity of 1971 cc, and developed 65 hp. The four speed gearbox was not bolted to the engine, but was a separate shaft-driven unit mounted between the second and third crossmembers. While the remote gearbox placement led to a complicated linkage to the column-mounted shifter, resulting in vague shifter action, it also improved legroom for the front passengers.
The body was designed in house by Peter Szymanowski. After seeing the prototype, BMW's management commissioned Pininfarina to build an alternative. The Pininfarina prototype was thought to be too similar to his design for the Alfa Romeo 1900
saloon, so BMW stayed with Szymanowski's design. The steel body was far heavier than Szymanowski had calculated it to be, resulting in the completed car having a dry weight of 1430 kilograms (3,152.6 lb). Performance suffered as a result, with a top speed of 135 kilometre per hour and acceleration to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) taking 27 seconds, both of which compared unfavourably with the six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz 220
.
One innovation was the attention paid to passive safety. The car featured a robust chassis providing above average side impact protection, an unusually short steering column with the steering gear set well back from the front of the car, and a fuel tank placed in a carefully protected location above the rear axle in order to minimize fire risk in the event of an accident.
Development issues delayed the start of production until late 1952, and even then BMW still did not have equipment for pressing body panels in operation. The first 2,045 four-door saloon bodies were built by Karosserie Baur
and were shipped from Baur in Stuttgart to BMW's factory in Munich for assembly. The thousandth 501 was completed on 1 September 1953.
The 501 and derivatives built at BMW were four-door saloons. Coupe and convertible versions were available as custom orders from Baur or Autenrieth.
A road test of the 501 in March 1953 by Auto- und Motorrad-Welt reported better than average wind resistance, as well as good ride quality and an effective heating system. The fuel consumption was reported to be 10.3 L/100km.
The engine and the model designation were altered again in the spring of 1955. The 501A and 501 B were replaced by the 501/3, for which the engine was bored out by 2 mm (0.078740157480315 in), which increased displacement to 2077 cc. Despite the increase in displacement, and an increase in compression ratio from 6.8:1 to 7.0:1, the engine produced no more power than the previous version, but torque was increased from 119 newton metre to 127.5 newton metre.
The 501/3 was introduced alongsinde the 501 V8, which featured a detuned version of the 2.6 litre V8 introduced in the 502 the previous year. The 501/3 and 501 V8 were continued until 1958, when the six-cylinder engine and the 501 model designation were discontinued.
similar in general design to the then-new Oldsmobile Rocket V8
, with a single camshaft in the vee operating overhead valve
s in wedge-shaped combustion chamber
s through pushrods. The BMW OHV V8 engine
differed from its Detroit contemporaries in the use of an aluminium alloy
block with cast iron cylinder liners, and in its smaller size, initially with a 74 millimetres (2.9 in) bore and a 75 millimetres (3 in) stroke, giving a displacement of 2580 cc. The development of the V8 was completed by Fritz Fiedler
, who replaced Böning as BMW's chief engineer in 1952.
The V8 engine was introduced at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show as the engine of the new BMW 502 saloon car. Using the same chassis and basically the same body as the 501, the 502 was more luxuriously appointed and, with its light V8 engine producing 100 hp with a single two-barrel Solex carburettor, was much faster. The published top speed of 160 kilometre per hour was far higher than that of the first six-cylinder version of the Ponton Mercedes
launched the same year. At the time of its introduction the 502 was reportedly Germany's fastest passenger sedan in regular production.
The 502 was acclaimed as Germany's first post-war V8 powered car, but its high price of DM17,800 led to low sales; only 190 were sold in its first year of production.
The 502 was distinguished from the 501 by additional chrome trim and more lavish interior fittings. Fog lights and individual front seats were also now included as standard features. The 502 was mildly restyled in 1955 with a wraparound rear window.
.jpg)
As well as the saloon version, BMW offered Baur built
two door cabriolet and coupé versions of the 502 in 1954 and 1955. 501s and 502s were also converted into ambulances and hearses.
became an option in 1959, while front disc brakes were added in 1960.
two seat convertible, the 503
coupe, the 505 limousine prototype, and the BMW 3.2, a development of the 502 that did not have a model number and was identified simply by its displacement in litres. As used in the 3.2 and the 505, the engine had a compression ratio of 7.2:1, up from the 7.0:1 of the original 2.6 L V8 engine. In this tune, the engine yielded 120 hp The final drive ratio was raised from 4.225:1 on the smaller-engined sedans to 3.89:1 on the 3.2 to reduce the fuel consumption of the larger engine.
In 1957, the 3.2 Super with a 140 hp engine, was released. The 3.2 and 3.2 Super were continued under these model designations until 1961 with only two notable changes: Power steering
became an option in 1959, while front disc brakes were added to the 3.2 Super in October 1959 and to the 3.2 in 1960.
A report on a 3.2 litre BMW saloon estimated the 502's consumption at 15 L/100km.
Production ended in 1963.
; the 503 was a four-seat coupé or convertible while the 507 was a two seat convertible. Conceived by US importer Max Hoffman
, designed by German-American designer Albrecht von Goertz
, and engineered by Fritz Fiedler
, the 503 and 507 used variations of a chassis specially designed for them, along with reworked twin carburettor versions of the 3.2 engines. They were supposed to be priced at about five thousand dollars in the United States and be sold in the thousands by Hoffman. Instead, the 503 and 507 ended up being priced at about ten thousand dollars, and only 412 and 252, respectively, were sold.
based on the new 3.2 saloon. Styled by Giovanni Michelotti
, the 505 was 5.1 metres long, with a wheelbase of about 3.1 metres. Konrad Adenauer
, the Chancellor of West Germany, tried out the 505. It is reported that, on entering the car, Adenauer knocked his hat off. Regardless of the reason, Adenauer continued to use the Mercedes-Benz 300
as his official car to the extent that the type acquired the nickname “Adenauer Mercedes”. The BMW 505 never went into series production, and only two prototypes were built.
built from 1961 to 1965. The body was designed and built by Bertone and shipped to BMW's factory in Munich, where it was fitted to a 3200S chassis. This was the last variant of the 501 to be manufactured by BMW.
’s dramatic rescue of the company
.
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
from 1952 to 1958. Introduced at the first Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, the 501 was the first motor car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
to be manufactured and sold by BMW after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The 501 and its derivatives, including the V8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
powered BMW 502, were nicknamed “Baroque Angels” by the German public. The BMW 502 was the first postwar German car to be manufactured with a V8 engine.
While the 501 and 502 model numbers were discontinued in 1958, variations of the model, with the same platform and body, were continued until 1963.
Autovelo restarts "BMW" production
Production at BMW's motor car factory in EisenachEisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
restarted in late 1945 with pre-war BMW models. However, Eisenach was in the Soviet occupation zone, and the cars were not being manufactured by BMW AG, but by the Soviet manufacturing entity Autovelo
Automobilwerk Eisenach
The Automobilwerk Eisenach was an automobile manufacturer in Eisenach, Germany.-Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach:Heinrich Ehrhardt founded the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach in Eisenach on 3 December 1896 as a stock company...
. Despite not being made by BMW, these cars bore the BMW logo and were being sold as BMWs
Meanwhile, BMW AG restarted manufacture on a much smaller scale, starting with pots and pans, and eventually moving up to household hardware and bicycles. Eventually, with permission from the U.S. authorities and funding from the banks under which BMW had been put into receivership, they began manufacturing motorcycles in 1948.
To end Autovelo's continued trademark infringement
Trademark infringement
Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attaching to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees...
, the Eisenach branch of BMW was dissolved effective 28 September 1949 and was legally severed as at 11 October. Without any legal arguments to continue using BMW's name and logo, Autovelo changed the name to EMW (Eisenacher Motoren Werke) and changed the blue colour in the logo to red.
Donath
Kurt Donath, technical director of BMW and general manager of the Milbertshofen factory, was soliciting manufacturers, including Ford and SimcaSimca
Simca was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat. It was directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by the Italian Henri Théodore Pigozzi...
, to produce their vehicles under licence. In particular, Donath was looking to produce old products under licence, so that he could buy tooling along with the licence.
Böning
While Donath was trying to find a car to build under licence, chief engineer Alfred Böning developed a prototype for a small economy car powered by a motorcycle engine. Called the BMW 331, the prototype used a 600 cc motorcycle engine, a four-speed gearbox, and a live rear axle. The body was designed by Peter Szymanowski and resembled a BMW 327BMW 327
The BMW 327 is a medium sized touring coupé produced by the Bavarian firm between 1937 and 1941, and again produced after 1945. It sat on a shortened version of the BMW 326 chassis.-Launch:...
in miniature.
Grewenig
The BMW 331 was proposed for production to the management, where it was vetoed by sales director Hanns Grewenig. Grewenig, a banker and former Opel plant manager, believed that BMW's small production capacity was best suited to luxury cars with high profit margins, similar to the cars BMW made just before the war. To this end, he had Böning and his team create the car that would become the 501.Design and engineering
The 501 was an all-new platformAutomobile platform
An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques...
, with a perimeter frame
Frame (vehicle)
A frame is the main structure of the chassis of a motor vehicle. All other components fasten to it; a term for this is design is body-on-frame construction.In 1920, every motor vehicle other than a few cars based on motorcycles had a frame...
, double A-arm front suspension with torsion bar springs, and a live axle
Live axle
A live axle, sometimes called a solid axle, is a type of beam axle suspension system that uses the driveshafts that transmit power to the wheels to connect the wheels laterally so that they move together as a unit....
with torsion bar springs at the rear. The steering mechanism was similar to a rack and pinion system except that the rack was semi-circular instead of straight.
The 501 was powered by a development of BMW's pre-war two litre six cylinder engine. The cylinder head was revised, the inlet manifold was a new design, and a reinforced crankshaft with bigger, more modern bearings was used. The engine retained its pre-war capacity of 1971 cc, and developed 65 hp. The four speed gearbox was not bolted to the engine, but was a separate shaft-driven unit mounted between the second and third crossmembers. While the remote gearbox placement led to a complicated linkage to the column-mounted shifter, resulting in vague shifter action, it also improved legroom for the front passengers.
The body was designed in house by Peter Szymanowski. After seeing the prototype, BMW's management commissioned Pininfarina to build an alternative. The Pininfarina prototype was thought to be too similar to his design for the Alfa Romeo 1900
Alfa Romeo 1900
The Alfa Romeo 1900 is a sports sedan designed by Orazio Satta for the Alfa Romeo company in 1950. It was Alfa Romeo's first car built entirely on a production line and was also Alfa's first production car without separate chassis and first Alfa offered with left-hand drive...
saloon, so BMW stayed with Szymanowski's design. The steel body was far heavier than Szymanowski had calculated it to be, resulting in the completed car having a dry weight of 1430 kilograms (3,152.6 lb). Performance suffered as a result, with a top speed of 135 kilometre per hour and acceleration to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) taking 27 seconds, both of which compared unfavourably with the six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz 220
Mercedes-Benz W187
The W187 was Mercedes-Benz's line of six-cylinder luxury cars in the early 1950s. It was sold as a sedan, coupe, and cabriolet, all with the 220 model name. Introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, the 220 sedan was replaced by the W105/W180 line in 1953...
.
One innovation was the attention paid to passive safety. The car featured a robust chassis providing above average side impact protection, an unusually short steering column with the steering gear set well back from the front of the car, and a fuel tank placed in a carefully protected location above the rear axle in order to minimize fire risk in the event of an accident.
Reception and production
The 501 was introduced to the public in April 1951 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, as was its less expensive, production-ready rival, the Mercedes-Benz 220. The 501 made an impression on the public with its solid engineering and its extravagance. Its list price of more than fifteen thousand Deutsche Mark was about four times the average salary in Germany at the time. The public nicknamed the 501 "Barockengel" (Baroque Angel) in reference to the curved, flowing style of the body.Development issues delayed the start of production until late 1952, and even then BMW still did not have equipment for pressing body panels in operation. The first 2,045 four-door saloon bodies were built by Karosserie Baur
Karosserie Baur
Baur is a Karosserie or coachbuilder in Stuttgart, Germany, which has been building BMW convertibles since the 1930s. Currently, they are the body and assembly works for IVM Automotive, a member the Ed Group...
and were shipped from Baur in Stuttgart to BMW's factory in Munich for assembly. The thousandth 501 was completed on 1 September 1953.
The 501 and derivatives built at BMW were four-door saloons. Coupe and convertible versions were available as custom orders from Baur or Autenrieth.
A road test of the 501 in March 1953 by Auto- und Motorrad-Welt reported better than average wind resistance, as well as good ride quality and an effective heating system. The fuel consumption was reported to be 10.3 L/100km.
Development of the BMW 501
In 1954 the 501's engine was tuned by the factory to yield 72 hp at 4400 rpm. This engine was used in the 501A and 501B. The 501A was a replacement for the original 501 with similar trim and equipment, but which sold for DM14,180, a price reduction of more than eight hundred Deutsche Mark from the original 501. The 501B was a decontented version that sold for DM500 less than the 501A.The engine and the model designation were altered again in the spring of 1955. The 501A and 501 B were replaced by the 501/3, for which the engine was bored out by 2 mm (0.078740157480315 in), which increased displacement to 2077 cc. Despite the increase in displacement, and an increase in compression ratio from 6.8:1 to 7.0:1, the engine produced no more power than the previous version, but torque was increased from 119 newton metre to 127.5 newton metre.
The 501/3 was introduced alongsinde the 501 V8, which featured a detuned version of the 2.6 litre V8 introduced in the 502 the previous year. The 501/3 and 501 V8 were continued until 1958, when the six-cylinder engine and the 501 model designation were discontinued.
BMW 502
Before the construction of the first prototype of the 501, Böning had calculated the mass of the car as designed, and realized that the six-cylinder engine would be barely adequate to power the car. He proposed the development of a larger engine to power future versions of the car to the management, who accepted his proposal. Böning began the design and development of a V8 engineV8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
similar in general design to the then-new Oldsmobile Rocket V8
Oldsmobile V8 engine
The Oldsmobile Rocket V8 was the first post-war OHV V8 at General Motors. Production started in 1949, with a new generation introduced in 1964. Like Pontiac, Olds continued building its own V8 engine family for decades, finally adopting the corporate Chevrolet 350 small-block and Cadillac Northstar...
, with a single camshaft in the vee operating overhead valve
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
s in wedge-shaped combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
s through pushrods. The BMW OHV V8 engine
BMW OHV V8 engine
The BMW OHV V8 engine was the first V8 engine made by BMW, produced from 1954 to 1965. This engine is usually named by the fact that it was the only pushrod-driven overhead valve V8 ever produced by BMW...
differed from its Detroit contemporaries in the use of an aluminium alloy
Aluminium alloy
Aluminium alloys are alloys in which aluminium is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. There are two principal classifications, namely casting alloys and wrought alloys, both of which are further subdivided into the categories...
block with cast iron cylinder liners, and in its smaller size, initially with a 74 millimetres (2.9 in) bore and a 75 millimetres (3 in) stroke, giving a displacement of 2580 cc. The development of the V8 was completed by Fritz Fiedler
Fritz Fiedler
Fritz Fiedler , a qualified engineer, joined the BMW firm in 1932 as chief designer at the age of 32 after working for Horch, designed 8 cylinder and 12 cylinder cars. Working with Fiedler was Rudolf Schleicher, who had joined Horch in 1927 after being at BMW on their motorcycle design team...
, who replaced Böning as BMW's chief engineer in 1952.
The V8 engine was introduced at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show as the engine of the new BMW 502 saloon car. Using the same chassis and basically the same body as the 501, the 502 was more luxuriously appointed and, with its light V8 engine producing 100 hp with a single two-barrel Solex carburettor, was much faster. The published top speed of 160 kilometre per hour was far higher than that of the first six-cylinder version of the Ponton Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz W180
The Mercedes-Benz W180 is a 6-cylinder sedan, coupé, and convertible made from 1954 to 1959. The models associated with the W180 chassis code were the 220a and 220S...
launched the same year. At the time of its introduction the 502 was reportedly Germany's fastest passenger sedan in regular production.
The 502 was acclaimed as Germany's first post-war V8 powered car, but its high price of DM17,800 led to low sales; only 190 were sold in its first year of production.
The 502 was distinguished from the 501 by additional chrome trim and more lavish interior fittings. Fog lights and individual front seats were also now included as standard features. The 502 was mildly restyled in 1955 with a wraparound rear window.
Karosserie Baur
Baur is a Karosserie or coachbuilder in Stuttgart, Germany, which has been building BMW convertibles since the 1930s. Currently, they are the body and assembly works for IVM Automotive, a member the Ed Group...
two door cabriolet and coupé versions of the 502 in 1954 and 1955. 501s and 502s were also converted into ambulances and hearses.
BMW 2.6 and 2.6 Luxus
The 501 and 502 model designations were discontinued in 1958, when the 501 V8 was renamed the BMW 2.6 and the 502 was renamed the 2.6 Luxus. The cars were continued under these model designations until 1961 with only two notable changes: Power steeringPower steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
became an option in 1959, while front disc brakes were added in 1960.
BMW 2600 and 2600L
In 1961, the model designations were changed again, to 2600 and 2600L. The engine in the 2600L was tuned to give 110 hp. Production ended in 1963.BMW 3.2 and 3.2 Super
A further development of the V8 engine was introduced at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show. This had a 82 millimetres (3.2 in) bore, giving a capacity of 3168 cc. The engine made its debut in four new cars at the show, the 507BMW 507
The BMW 507 is a roadster produced by BMW from 1956 to 1959. Initially intended to be exported to the United States at a rate of thousands per year, it ended up being too expensive, resulting in a total production figure of 252 cars and heavy losses for BMW....
two seat convertible, the 503
BMW 503
The BMW 503 is a two door 2+2 seater sports car unveiled by BMW at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show. Production got under way during the summer of the next year, and by 1959, when the 503 was withdrawn, 413 had been built, including 139 cabriolets;-Design:...
coupe, the 505 limousine prototype, and the BMW 3.2, a development of the 502 that did not have a model number and was identified simply by its displacement in litres. As used in the 3.2 and the 505, the engine had a compression ratio of 7.2:1, up from the 7.0:1 of the original 2.6 L V8 engine. In this tune, the engine yielded 120 hp The final drive ratio was raised from 4.225:1 on the smaller-engined sedans to 3.89:1 on the 3.2 to reduce the fuel consumption of the larger engine.
In 1957, the 3.2 Super with a 140 hp engine, was released. The 3.2 and 3.2 Super were continued under these model designations until 1961 with only two notable changes: Power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
became an option in 1959, while front disc brakes were added to the 3.2 Super in October 1959 and to the 3.2 in 1960.
BMW 3200L and 3200S
In 1961, the 3.2 and 3.2 Super were replaced by the 3200L and 3200S respectively. The 3200L had a single carburettor engine that produced 140 hp, while the 3200S had a twin carburettor engine that produced 160 hp at 5600 revolutions per minute.A report on a 3.2 litre BMW saloon estimated the 502's consumption at 15 L/100km.
Production ended in 1963.
Other developments
BMW 503 and 507
The BMW 503 and 507 were grand touring carsGrand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
; the 503 was a four-seat coupé or convertible while the 507 was a two seat convertible. Conceived by US importer Max Hoffman
Max Hoffman
Max Hoffman, , was an Austrian-born importer of automobiles into the United States during the 1950s. Doing business among gentlemen who knew one another well, he was known for his handshake deals that always were upheld without a written contract...
, designed by German-American designer Albrecht von Goertz
Albrecht von Goertz
Albrecht Graf von Schlitz genannt von Gortz von Wrisburg was a German who designed cars for BMW including the BMW 503 and BMW 507....
, and engineered by Fritz Fiedler
Fritz Fiedler
Fritz Fiedler , a qualified engineer, joined the BMW firm in 1932 as chief designer at the age of 32 after working for Horch, designed 8 cylinder and 12 cylinder cars. Working with Fiedler was Rudolf Schleicher, who had joined Horch in 1927 after being at BMW on their motorcycle design team...
, the 503 and 507 used variations of a chassis specially designed for them, along with reworked twin carburettor versions of the 3.2 engines. They were supposed to be priced at about five thousand dollars in the United States and be sold in the thousands by Hoffman. Instead, the 503 and 507 ended up being priced at about ten thousand dollars, and only 412 and 252, respectively, were sold.
BMW 505 prototype
The Frankfurt Show in 1955 saw the presentation of the BMW 505, a limousineLimousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
based on the new 3.2 saloon. Styled by Giovanni Michelotti
Giovanni Michelotti
Giovanni Michelotti was one of the most prolific designers of sports cars in the 20th century. His notable contributions were for Triumph and BMW marques...
, the 505 was 5.1 metres long, with a wheelbase of about 3.1 metres. Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
, the Chancellor of West Germany, tried out the 505. It is reported that, on entering the car, Adenauer knocked his hat off. Regardless of the reason, Adenauer continued to use the Mercedes-Benz 300
Mercedes-Benz Type 300
The Mercedes-Benz Type 300 were the company's largest and most-prestigious models throughout the 1950s...
as his official car to the extent that the type acquired the nickname “Adenauer Mercedes”. The BMW 505 never went into series production, and only two prototypes were built.
BMW 3200 CS
The BMW 3200 CS was a coupéCoupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
built from 1961 to 1965. The body was designed and built by Bertone and shipped to BMW's factory in Munich, where it was fitted to a 3200S chassis. This was the last variant of the 501 to be manufactured by BMW.
Production figures
| Series | Years built | Units manufactured |
|---|---|---|
| Six-cylinder cars | ||
| 501 | 1952 – 1954 | 2,125 |
| 501A & 501B | 1954 – 1955 | 3,327 |
| 501/3 | 1955 – 1958 | 3,459 |
| 501 V8 and derivatives | ||
| 501 V8 / 2.6 / 2600 | 1954 – 1962 | 5,914 |
| 502 and 2.6 L derivatives | ||
| 502 / 2.6 Luxus / 2600L | 1954 – 1962 | 3,117 |
| 3.2 L derivatives | ||
| 3.2 / 3200L | 1955 – 1962 | 2,537 |
| 3.2 Super / 3200S | 1957 – 1963 | 1,328 |
| Coupe and roadster derivatives | ||
| 503 BMW 503 The BMW 503 is a two door 2+2 seater sports car unveiled by BMW at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show. Production got under way during the summer of the next year, and by 1959, when the 503 was withdrawn, 413 had been built, including 139 cabriolets;-Design:... |
1956 – 1959 | 412 |
| 507 BMW 507 The BMW 507 is a roadster produced by BMW from 1956 to 1959. Initially intended to be exported to the United States at a rate of thousands per year, it ended up being too expensive, resulting in a total production figure of 252 cars and heavy losses for BMW.... |
1956 – 1959 | 253 |
| 3200 CS BMW 3200 CS The BMW 3200 CS was a sports touring car manufactured by BMW between January 1962 and September 1965. It was designed by Bertone and was introduced at the 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show. More than five hundred were built.... |
1962 – 1965 | 603 |
Legacy
Commercially, the 501 was a success when compared to contemporary six-cylinder Borgward saloons. During the 1950s, the sector was increasingly dominated by Mercedes Benz, and 501 volumes never approached those achieved by Stuttgart built competitors. Throughout the 1950s, BMW’s finances were believed to be precarious, following the loss of their Eisenach plant. The relatively low sales volumes achieved by the 501 was one among various reasons offered by commentators for the company’s financial woes. Matters came to a head when a Mercedes takeover was threatened, averted in 1959 only with Herbert QuandtHerbert Quandt
Herbert Werner Quandt , was a German industrialist who is regarded as having saved BMW when it was at the point of bankruptcy and made huge profit in doing so.- Early life :...
’s dramatic rescue of the company
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
.