So beautiful it nearly bankrupted BMW. Only 252 built because each one lost money. Albrecht von Goertz designed arguably the most elegant roadster of the 1950s. Elvis Presley owned two. Henrik Fisker's Z8 was a direct homage.
History
Max Hoffman, the Austrian-born US car importer who also commissioned the Mercedes 300 SL and Porsche 356 Speedster, convinced BMW to build a sports car for the American market. Albrecht von Goertz, a German-born industrial designer working in New York, created a shape of breathtaking elegance.
The 507 was everything BMW's other cars were not: low, sensuous, and impossibly expensive. The 3.2-liter V8 produced 150 hp, enough for 137 mph. The body was hand-formed aluminum over a tubular frame.
The problem was cost. BMW priced the 507 at $9,000, but each car cost nearly $15,000 to build. Every unit sold deepened BMW's financial crisis. The company was losing so much money that a takeover by Daimler-Benz seemed inevitable.
Only 252 507s were built before BMW pulled the plug. The car that was supposed to save the company nearly destroyed it. BMW survived through the intervention of Herbert Quandt and the success of the Neue Klasse sedans.
Elvis Presley bought a white 507 while stationed in Germany with the US Army. Today, 507s sell for $2 million to $3 million. The car's beauty is undeniable. Its influence is permanent: every BMW roadster since, including the Z8, exists in its shadow.
Production & Heritage
Value estimates are editorial assessments based on recent auction results and market trends.
Technical Specifications
Engine Details
Performance
Tags
Designed by Albrecht von Goertz
From the 1950s
