BMW 507 Roadster (1956)
The BMW 507 is one of the most beautiful and coveted BMW models.
The car is rare, a mere 252 built - increasing its desirability today, but the cause of financial losses during its 1956 - 1959 production run, that brought BMW to the brink of bankruptcy.
The plan was sound - build a 2-door roadster using the mechanicals of a standard BMW 503 saloon. Export the model to the US (and follow the success of the similar Mercedes-Benz 300 SL), reap the rewards, and capitalise on the goodwill, to build a market State-side.
Unfortunately, the projected price increased significantly during development, causing the US price to rise to a level which constrained sales. Originally, BMW planned to sell 5,000 units per year. The timing was partly to blame - US makers were in a phase of significant power increases, with the fitment of ever larger V8 engines. The 507 had a V8, but only a mere 3.2 litres and 150 bhp. The Mercedes had arrived to the market a couple of years earlier, an was much more powerful in the (later) 300 SL Roadster model.
The losses were so significant that BMW was brought to the brink of bankruptcy, and would take a decade to recover from.
Today, the 507 is highly regarded for its stylistic beauty - the styling was reworked in 1999 for the BMW Z8 luxury sports roadster model, again, a model focused on the US market, were, again the price limited sales.
BMW 507 Roadster (1956)
The BMW 507 is one of the most beautiful and coveted BMW models.
The car is rare, a mere 252 built - increasing its desirability today, but the cause of financial losses during its 1956 - 1959 production run, that brought BMW to the brink of bankruptcy.
The plan was sound - build a 2-door roadster using the mechanicals of a standard BMW 503 saloon. Export the model to the US (and follow the success of the similar Mercedes-Benz 300 SL), reap the rewards, and capitalise on the goodwill, to build a market State-side.
Unfortunately, the projected price increased significantly during development, causing the US price to rise to a level which constrained sales. Originally, BMW planned to sell 5,000 units per year. The timing was partly to blame - US makers were in a phase of significant power increases, with the fitment of ever larger V8 engines. The 507 had a V8, but only a mere 3.2 litres and 150 bhp. The Mercedes had arrived to the market a couple of years earlier, an was much more powerful in the (later) 300 SL Roadster model.
The losses were so significant that BMW was brought to the brink of bankruptcy, and would take a decade to recover from.
Today, the 507 is highly regarded for its stylistic beauty - the styling was reworked in 1999 for the BMW Z8 luxury sports roadster model, again, a model focused on the US market, were, again the price limited sales.