Beschreibung:

The manufacturer of ‘supercars’ was a low priority at the end of the 1939-1945 hostilities, such mighty and extravagant machines as the supercharged Mercedes Benz 540K, the superbly versatile 8-cylinder Alfa Romeos, the extravagant V12 Hispano-Suizas and Rolls-Royce’s technically innovative Phantom III being but a fading memory in those austere years. BMW’s own pre-war 328 with its immaculate styling and engineering finesse had perhaps been a whole generation ahead of its time. It was left to the Italian newcomer Ferrari and the Barcelona-built Pegaso to set the early pace in post-war exotic sports car manufacture. Early post-war production at BMW was slow to gather pace with just 49 of the new 501 saloons leaving the factory in 1952. A new Feidler-designed 90˚, V8-engined, 2.6-litre saloon was unveiled in 1954 and this technology was to be the basis of BMW’s most charismatic post-war sports car, the 507. Unveiled midst gasps of delight at the Frankfurt Show in September 1955, the remarkably beautiful styling of the strictly two-seater 507 came from the drawing board of German Count Albrecht Goertz, influenced not a little by USA BMW importer, Max Hoffman. Constructed on a short chassis, just 4cm longer than the pre-war 328, the new car was at once sleek and aggressive with handsome pressed steel wheels, light alloy skin panels over a metal frame and, for the first time, the traditional kidney grille was omitted. The lightweight 90˚ V8 engine ticked over in sepulchral silence but had an impressively roaring bark when revving to its 150bhp maximum at 5,000rpm. Top speed was variously quoted between 200-217kph, depending on the axle ratio fitted, and unusually was slightly faster when equipped with the visually enhancing, detachable, factory hard top. Undoubtedly a driver’s car, the 507 responds briskly to enthusiastic use of the gears, any shortcoming in the braking department on the early models having been well rectified in late examples, while steering positively invites an ‘opposite lock’ approach. This late production 507, originally an export model and a valuable dollar earner for BMW, was built in November 1959 and shipped the following month to BMW agent, Firestone, in the U.S.A. Records confirm its original graphite livery and supply with a factory hard top. North America proved a valuable sales pitch for BMW, the flamboyant but purposeful styling attracting such notable customers as Elvis Presley and Ursula Andress. This 507 was imported into Italy by Silvano Cima who commissioned specialist restorers, KCA, to undertake a no-expense-spared restoration, liverying the car in its original graphite colour scheme and, from surviving traces of the original leather upholstery, carefully replicating the same in red leather with white piping. Since completion of that restoration, this definitive German sports car has participated as the official BMW entry in the 1992 Mille Miglia and Winter Marathon. It is A.S.I. homologated, no.5635, Italian road registered (incorrectly noting 1956 manufacture), and is complete with original hard top, its underbonnet tool box, a number of trophies won in both concours d’élégance and road events, and an autographed photograph of designer Albrecht Goertz. Only 253 examples of BMW’s 507 were built – an exceptional and exclusive sports car indeed – rarer than the 300SL Mercedes-Benz, with classic German styling and reflecting the impressive sporting pedigree of the Bavarian marque. Présentée officiellement en septembre 1955 au Salon de Frankfort, la BMW 507 doit sa ligne au coup de crayon du Comte Albrecht Goertz fortement influencé par Max Hoffman, l’importateur BMW américain. Construite sur un chassis court, plus long de 4 cm seulement que la 328 d’avant-guerre, ce nouveau modèle est à la fois agressif et racé. Le très léger moteur V8 à 90°, discret au ralenti, rugit littéralement lorsqu’il développe sa pleine puissance de 150ch. à 5’000 tours/ minute pour atteindre une vitesse de pointe varian