1959 BMW 507 Roadster

Someone called it Germany’s answer to the Thunderbird—and trust me, this was not a compliment

by Raymond Milo

Unveiled to gasps of delight at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1955, the remarkably beautiful styling of the two-seater 507 came from the drawing board of German Count Albrecht Goertz, influenced not a little by U.S. BMW importer Max Hoffman. The new car was sleek and aggressive with a light alloy skin over a metal frame and handsome pressed-steel wheels. The lightweight 90-degree V8 engine ticked over in sepulchral silence, but had an impressively roaring bark when revved to its maximum, producing 150 hp at 5,000 rpm. This was good enough for a top speed of more than 125 mph. Undoubtedly a driver’s car, the 507 responds briskly to enthusiastic use of the gears, with any shortcomings in the braking of earlier production vehicles well rectified in the late examples. This late production 507, originally an export model, was built in November 1959 and shipped to the U.S. the following month. Records confirm its original Graphite livery and hard top. Since...