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The 503 is one
of the most overlooked of the classic BMW models. Introduced at the
same show as the 507, the 503 was not as
elegant and was more expensive.
Only 412 503's were ever built.
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The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956
created the Interstate
Highway system in the USA
US President Dwight David
Eisenhower got his inspiration from the German
Autobahn. As he put it, "Germany made me see the wisdom of
broader ribbons across the land."
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The BMW 507 had its debut at the
1955 Frankfurt
Motor Show. The
beautiful light alloy bodywork was attached to a strong frame, and the engine was the then new
aluminum 160 hp V8.
Only 252 507's were ever built. |
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Introduced in
1955 and nicknamed the "rolling egg", the
Isetta was designed for cheap, short distance transportation.
The Isetta was designed by Renzo
Rivolta of Iso Rivolta and licensed to BMW. It was powered by a
1-cylinder air-cooled BMW motorcycle engine.
New for 1956, the Isetta 300 had a
298 cc motor.
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Introduced in
1955, the BMW 600 was intended as an enlarged Isetta three-wheeler
with more power and a more conventional four-wheel configuration.
The 600
had the 582 cc twin engine from the R67 motorcycle. Top speed was 64 mph.
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| Konrad
Adenauer, first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany next
to the BMW "State Sedan", the BMW 505.
On
one State visit, while exiting the vehicle, Adenauer's top hat hit
the door panel and fell off. The incident led to an early demise of
the 505. What's remarkable is he could ride in the 505 wearing a top hat! |
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Big and sturdy machines, the
500 series cars were BMW's mainstay from 1951 up until 1964. They were nicknamed Baroque Angels because their flowing lines reminded people of the carved wooden figures of the Baroque period.
The 501 was BMW's first post-war
automobile. In 1956, BMW produced the 501 in 6 and 8-cylinder
models.
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Introduced in 1954, the 502
for 1956 featured 2.6 and 3.2 liter V-8 engines.
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