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Profile BMW 502

The BMW 501 and 502 had very high
specifications, though it largely shunned BMW 502
1950s fashion trends. 12,896 (1954 – 1963)
No. of units
all V8 saloons
Original price 17,800 marks

Engine V8-cylinder

Capacity 2,580 cc

Bore x stroke 74 x 75 mm

was the first example with an engine Output 100 bhp at 4,800 rpm
block and cylinder heads made of light
alloy. To endow this prestigious drive Transmission four-speed column shift
unit with a suitable “housing”, the body
of the BMW 501 was lent a more exclu- Brakes hydraulic inner shoe brakes
sive appearance. Additional headlamps
mounted in the wings and a striking Weight model-dependent
chrome strip below the windows clearly
indicated that BMW was moving Top speed 160 km/h
towards the top end of German car
manufacturing with this model. Quality
materials and fine wood applications in
the interior also bore witness to BMW’s
aspiration to create a car for society’s Stuttgart. With a price tag well in excess
elite. On the bootlid, a large eight of 20,000 deutschmarks, such dreams
embedded in a “V” proudly proclaimed were fulfilled by very few. But even sales
the singular status of this model 502. of the saloon did not come up to expec-
Buyers wishing to acquire the car tations. More and more variations on
and propel it along the as yet empty the 502 theme, with different engines
autobahns at up to 160 km/h had to part and various equipment levels, were pro-
with 17,800 deutschmarks. A steering duced, and even the model designa-
column shift and an ivory-coloured tions experienced three significant
steering wheel were a concession to the changes within six years.
prevailing zeitgeist, but beyond that The BMW 502 3.2 Litre became the
BMW avoided any form of fashionable BMW 3.2 and ultimately the BMW 3200.
attributes. Just a year later, an even At its highest performance level, the
more powerful car was to follow. A 3.2- engine driving the 1961 3200 S gener-
litre engine now provided for an output ated 160 bhp, making the car the
of 120 bhp, and the car cost a mere fifty fastest saloon in Germany with a top
marks more than the first V8, which had speed of 190 km/h. It even left plenty of
also come down considerably in price. sports cars trailing. But the days of the
At the same time, customers with high- big BMW saloons were numbered. By
ly individual requirements could order 1958, production of the 501 six-cylin-
special hand-built models in the shape der model was phased out, and 1963
of a coupé or a two or four-door con- saw the end of the V8 saloon as well.
vertible. These collectors’ items were BMW had long been successful in sell-
only available on commission from the ing modern medium-range cars, and
renowned coachbuilders Baur near the era of the “dinosaurs” was over. Yet
even though these models never held
out the hope of much profit, BMW had
continued to build them. As a symbol of
The BMW 502 with its innovative the brand’s strength in being able to
V8-cylinder light-alloy engine offer extraordinary products in difficult
reflected BMW’s aim to join the times, they maintained BMW’s prestige
ranks of the most exclusive post-
war carmakers. at a high level even through the small
car era.

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