BMW507

How Many BMW 507 Were Made

The totals printed for the BMW 507 differ, and only one source says what it counted. Here each stands beside its source, with the chassis numbers, the two series, what the sources date in each year from 1955 to the cars of 1960, where the cars went and how many survive.

About the pictureOne surviving 507 in a museum collection; not a gathering of 507s or a factory line.

A silver BMW 507 roadster with a dark blue hood raised, in a brick museum hall.
Stand-in One surviving 507, in the PS.Speicher museum's collection at Einbeck, Germany, on 12 January 2025: a single car, not a gathering of 507s.Thomas Vogt from Paderborn, Deutschland, CC BY 2.0

The BMW V8 Club's data sheet numbers the 507's chassis from 70001 to 70254. The counts in print differ: BMW's press kit of 2005 counted by the body each car carried, and Motor Sport printed two more totals, in 1987 and 2020. Only the 2005 press kit says what it counted, and every total is among the production readings in the specifications, each with its source.⁠1​2​3​4​5​6

The totals, and what each one counts

BMW's press kit for the car's fiftieth year, in April 2005, gave the count in one sentence:

Bis 1959 entstanden 251 Exemplare des 507, plus drei Fahrgestelle für die Sonderversionen.

BMW Group press kit, April 2005

Translated, the sentence counts the 507s built by 1959 and, separately, three chassis for the special versions. BMW's own magazine had given the same figure the year before for the cars "mit Serienkarosserie", with the series body. No source names the three chassis.

The total the BMW V8 Club gives matches its chassis numbers, from first to last. BMW Group Classic gave the same total in 2015, BMW's press release of August 2016 gave it again, and so did Lange's research, as Bimmer reported it in 2013. By our arithmetic, BMW's two figures of 2005 add up to it. Motor Sport printed a different total in February 1987 and a third in November 2020, and neither article says how it counted. BMW's 2005 account and Lange name the first two prototypes, Ernst Loof's and Goertz's first; whether the series-body count includes them, no source says.⁠4​7​1​2​3​8​5​6

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Chassis numbers

The chassis numbers run from 70001 to 70254, by the BMW V8 Club's data sheet; no factory list of them has been read. The first went to prototypes: 70001 to Loof's car and 70002 to the first car with Goertz's body. The club's list of running changes puts the start of the Series II at 70044. A few cars are known by their numbers: 70024 is Raymond Loewy's coupé, 70079 the works car Elvis Presley bought, and 70184 the chassis Michelotti had bodied in Italy, and their stories are on Notable BMW 507s. The 503 built beside the 507 used its own series, 69001 to 69412.⁠1​4​8​3

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Series I and Series II

BMW dates its changes to June 1957, after its first cars had been delivered. The BMW V8 Club's list starts them at chassis 70044, which fixes the number of Series I cars in the club's count; BMW's count of the cars delivered before June 1957 and the count Bimmer printed in 2013 are different figures. The line-up on the versions page shows all three, each with its source.⁠4​9​1​8

The cockpit of a red BMW 507 with black leather seats, a black steering wheel and three dials in a red dashboard.
The fascia of a car its photographer calls a Series I, at Greenwich, Connecticut, on 31 May 2026, without the loudspeaker grille of the Series II dashboard; its black steering wheel is not BMW's ivory one.Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC0

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Year by year

No source read gives the number of cars built in any one year. What the sources do date, year by year, is below.⁠4​8

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1955: shown, not sold

Every 507 of 1955 was a prototype or a show car. By BMW's 2005 account, Goertz first unveiled the car to a small circle at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York in June 1955 (the BMW V8 Club says July), and no report of that showing from 1955 has been found. The public saw it at Frankfurt in September, where Lange's research identifies the car on BMW's stand as 70002, and in October AFN Ltd showed one at Earls Court in London. Motor Sport drove a prototype in Munich that autumn.⁠4​9​10​11​8​12​13

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1956: the first series cars

When Motor Sport visited Munich in September 1956, BMW was building 20 to 25 cars a day, mostly 501 and 502 saloons (sedans), and the magazine reported that the 507 was now in production; the car its writers drove was still "the prototype 507". In December auto motor und sport was less sure:

Der Roadster vom Typ 507, als ausgesprochener Sportwagen gedacht, hat die Serienreife noch nicht erlangt.

auto motor und sport, December 1956

In English, the roadster, conceived as an out-and-out sports car, was not yet ready for series production, and only the 503 cabriolet could be bought, built to order. Series production began at the end of the year. Lange's research for BMW puts the first series car on 11 December 1956 (Bimmer, 2009), and BMW's 2005 account has a customer taking delivery that month; BMW's model page and the BMW V8 Club give November 1956.⁠14​15​4​9​16​17

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1957: the Series II

The chassis for Raymond Loewy's coupé was completed on 28 February 1957, by Lange's research. In the spring the Hoffman Motor Car Company told Sports Cars Illustrated that pilot models would soon be at its sub-distributors and that by July cars would be "coming in off the Munich line". BMW made its changes for the Series II in June, and on 13 September 1957 it completed 70079, the car Elvis Presley later bought. At Earls Court in October AFN showed a 507 again, and the show guide quoted a top speed for it with the high axle ratio, hardtop and undertray.⁠8​18​4​3​15​19

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1958: delivered as a series car

In January 1958 BMW printed a French-language brochure for the car. In February auto motor und sport opened a report with the words "Nachdem der BMW-Sportwagen 507 serienmäßig geliefert wird", now that the 507 was being delivered as a series car. The German price lists of 15 July and 30 September 1958 each show a higher price than the one before. Lange's account dates the completion of 70192, the car Ursula Andress later owned, to 30 October 1958, and the researchers who prepared its history for Pebble Beach in 2013 to 30 November.⁠20​21​22​23​15​8

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1959: the last cars

BMW's German brochure for the car is dated January 1959, and by May the American importer was Fadex Commercial Corporation of New York. At the Frankfurt show in September there was no 507 on BMW's stand, but Sports Cars Illustrated reported the car still in production at a reduced rate. In October it had a stand of its own at Earls Court:

One of the world's most desirable sports cars, the 507 is produced in very small quantities and very few examples reach Britain.

"Earls Court Reviewed", Motor Sport, November 1959

The end came towards the close of the year, in the words of BMW's annual report for 1959 as BMW quoted it in 2005; the BMW V8 Club gives March 1959 for the end, and BMW's magazine of 2004 spring 1959.⁠24​25​26​27​4​9​7

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1960: the cars of the 1960 model year

Sports Cars Illustrated reported in December 1959 that "for 1960" the 507 had Dunlop disc brakes on its front wheels: a 1960 car in the American sense, a car of the 1960 model year. The BMW V8 Club counts cars sold into 1960, and Bimmer wrote in 2009 that the car was "discontinued in 1960". No source read says when the last car was built.⁠26​9​15

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Left-hand drive only

Every 507 was built with its steering on the left, and the British show guides said so:

The "507" sports model is still only available with left-hand drive.

"The Cars at Earls Court", Motor Sport, November 1958

BMW's catalogue and brochures offered sealed-beam headlamps for export and no right-hand-drive car. In 1987 Motor Sport gave the reason the British importer took no more: right-hand drive would have needed a new sump and a new steering box.⁠28​5​29​24

A white BMW 507 roadster seen from the rear left on a white show floor, its hood folded under a blue cover, with an ivory steering wheel and twin exhausts.
The ivory steering wheel on the left of a Series II roadster, by its photographer's title, at Grand Basel, Switzerland, on 8 September 2018.Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Where the cars went

Motor Sport tested one of the British cars in 1987 and summed up the run:

The 507's production run lasted three years, until 1959, but never averaged as much as two per week over that time. A mere 253 cars trickled out of the Munich factory, and only three found their way to England.

Alex Harmer, Motor Sport, February 1987

Two of the English cars came through AFN, which then held the BMW concession; John Surtees bought his new in Munich. The United States, where Hoffman had expected to sell around 2,000 and where BMW had hoped to send most of its yearly output, took 41 new cars by Lange's research, as Bimmer reported it in 2013, and 39 by BMW's 2005 press kit. The Hoffman Motor Car Company sold them at first, and Fadex by May 1959. By Lange's research the largest markets were in Europe: Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland. No count for any other market has been read.⁠5​8​4​15​18​25

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How many survive

The counts of survivors come from different years and different counters. About 1979, 20 years after the end of production, the BMW V8 Club counted at least 220 still in the world. In 2005 BMW reckoned that about 240 remained, and in 2015 the Finance Ministry's text for its stamp put the roadworthy cars at about 220.⁠9​4​30

A dusty red BMW 507 with faded paint and red wheels on a blue lift in a museum hall.
An unrestored 507 on a lift in the BMW Museum, Munich, on 16 August 2014.Jiří Sedláček, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Sources

Every source the site cites is on the sources page.

  • Primarymade at the time, by the maker or by people who were there
  • Referenceserious later work: clubs, specialists, magazines, books
  1. BMW V8 Club Deutschland, "Technische Daten 503 507 3200CS", the chassis numbers and the total; "Stückzahlen" and the chassis numbers; the chassis numbers; the running changes from 70044; the 503's numbers; the Series II from chassis 70044. bmw-v8-club.de/fahrzeuge/8-zylinder-baureihe/techniche-daten-503-507-3200-cs.html Reference
  2. BMW Group Classic (BMW Classic blog), "60 Years of Pure Temptation", 2015, BMW's total, 2015; "only … examples produced". presstopic.bmwgroup.com/en/bmw-classic-blog/text/60-YEARS-OF-PURE-TEMPTATION-4484.html Primary
  3. BMW AG (BMW Group PressClub Global), "Elvis' BMW 507 lives on: Comeback at the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach" (press release), Munich, 4 Aug 2016, BMW's total, 2016; "just … automobiles being produced between 1955 and 1959"; 70079; 70079 completed on 13 September 1957. press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0262726EN/elvis Primary
  4. BMW AG (BMW Group PressClub Czech Republic), "Zeitlose Eleganz: 50 Jahre BMW 507 und BMW 503", chapter of the press kit "Legenden der 50er Jahre: BMW 507 – BMW 503 – BMW Isetta", German, Apr 2005, chapter "Zeitlose Eleganz": the count with the series body and three chassis for special versions; the quotation; the data sheet, "Stückzahl" ("Serie"); 70 001 and 70 002; 70 001, Loof's prototype; 70 002, the first Goertz car; the changes of June 1957 and the cars delivered before them; the dates of 1955–59; the Waldorf-Astoria, June 1955; the first delivery to a customer, December 1956; the changes of June 1957; the annual report for 1959; the cars delivered new to the United States; "man rechnet mit 240 verbliebenen Exemplaren". press.bmwgroup.com/czech/article/attachment/T0066597CS/96056 Primary
  5. Alex Harmer, "Sisters under the skin?", Motor Sport, Feb 1987, p. 17, the 1987 total; para. "The 507's production run"; the sump and the steering box; the quotation; AFN's two cars; Surtees's car, bought new in Munich. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/february-1987/17/sisters-under-the-skin Reference
  6. Simon de Burton, "BMW 507 Roadster: a folly no longer", Motor Sport, Nov 2020, p. 127, para. 3, the 2020 total; para. 3. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-2020/127/bmw-507-roadster-a-folly-no-longer Reference
  7. Melina Aulinger and Walter Zeichner, "You've got to be lucky", Mobile Tradition live (BMW Group Mobile Tradition), 02/2004, pp. 10–17, p. 15, the count "mit Serienkarosserie"; p. 15, the end in spring 1959. bmw7er-club.de/interaktiv/download/mobilemtradition_02_04.pdf Primary
  8. Jackie Jouret and Helmut Werb, "507s star at Pebble Beach", Bimmer, No. 119, 25 Oct 2013, p. 1, Lange's total to December 1959; pp. 2 and 7–9, 70002, 70024 and 70184; p. 6, "one of only 34 Series I 507s"; Lange's build dates; p. 2, the Frankfurt car, 70002; p. 7, Loewy's chassis 70024 completed on 28 February 1957; 70192: 30 November 1958, the Pebble Beach researchers' date; p. 1, 41 cars to the US, Hoffman's 2,000, the four largest markets. bimmer-mag.com/issues/119/articles/507s-star-at-pebble-beach Reference
  9. BMW V8 Club Deutschland, "Modellübersicht 503 507 3200 CS", "nach den ersten 43 gebauten Fahrzeugen"; New York, July 1955; the start, November 1956; the end, March 1959; cars sold "bis in das Jahr 1960 hinein"; "mindestens noch 220 Exemplare in aller Welt", "20 Jahre nach Produktionsende". bmw-v8-club.de/fahrzeuge/8-zylinder-baureihe/modeluebersicht-503-507-3200-cs.html Reference
  10. Denis Jenkinson ("D.S.J."), "The Frankfurt Motor Show", Motor Sport, Nov 1955, p. 51, p. 51, the car on BMW's stand. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1955/51/the-frankfurt-motor-show Primary
  11. auto motor und sport, IAA report, "Technische Daten der deutschen Personenwagen" and "Preise der deutschen Personenwagen", Heft 20, 24 Sep 1955, the IAA report, data table and price list. archive.org/details/auto-motor-und-sport-1955-heft-20 Primary
  12. Motor Sport, "Sports and high-performance cars at Earls Court", with the list "Sports Cars Costing Under £1,000 Inclusive of P.T.", Nov 1955, p. 16, AFN Ltd's stand 119. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1955/16/sports-and-high-performance-cars-at-earls-court Primary
  13. Denis Jenkinson ("D.S.J."), "At the House of B.M.W.", Motor Sport, Nov 1955, p. 46, p. 46, the prototype driven in Munich. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1955/46/at-the-house-of-bmw Primary
  14. Bill Boddy, "German high performance", Motor Sport, Nov 1956, p. 28, "the 507 sports/tourer is now in production"; "the prototype 507"; 20 to 25 cars a day. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1956/28/german-high-performance Primary
  15. Jackie Jouret, "Elvis' 507: The real story", Bimmer, No. 83, Jun 2009; republished on bimmer-mag.com, 28 Jul 2014, the first series car, 11 December 1956; 70079's build date; 70192 completed on 30 October 1958; "discontinued in 1960"; BMW's hope for the United States. web.archive.org/web/2016id_/http://www.bimmer-mag.com:80/news-blog/elvis-507-the-real-story Reference
  16. auto motor und sport, Article on BMW (the 503 and 507), Heft 26, Dec 1956, the article on BMW: the quotation; the 503 cabriolet "in Einzelstücken". archive.org/details/auto-motor-und-sport-1956-heft-26 Primary
  17. BMW Group Classic, "BMW 507 model series", "Production 11/1956 – 12/1959". bmwgroup-classic.com/en/models/bmw-classics/product-description-page.ad-1173-1.bmw-507-model-series.html Primary
  18. Jesse Alexander, "Complete report on BMW 507", with "Factory test data" and "Late news from BMW", Sports Cars Illustrated, May 1957, pp. 18–21, 50, "Late news from BMW": pilot models, and cars "coming in off the Munich line" by July; "Late news from BMW", the Hoffman Motor Car Co.. archive.org/details/sim_car-and-driver_1957-05_2 Primary
  19. Motor Sport, "The Cars at Earls Court", Nov 1957, p. 22, the BMW stand 133: the 507 and its claimed top speed. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1957/22/cars-earls-court Primary
  20. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, BMW 507 Touring Sport (sales brochure, French), French, 1/1958, W 61 f 5 1.58, W 61 f 5 1.58. archive.org/details/101_20260417 Primary
  21. auto motor und sport, "Wie sie beschleunigen", Heft 4, 15 Feb 1958, the opening: "Nachdem der BMW-Sportwagen 507 serienmäßig geliefert wird". archive.org/details/auto-motor-und-sport-1958-heft-4 Primary
  22. auto motor und sport, New-car price list ("Preise"), Heft 15, 19 Jul 1958, the list of 15 July 1958. archive.org/details/auto-motor-und-sport-1958-heft-15 Primary
  23. auto motor und sport, New-car price list ("Preise"), with the Motor Revue advertisement, Heft 21, 11 Oct 1958, the list of 30 September 1958. archive.org/details/auto-motor-und-sport-1958-heft-21 Primary
  24. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, BMW 507 Touring Sport (sales brochure), German, 1/1959, W 61 5 1.59, W 61 5 1.59; the extras. archive.org/details/1959-bmw-507-touring-sport-brochure.-w-61-5-1.-59-0 Primary
  25. Automotive News (Crain Communications), via Internet Archive, "Port-of-Entry Prices On Imported Cars", 11 May 1959, vol. 33 no. 3706; also 14 Sep 1959 (vol. 34 no. 3724) and 14 Mar 1960 (vol. 35 no. 3750), Fadex Commercial Corporation's advertisements, May 1959; Fadex as importer by May 1959. archive.org/details/sim_automotive-news_1959-05-11_33_3706 Primary
  26. Sports Cars Illustrated, "Disc-Braked BMW 507" (road test), with the same issue's Frankfurt show report, Dec 1959, pp. 49–51, 104, the Frankfurt show report of September 1959; p. 51 caption, "For 1960 507s have been fitted with discs on the front wheels"; p. 104, "1960 editions". archive.org/details/sim_car-and-driver_1959-12_5 Primary
  27. Motor Sport, "Earls Court Reviewed", Nov 1959, p. 39, the BMW 507 stand: the quotation. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1959/39/earls-court-reviewed Primary
  28. Motor Sport, "The Cars at Earls Court", Nov 1958, p. 22, the BMW stand: the quotation. motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1958/22/cars-earls-court Primary
  29. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, BMW 502 · 503 · 507 (V8 range catalogue), German, 1957, Nr. W 147, the extras: sealed-beam headlamps for export. archive.org/details/100_20260601 Primary
  30. Bundesministerium der Finanzen, "Sondermarken April 2015" (gallery of the special stamps of April 2015), 2015, the stamp's text: about 220 roadworthy, 2015. bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/DE/Bilderstrecken/Sondermarken/Programm_2015/april15-Bildergalerie.html Primary

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