How The Prettiest BMW Ever Built Still Managed To Flop
As World War II came to a close, the scope of the world automotive market began to change. The days of huge running boards, boxy designs, and a general lack of performance were over. That's because, by the early 1950s, the small sports car began to gain popularity at an extremely fast pace. We can thank models like the Jaguar XK120 — which first saw the light of day in 1949 — and the Chevrolet Corvette for that.
However, among the rise in two-seater sports cars came a slightly different flavor of car: the personal luxury car. The first models to fit the new bill were ones like the 1955 Ford Thunderbird. These newfangled personal luxury cars had the size and stature of a sports car, but carried themselves with more poise and opulence. Seeing how popular the Thunderbird became in the US, BMW decided to give it a go. Its attempt, the 507, was a promising-looking brute, but it actually ended up bringing BMW to its knees.
Quick Facts About The BMW 507
- Introduced in 1956
- Built to compete with Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and Triumph
- Initially conceived by a prominent American car importer
- Boasts a 3.2-liter V8
- Axed following the 1959 model year
While we typically hear about the Corvette and the Thunderbird when it comes to 1950s-era two-seaters from the US, there were several other models on the market alongside those two titans. However, many of them weren't even made in the United States. For starters, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL was a popular choice, although it was rather expensive. On the cheaper side of things sat models made by Triumph and MG, both of which hailed from England.
Those European nameplates weren't here by accident, either. A market for foreign sports cars popped up just after World War II, as GIs returning from the European Theater had picked up a taste for European motoring while overseas. Some of the returning servicemen even tried to bring cars back with them, although most were unsuccessful. Once they got back to the States, mostly car-less with some money to burn, demand for European sports cars began to creep up.
By the mid-1950s, a prominent car importer by the name of Max Hoffman had begun to notice a gap in the Euro sports car market. The high-end and expensive 300 SL was out of reach for many Americans, save the wealthy few. The bargain-friendly English models were good, but lacked a sense of poise and prestige you'd expect from a European sports car. Inspired by this revelation, Hoffman contacted BMW headquarters with a request: Build a sports car for the American market and price it between the plucky Brits and the opulent Mercedes-Benz. Luckily for him, his request was heeded.