To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Paris event, 6 February
2019.
Estimate:
€2.000.000 - €2.200.000
- Equipped with desired Rudge wheels and factory hardtop
- Full 1990s restoration by TT Motorsports with recent, extensive
work by Tom Fisher Classic & Race Car Service
- The only 507 delivered new to Mozambique
- One of 217 Series II 507s built
Great art is created from vision, not necessity. Never was this
truer than with the legendary BMW 507 Roadster. In the early 1950s,
BMW bore little resemblance to the global manufacturer and
corporate giant that produces the 'ultimate driving machines' of
today. The company needed a halo car that would boost sales of
other models and grow brand awareness. Quick to offer assistance
was legendary New York car dealer Max Hoffman, of Porsche 356
Speedster and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL fame. Hoffman had the magic
touch, so his request for a mid-end European sports car was swiftly
granted, and development work got under way.
Utilizing components from both the 502 and the 503 series, the 507
was designed by Count Albrecht von Goertz at Hoffman's insistence.
Equipped with a 3.2-litre overhead-valve V-8 engine capable of
delivering 148 bhp, it was the sweeping lines of the 507 that truly
took the breath away. Beginning at the front with BMW's signature
grille and a chrome bumper, the car stayed low to the ground,
curving sensuously before ending in twin exhausts. Priced at more
than $11,000 the car was hardly mid-level and only the lucky few
could afford one. Only 252 507s were made before production
ended.
Offered here is one of the final examples built. A late-production
Series II 507, it benefits from increased engine displacement and
therefore higher performance, as well as additional space behind
the seats, affording taller drivers a more comfortable seating
position. The Series II was also equipped with a smaller fuel tank
under the boot - redesigned due to complaints of the smell of fuel
in the earlier cars.
Delivered new to Mozambique, this 507 was specified in Japan Red
with Rudge wheels and a hardtop - features it retains today. In the
1970s the engine was replaced with a BMW 3200 CS engine fitted with
original 507 Zenith carburettors, the same powerplant it sports
today. By the 1990s chassis no. 70241 had made its way to the UK,
where it was fully restored by TT Motorsports in the late 1990s,
which included the installation of a more modern five-speed ZF
gearbox. Importantly, the original four-speed gearbox will
accompany the car. The 507 then made its way to the U.S., before
returning to Europe and settling with its current owner in Germany.
Invoices on file for restoration work undertaken by Tom Fisher
Classic & Race Car Service in Brannenburg in late 2016 and early
2017 total to over €22.000 with the intention of making the car a
perfect driver in modern conditions.
Thanks to its upgrades, this example of the 507 Series II is an
upgraded and highly usable specimen of a rare and iconic
design.
Please note that contrary to the printed catalogue, this lot is
offered with a reserve.
Veuillez noter que, contrairement aux indications du catalogue
papier, ce lot est pr�sent� avec prix de r�serve.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa19.
