Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 69359
Engine No. 30557
Debuted at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show, the BMW 503 Coupe
represented the company's bold ambition to reestablish itself in
the postwar luxury market. Engineered to uncompromising standards
and styled by Count Albrecht von Goertz, the 503 was BMW's first
purpose-built grand touring coupe, offered alongside the 507
Roadster. Beneath its hand-formed aluminum bodywork lay an
all-alloy 3.2-liter V8 producing 140 horsepower, paired with a
sophisticated perimeter frame and refined mechanicals derived from
the 502. Though built with U.S. buyers in mind-encouraged by
influential importer Max Hoffman-the 503's high price limited its
success overseas. Still, its elegant design, advanced engineering,
and opulent interior earned it a loyal following among European
elites. Just 273 coupes were produced before the model was
discontinued in March 1959. Today, the BMW 503 stands as one of the
marque's rarest and most distinctive postwar models, a beautifully
crafted expression of 1950s grand touring excellence.
The accompanying history file shows that this handsome 503 Coupe
was sold new to Dr. Elsbeth Karius of Muggensturm/Rastatt, Germany,
toward the very end of production on 27 February 1959 and remained
under his care for the following 14 years. The car then passed to
Stefan Stahle in 1973, and then Ulrich Vetter of Kreutzal, Germany,
for the next 24 years. In 2002, the car passed through three more
German owners before residing in the United Kingdom. From there,
the car was imported to the United States in 2024 with under the
care of its current owner based in the United Kingdom.
Presented in period-appropriate ivory, the rare post-war Coupe
features an original and beautifully patinaed cognac-colored
leather interior. Adding to the airiness of the pillarless Coupe is
a rarely seen metal sliding sunroof that perfectly complements the
elegant interior with its Becker Mexico radio and iconic ivory
four-spoke steering wheel. Powering the car is a correct type
all-aluminum 3.2-liter V8 mated to a sporting five-speed manual
transmission. Seldom seen in the U.S., well-presented and detailed
examples, like the car offered here, offer a compelling blend of
German engineering, handsome styling, and impressive power, making
it a rare opportunity to experience one of BMW's most significant
and beautifully crafted postwar grand tourers.
