Seeing a BMW 507 in person is like seeing a shooting star—it’s rare, beautiful, and utterly awe-inspiring. It’s one of the most special BMWs in the brand’s history, despite being one of the least successful cars the brand ever made. This one, a $2.5 million example which was on hand at Amelia Island over the weekend, is extra special because it was the last 507 ever delivered to a customer.
This BMW 507 wasn’t the last one built, however it was the last one sold and delivered to a buyer. So it’s technically been owned less than any other 507 in history, which in a way makes it the freshest, I guess. It’s also a breathtaking example, with its gorgeous red over tan color scheme, and obviously in perfect condition. That also means that this car shares something in common with what is probably the most famous 507.
Elvis Presley owned a BMW 507, which he bought in Germany, and it was originally white. However, due to woman constantly writing their phone numbers on the car in lipstick, and kissing it, he decided to have it painted red. So now this car is similar to Elvis’ 507.
Presley wasn’t the only celebrity to own a 507. Actors Ursula Andress (who was gifted a 507 by Elvis) and Fred Astaire owned 507s too, along with F1 drivers Hans Stuck and John Surtees. It has always been a gorgeous car and it’s easy to see why famous people would want to own it and be seen in it, especially back in the ’50s when it was new.
However, commercially, the BMW 507 was a disaster. It was originally supposed to cost $5,000 and BMW was going to make 5,500 507s per year. But because BMW went way overboard on material quality and over-engineering, it needed to be sold at $10,500, making it one of the very most expensive cars in the world at the time. So BMW only sold 252 of them.
The body was made from hand-formed aluminum and it used a 3.2-liter V8, which made 150 horsepower. The 507’s engine was the very first BMW-made V8 and it was a pretty sophisticated overhead cam V8 for the time. It was paired with a four-speed manual and drove only the rear wheels.
It’s hard to see a BMW 507 and not fall in love. Its effortlessly beautiful 1950s sports car styling is ageless and it just exudes classic cool. It’s easily BMW’s best design and it’s a shame it was never a sales success, as the masses should have been able to witness such a design first hand. Instead, it’s now only seen by rich, VIP-types are absurdly exclusive events like the Amelia Island concourse.
