The Car That Nearly Killed BMW - BMW 507

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Hello! :D
Returning to cars, we look back on the car that nearly caused BMW, one of the world's biggest car companies, to implode. The BMW 507 should have been a winner for the company, a success story that would be remembered throughout the following decades like the Jaguar E-Type and the Aston Martin DB5.
Instead, it was a gamble that went horribly wrong, and it would take BMW almost all of the 1960s to recover from.
All video content and images in this production have been provided with permission wherever possible. While I endeavour to ensure that all accreditations properly name the original creator, some of my sources do not list them as they are usually provided by other, unrelated RU-vidrs. Therefore, if I have mistakenly put the accreditation of 'Unknown', and you are aware of the original creator, please send me a personal message at my Gmail (this is more effective than comments as I am often unable to read all of them): rorymacveigh@gmail.com
The views and opinions expressed in this video are my personal appraisal and are not the views and opinions of any of these individuals or bodies who have kindly supplied me with footage and images.
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Thanks again, everyone, and enjoy! :D
References:
- Motor1 (and their respective references)
- Wikipedia (and its respective references)

Опубликовано:

29 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 687

@667crash 4 года назад

My dad was the Buick dealer in El Paso when is was a kid. I am not sure of the circumstances but a 507 ended up there one day and my dad took me for a short drive in it. It left a lasting impression on me, and defined for me from that day on what a sports car should be.

@billolsen4360 3 года назад

There was probably a time when you could have bought a used 507 for $1000 or less after she was discontinued and just enough time had passed, similar to my great uncle who picked up a 1937 Cord 810 at a used car lot in Oregon in 1954 for $440...it was just too bad that Uncle Pete at age 19 didn't have the money to restore her at least mechanically.

@allysonhanks7367 2 года назад

Hello how are you doing. I believe you are healthy and also having a nice weather where you are. I live in California and I'm looking for a new friend Ok!

@alokbalsekar 2 года назад

Lucky Guy. In India the classic car culture never really took off until the early 2000s. Now people are realizing that India too, had an automotive heritage that needs to be cherished and protected. Cheers!!

@Christerart 4 года назад

507 - one of the most beautiful cars ever produced - achingly beautiful!

@thrunsguinneabottle3066 2 года назад

I don't see it, myself.

@dominicrusho 3 года назад

Great video! The 507 is staggeringly beautiful. I love the fact that you can still see hints of its shape and features in the current Z4.

@BuzzLOLOL 2 года назад

Sales numbers of many European cars were hurt by absurdly huge importer price markups... An underpowered 507 for the price of two powerful roomy luxury Cadillacs or 2 Corvettes???

@chrisburd9751 2 года назад

imho its much more beautiful than the z4

@mqbitsko25 2 года назад

The 240Z too. That guy's ideas found their way into a lot of cars around the world.

@mqbitsko25 2 года назад

@@BuzzLOLOL I don't think you watched the video. The importer wanted to sell it for $5K. BMW gave him a car that barely broke even at $10K. He COULDN'T mark them up. Nobody had that much money.

@BuzzLOLOL 2 года назад

@@mqbitsko25 - Yep... everybody was too greedy if they wanted to mass market it...

@Brutaga 4 года назад

Having owned several Porsche’s over many years. I recently made a decision and changed to BMW and bought a BMW Z4. I’d always thought that the Z4 was a peculiar looking car, but I can honestly say that, it has brought back the magic and joy of motoring that I had almost forgotten. So I look at this BMW 507 and I can see that the magical nature of driving pleasure has always been there from BMW. Motoring is not just about getting to work and or doing the shopping, it’s about the pleasure of driving something special and the 507 certainly looks fabulous

@thelimeyshooter554 4 года назад

Richard E. Miranda Jr. Envious????😝😝😝

@Brutaga 4 года назад

Richard E. Miranda Jr. Vielen Dank und Ihr Willkommen 😊

@BettingISbad 4 года назад

@Richard E. Miranda Jr. It's not his fault that you haven't achieved, or acquired, as much as him.

@BettingISbad 4 года назад

This is really interesting to me - I was actually thinking of going the other way. Having owned a few BMWs - I was thinking of switching to Porche for that more connected drive. Which Porches did you have? I think the minimum I'd consider is a Cayman S.

@Brutaga 4 года назад

BettingISbad hey there. In answer to your question. Two 1986 5speed 928S2, a 1990 S4 and a 911 wide Body 3.2RSR. The S4 being my favourite. Wasn’t interested in later models, although the later Caymans are pretty cool though.

@thairatcatcher 4 года назад

An excellent documentary. Well narrated with no annoying music, just superb photos, well presented at a sensible speed.

@piercehawke8021 4 года назад

You picked up on that as well............... Mr MacVeigh's video is extremely well done. Props to all parties involved.

@tomperkins5657 4 года назад

Oh, yes, NO annoying music!!

@kajunkat72 4 года назад

A well said German comment lol

@tomperkins5657 4 года назад

@@kajunkat72 Aber sicher!!

@khandallah4725 2 года назад

when background music is added, a lack of faith in what is being messaged is indicated. thank you to all who recognize this and reward content that does not rely on crutches and gimmicks.

@christiankastorf1427 2 года назад

The BMW 503 and 507 were so scarce that hardly anyone in Germany today will know that these cars existed. What have been known till the present days are the "Barockengel" 501 (V6) and then 502 (V8) saloons that were simply too expensive. A Mercedes-Benz 170 and then 180 was just half the price and even the 220 series were cheaper. What really saved BMW was the purchase of Glass in the 1960s with their philosophy of affordable, stylish cars. Glass had started with microcars that could be driven with a pre-war motorcycle license, just as the Isetta. But by the mid-60s that period was over. A younger generation wanted "real" cars and Glass responded to that. Their 1600 and 1700 models were highly successful and when BMW bought that Bavarian company almost all they had to do was changing the "G" in the radiator for their famous "kidneys" and the swirling propellor logo. And do not overlook the small sporty BMW 700 with its two-cylinder , aircooled engine in the back.

@BigCar2 4 года назад

Thanks Ruairidh on this interesting history!

@garymcaleer6112 4 года назад

Excellent post. I've never seen a finer synopsis of automotive history.

@375GTB 3 года назад

$5000 was a ridiculous impossible dream. Hoffman was out of his mind! High end Cadillac 52 type money... 300SLs were $9000 thru 1963 Ferraris and Maserati $12,000... Jaguars, 356s ad AC Cobras were $6000 in 1964.... BMW should make a $75,000 continuation 507 As have Jaguar, AC, Aston Marin and many others Maybe a tuned 3 carb or FI model.. For Historic racing... IMHO J.C.

@cicalinarrot 2 года назад

This looks so much better than the 190SL. More modern, sportier, more elegant. And the 190SL is already a very good looking car.

@StephenSteve32861 4 года назад

The 507 is one of the most beautiful cars I've seen. IMHO!

@billolsen4360 3 года назад

Right up there with the 57 T-Bird, Jag E-Type, 63 Stingray & Ferrari 308

@billbeare1513 4 года назад

Film, The Final Run. 1971, George C Scott. BMW 503 supercharged. Cracking good film !. The actual car in the film turned up in a suburban London scrapyard some years ago.🧐🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

@spudmckenzie4959 4 года назад

Wow, did you manage to rescue it?

@geraldswain3259 4 года назад

And then in 1963 the e type arrived and shook the whole industry to the core , all for around £2000 nobody came near to competing with it .

@judygunson7539 4 года назад

1961!

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

Yet the Corvette, 911 & 230 SL all successful & eventually left E-Type in the dust because Jag let it become outdated.

@mikeweizer3149 2 года назад

@@unowen-nh9ov Don't forget Aston Martins either!.

@flemingpandel5287 4 года назад

I feel there should have at least been a passing mention of the 1959 BMW 700, which was in many ways a critical and highly influential model though it is often forgotten today. It was still a small economy car and used a lot of the 600 mechanicals but it had modern, conventional styling, sold in significant numbers and also laid the groundwork for BMWs modern identity of everyday cars that are fun to drive.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

Since it was a unicorn reworking of existing motorcycle tech., really just a glitch in the company's history.

@mikeweizer3149 2 года назад

Saw one in real-life once, remembered what it was ( built between 1956 to 59).and years later bought one in die-cast and is now proudly displayed!.

@onefastcyclist 4 года назад

An excellent presentation of a beautiful sportscar ! The only thing I would add is the importance of the 700 in providing funds for the development of the small sedans (1500,1600 7 2002) that put BMW back on solid financial ground.

@pecospest 4 года назад

fully agree , the 700 was not mentioned , and it should have.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

Actually new ownership had to arrange finance, BMW were being sold to Daimler for truck manufacture.

@edwardmclaughlin7935 2 года назад

Marvellous outline given here of a car I had not even been aware; but how beautiful. Really have to admire the way that BMW scraped itself together after the war, and then survived this commercial setback. Without wanting to attract any tub-thumping, I'm forced to ask that same old question: what is it about German manufacturing that gives it such an obvious edge over British makers?

@steviesindahouse4903 4 года назад

Excellent and most informative video! Thank you Ruairidh! 😃

@CurmudgeonExtraordinaire 2 года назад

Bought my wife a BMW 335d a few years back... Nice car, but in the end, my impression is that if you buy a BMW, you should sell it as soon as (or before) the warranty runs out because regardless of how few miles you have on it at that time, there will be an expensive repair coming up that seems to be pre-programmed to happen after however many years are on the warranty.

@miketierney7 2 года назад

I have a 19 year old Z8 with 13000 miles. Nothing has gone wrong. Replaced battery and tires. Terrific car to drive. Worthy successor.

@CurmudgeonExtraordinaire 2 года назад

@@miketierney7 -- With only 13K miles during 19 years, one might argue that you don't even NEED a car... :) Maybe you meant 130K? If so, then you would be one of the lucky ones... I've known a couple of other people whose BMW had a rather expensive repair come up right after the warranty was up. On the other hand, the 2 Porsches that we've owned over the years were very dependable...

@OuttaHere7 4 года назад

Thank-you for posting. Very interesting and informative.

@philliphayden2727 2 года назад

Wow, this is one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen.

@maxant4285 3 года назад

BMW was rescued by Herbert Quandt of Varta company. Quandts still seat at the board of directors.

@jacovanlith5082 2 года назад

BMW - Bayerische Motoren Werke EMW - Eisenach Motoren Werke Over the main entrance of the Eisenach railway station is a stained glass window of a EMW / BMW sportscar.

@williamnash6573 4 года назад

I leased a 2006 BMW 7 Series (F01) in 2006. It was a major lemon. The transmission had so many problems that the dealership replaced it. The brakes squealed like a pig and could never be resolved. The air conditioning failed after 6 months. And then there were the overheating problems. Fortunately, I was able to return it and break the lease. Everyone tells me my BMW experience is an exception. Exception or not, I have a very dim view of BMW. I guess I'm just not entitled enough to drive one.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

Since they sell over 2 million annually around the world I don’t know entitlement has anything to do with it.

@luftgetrockneterleguan7744 2 года назад

Den Planeten hat es auf jeden Fall mit gekillt!

@pieteri.duplessis 2 года назад

Sad story for such a beautiful car.

@xdafactor7684 4 года назад

Great Story and A learning experience for BMW, and All business men.

@peterbremberg3900 2 года назад

It's wrong, this is not the car which killed BMW. That was the 502 Sedan.

@MurderSTi 2 года назад

Crazy, they sell for $2M USD now

@garypmagwood 2 года назад

Gorgeous car with great performance... what do they sell for today?

@martinxxxmartin 4 года назад

Great video but as you explore the wider picture you should have included a German rival to BMW of that era. A company called GLAS. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glas_(company) GLAS made the Goggomobil which is shown in the video. At one point the GLAS company tried to buy BMW. As it turned out BMW eventually took over GLAS when they themselves got in trouble for making an expensive car that didn't sell.

@afenijmeijer9027 2 года назад

The 507 is a beautiful car. Just as the 300SL. A hand made aluminium body is why it cost so much. A true business decision disaster. I wonder what a pristine example will go for today in 2021. North of a million dollars I would guess.

@itsthatsebguy93 4 года назад

Ridiculously good looking car.

@dyslexiksteve2488 2 года назад

Can you do one of these for PUCH. It would be good to see what happen to them

@infinitysearcher8858 2 года назад

Thanks for this great BMW history lesson.

@zaneenaz4962 2 года назад

Failures.....might have been helpful to enumerate and describe them in more detail. Best i could understand was the hardtop customized to each car...so these were completely handcrafted and thus cost overruns ? Little thought in post sales parts sales. Inventory problems... Interesting history.

@davidewhite69 2 года назад

I first learnt of this car when I played a game called mafia 2, I thought it absolutely gorgeous and couldnt believe it was a dud in real life!

@blueshattrick 2 года назад

Looks like a Triumph Spitfire...

@charliebowman785 4 года назад

A stunting beautiful BMW sport car with Corvette flavor.

@redwater4778 2 года назад

They were denied access to the US marketplace. US lawmakers didn't want the car competing with Detroit. The overall cost story is BS.

@steveanacorteswa3979 2 года назад

Wow, looks so much like my 2000 Z3, glad they resurrected the car, love driving mine, timeless style before they ruined it with the z4, I like putting my arm on the door with the top down as a sports car should be.

@apexerman1 2 года назад

That wasn't BMW's fault. Side impact regulations necessitated higher doors.

@Dilberto88 2 года назад

How much is a mint example of the 507 command today?

@johnmosesbrowning1855 4 года назад

What really saved BMW was the political motivated axing of Borgward in Bremen. BMW learned building modern cars with the engeneers of Borgward, hence the german saying BMW = BORGWARD MACHT WEITER (BORGWARD CONTINUOUS)

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

To what benefit? If Borgward were viable, why didn't anyone profitably rescue it? Mercedes killed Audi, took VW to revive it.

@johnmosesbrowning1855 3 года назад

@@unowen-nh9ov To the benefit of BMW. Mr. Borgward was the last one man car manefacturer in germany. Social democrats and left wing media "Der Spiegel" thought so much should not be in the hands of one man. Hence when he had comparable small financial difficulties he was "left out to dry" as the americans put it. BMW was invited to take over, but they just harvested the know how and a couple of key workers. Borgward was destroid and Bremen lost its own car and truck manefacturer. Thats what you get when you vote socialist.

@JohnSmith-gy4qj 2 года назад

Wow their 1950 designs are unbelievably awful.

@douglasthompson201 4 года назад

Even if you don't care for BMW overall, you must admit the 507 is just a stunning looker.

@j3y445 4 года назад

Ehh. That depends on the person. It looks good no doubt, but I’d call cars like the merc 300sl gullwing better looking. Maybe it’s cuz I’m a bigger fan of Mercedes lol

@richardstein5702 4 года назад

leonardimas1 - it definitely looks Italian, probably Peninfarina

@Freimopp777 4 года назад

@leonardimas1 Design by german Albrecht Graf von Goertz

@jimmiller5891 4 года назад

Spot on, about the only BMW that looks good.

@thechameleon2636 4 года назад

j3y But that’s like the most beautiful car of all time, so it isn’t really fair. But both are beautiful

@johntechwriter 4 года назад

Well written, illustrated, and narrated. This little video taught me more about post-war BMW history than anything else I have viewed or read.

@alfazedz1791 4 года назад

I agree. It was not that many years ago that I even became aware of the 507's existence. I thought, "What a success that must have been in the day. How did this beautiful machine stay under my radar for so long? No wonder BMW builds such fine cars, with a history that includes the 507." I thought I was well-informed because I knew the BMW emblem was a stylized propeller from their aircraft days. It's amazing they stayed afloat after that rocky patch.

@smorris12 4 года назад

Funny how the 507 inspired Z8 was similarly gorgeous, blindingly expensive and not terribly well received.

@jimtaylor294 4 года назад

Aye. The Z8 had lousy handling against her too, that not even appearing in a 007 film could negate. (that said I know of no car from the BMW era of Bond that did any better because of it, because he's always seen as an Aston Martin man)

@EstorilEm 4 года назад

It was never made to turn a (large) profit - they set a fixed production run / limit when they first announced the car, then allowed Alpina to continue limited similar production, but those aren't "real" Z8's in my opinion.

@spinnetti 4 года назад

Made the exact same mistake twice.

@boomboxmachine 4 года назад

507 Thrilling, Z8 Boring.

@redbluesome2829 4 года назад

The Z8 was clearly a styling exercise and an homage to heritage more than anything. I’ve always been curious as to why the Z8 has held its secondary market value, and even appreciated. I suppose the aforementioned, along with limited production, are the reasons. There is an Alpina Roadster currently listed for sale at $498,000.

@bobboberson2024 4 года назад

One of the great coupes in automotive history. This is very well done. Slow - but informative. I have an original BMW frying pan. It costs a fortune when I take it in for seasoning.

@gregdrew874 4 года назад

Fool, season it yourself. Pour some straight 30 in it, and leave it on the driveway for 45 minutes.

@smithwesson7765 4 года назад

Now I'm going to lose my mind looking for old BMW cookware at garage sales :)

@briansephton8777 4 года назад

It shouldn't need seasoning if you look after it by oiling it each time you use it .You don't deserve it if you cannot look after it .

@ouimetco 2 года назад

Jajaajja

@ouimetco 2 года назад

You guys are cook ware snobs jjjjjj

@iningizimu 4 года назад

It most certainly still is very beautiful. Just like the 300SL, a work of art. Timeless beauty and style!

@jh565bb 2 года назад

Definatly up there with the jag E type and Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

@RichardDzien 4 года назад

A shame really, it's utterly stunning. It's a shame they couldn't mass produce the body parts.

@sw651 4 года назад

They should build it today. It would sell out in no time

@soritessoreites1207 4 года назад

They could sure as heck do it today. Bring it back all electric. It would be a niche, but the niche would be comfortable.

@mebsrea 4 года назад

At the time, mass production of an aluminum-bodied car was not feasible. Done in steel, performance would have suffered significantly. As it was, the 507 was outclassed for performance by the contemporary 300SL, Jaguar XK 140/150, and Chevy Corvette, the latter two of which were also significantly cheaper.

@luigilamorte7753 3 года назад

@@sw651 I would go out and buy one in a heartbeat.

@sw651 3 года назад

@@luigilamorte7753 One just sold online for $3 million. A nice chunk of change lol

@78Dipar 4 года назад

I have been a car enthusiast since my distant childhood in the fifties and never understood why the magnificient BMW 507 had not been a success. Now I have the answer. BTW, I had never heard of the 503...

@UberLummox 4 года назад

Same here only early '60s. Though I never studied the 507, I too am shocked to only now learning of the 503. Though it doesn't look very GT-ish to me, I find the coupe to be one of the most understatedly glamorous European cars. Didn't know the M-1 had anything to do with Lamborghini either, and I've only heard of Elvis owning just one 507. Lots to learn yet! : )

@mariobros7834 4 года назад

I find the 503 much more beautiful than the 507 and also had never heard of it. My favourite BMW is still the 2002 from 1973 though.

@UberLummox 4 года назад

@@mariobros7834 Yes! I find the 503 to be more cohesive and balanced proportionally. I had one or two 2002s. I think they started around 1970 or so. Maybe earlier. I forget.

@gteixeira 3 года назад

I think that they were asking an absurd money for a performance that didn't live the price they listed it for.

@78Dipar 3 года назад

@@gteixeira The way it was produced made it indeed too expensive...

@shankarbalan3813 4 года назад

So sad. This madness of cost plus pricing....but hey what a beautiful machine the 507 was...

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

If they'd sold volume it wouldn't auction for million$ now.

@tomthompson7400 4 года назад

What a glorious looking car.

@advhawk6455 2 года назад

It's hard not to see the blatant styling similarities between the 507 and the AC Healey, upon which Caroll Shelby built his world-dominating 427 Cobra. As a certifiable BMW enthusiast, even I didn't know the whole story behind the 507. Well done.

@chronobot2001 4 года назад

All I can say is... it looks incredible... I would love to drive something like that.

@miketierney7 2 года назад

Get a Z8. Terrific hand built car that continues to appreciate. Only 2700 brought to US.

@swamiboo9375 4 года назад

I clicked on this video for the pic on thumbnail.. Looking at it I just think, WHAT A SEXY LOOKING CAR 💋❤

@iowa2540 4 года назад

The simplistic, calm, and consistent way you present topics is what keeps me coming back to video topics I would otherwise not be interested in or know about. Thanks for your content, keep it up :)

@JakobKsGarage 4 года назад

Thank you for your always interesting and serious quality videos. Not trying to be fresh or funny like so many other YT channels makes it relaxing and easy and inspiring to watch

@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus 4 года назад

The 503 was a beautiful car in its own right! What a loss to motoring posterity. The 507 is something else again: just stunning.

@francesconicoletti2547 4 года назад

The moral of the story, listen to the engineers not the bankers or the marketers.

@davidparker9676 4 года назад

Max Hoffmann is the one that saved BMW and made them into the desirable brand they are today. He gave BMW sound marketing advice, BMW (initially) did not do what he asked for. The Neue Klasse cars are the cars that saved BMW and later became the 2002. Max Hoffmann successfully marketed the NK cars to the American market and the rest is history. I don't see how listening to the engineers would have saved BMW. Just like the 2002 was substantially lower quality than the 4-door Neue Klasse vehicles, it sold well and is more desirable to enthusiasts and collectors. I'm sure the engineers had very little to do with international sales rates.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

507 only exists for marketing, limited volume halo car.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

@@davidparker9676 How is the 2002 "substantially lower quality", it's THE SAME CAR less 2 doors & with 2 litre 4, BMW were UNKNOWN under Hoffman, he was busy selling other brands. It took till the '70's & 3/5/6/7 for BMW to establish a corporate profile here. It was the engineers' work that established BMW, what do you think David E. Davis was writing about?! The styling? Horsepower? Nein!

@davidparker9676 3 года назад

@@unowen-nh9ov Have you owned both the NK 2000 and the 2002? My bet is that you haven't. The NK cars had significantly higher build quality. The cars were more solid, having machined hinges as compared to stamped and rolled ones on the 2002. The interiors were also built to a higher standard with real wood trim accents, machined aluminum knobs for the switches. I love how you take an editorialized documentary's generic commentary as absolute evidence of your points. I have owned several BMWs from the 1960s through the late 1990s. I can tell you which models were good and which ones were not. I currently have 2 02's, an e3, e12, multiple e30s. I have had several NK cars as well as the other models between and after the models I listed. I lost interest in BMWs newer than the 2000s because they are soulless and low quality. I love the 2002 but I fully understand what it is and what it isn't. It definitely isn't a better-built car than the NK 2000 4-door. There is no metric of quality where the 2002 beats the NK, there just isn't a single one.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

@@davidparker9676 Since my 1st BMW was E9 & I have driven most models since then, I know u r volume>content. Obviously not too bright that you fail to understand why BMW sales have been increasing for 60 yrs. Or are 2+ million neu buyers annually just stupid? If you were smart you'd have bought BMW shares> their cars.

@FrankBarryLuv 4 года назад

Interesting, that the BMW 700 went unmentioned in this otherwise excellent documentary. With more than 180,000 units produced, and heavily contributing to the financial turnaround of BMW, certainly not negligible.

@peterhammer6915 4 года назад

Yes the BMW 700 should have been mentioned. It kind of saved the whole company.

@mopar_dude9227 3 года назад

Why would it be mentioned? This was about the 507, not the entire BMW line. The only reason other models were mentioned was to allow you to know how BMW got to where it was when it first produced the 507. It never mentioned a particular model that came after the 507 by model, except for the M1. That was mentioned to show how long it was before BMW went back to building a sports car again.

@christiankastorf1427 2 года назад

@@mopar_dude9227 Yes, but the video tells the story as if the failed 507 had been the last sporty car by BMW for decades to come. And that is not true. And have a look at the Glass 1600 and Glass 1700 that became BMWs when that other Bavarian company was taken over by BMW. Glass was a too small maker to have a future on its own in Germany. VW bought DKW (Auto-Union) and revived the Audi brand with that (Audi was Auto-Union as well until its end in 1945), Opel was General Motors, Ford was Ford, NSU was taken over by Volkswagen as well, Hansa-Borgward went broke, so did the makers of vans and lorries Tempo, Hanomag and Henschel . Krupp stopped building lorries, Magirus-Deutz merged with Iveco and Büssing was taken over by MAN.

@juanespinosa1259 2 года назад

The funny thing is that this model is the most expensive BMW model sold at an auction for a whopping $2.7 million. The white one, owned by Elvis Presley, which is at the BMW museum, is valued at 9 million. Elvis gave it away to Ursula Andress as he didn't like to drive shifters. The irony of this car is beyond me.

@worldtraveler930 4 года назад

Just give me the keys and title and I won't bitch One word, I'll just Smile from ear to ear!

@Traceghostcoasttocoast 2 года назад

It’s funny how you said this was a failure of a car but how come they made the z3 and z4 based off the 507 and the z is a successful badge so where are you getting your information from

@BeingRomans829ed 4 года назад

0:47 Now, that's ugly! Why the mismatched grills?

@roadhouseguy 4 года назад

507 is a beauty. Sadly they still cannot produce a hugely successful 2 door luxury coupe. Except the M3. 8, 6, i8, all went bust in sales.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

Yes, why they've been building them for decades. i8 sold for fraction of Porsche, Ferrari, McLaren hybrids, Audi & Mercedes had no competition, took Honda years to catch up.

@-Gunnarsson- 4 года назад

People were spoiled kids back then. That model was epic compare to any new car by todays standard.

@albertpflugfelder8590 4 года назад

Simply breathtaking in all ways. More subtle than Mercedes 300 SL Roadster

@G58 2 года назад

Excellently produced and informative documentary. Thank you for not adding pointless musac. I wish others would learn from your example. Had quite forgotten about this staggeringly good looking car. I want one.

@calicocatz7890 4 года назад

Beautiful car. Maybe it inspired the Fiat Spyder -, then the Lancia Fulvia. There's something about those roadsters. Understatement at its best. Clean and lean.

@johnhaxby306 2 года назад

a 1955 507 in good shape on the classic used car market now sells for around $2, 500,000. so it just goes to show, people know a gorgeous car when they see it, no matter what it's sad history.

@375GTB 3 года назад

The German FERRARI !!

@myMotoring 4 года назад

BMW was all about affordability & reliability. Only 50s kids remember

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

A few, BMW weren't even global then.

@flybyairplane3528 4 года назад

I never even knew this model ever existed, but I knew the ISETTA, and the MB180 &300SL, As well os 1955 LE MANS ACCIDENT ,,BRAKES SUCKED , CHEERS 🇩🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇺🇸

@Joshualbm 2 года назад

The Z8 is a worthy successor. But that 507 was sure gorgeous. Thanks for the crisp narration.

@michaelbyrnee9584 4 года назад

Is it my imagination, or does the 503 remind anybody else of the Studebaker Commando?

@kaischmidt730 4 года назад

Thank you for this beautiful documentary! Well paced, great collection of photos, no distractions, loved every minute of that!

@charleshirst6220 4 года назад

A beautiful little car, but my-oh-my wasn't it overpriced? As said elsewhere, an excellent commentary by a genuine human and no music- that made listening so much more enjoyable and so much detail.

@miketierney7 2 года назад

It was probably significantly under priced. It would be interesting to know if they ever hoped to break even. Similarly, we're the 5700 or so Z8s sufficient to break even?

@brucerogermorgan2388 4 года назад

Sad that this stunningly beautiful car was not a commercial success. Thank you for not playing annoying music on this video, that was not necessary. I'm very glad BMW survived, as I've owned BMW motorcycles for nearly 50 years now, and that obviously wouldn't have been possible otherwise. My first one was an R25/3, I've had several R series twins, and a K100RT which I had to sell as I had become unable to handle the weight. I now have an R75/5, which I like very much. I want to keep this one as long as I can still get a leg over it. Incidentally, I think that the Z4 is a very attractive car, too.

@miketierney7 2 года назад

It is now. Selling for $1.5 million or more.

@Calilasseia 2 года назад

If BMW had productionised the aluminium body and chassis for assembly line manufacture, instead of bespoke hand building every unit, they could have lowered the retail price dramatically. Makes you wonder why they didn't t take this obvious step.

@kl0wnkiller912 2 года назад

That was one gorgeous looking car.

@RegebroRepairs 4 года назад

USA: That 300SL sure is nice. But it costs $10,000! Hey, BMW, can you build a 2-seat sports car for $5,000? BMW: Sure can! [1 year later] BMW: Here is your sports car! USA: It's beautiful! BMW: It costs $10,000. USA: ... Imma gonna just buy a 300SL instead.

@VictorySpeedway 4 года назад

A concise, yet very informative video. Very enjoyable. The 507 is gorgeous. Thank you.

@DuchalvanWyngaard 4 года назад

I'm so happy I stumbled upon your channel a few weeks ago. Your videos are truly a nice look at unusual history which is really fascinating, your videos are even interesting to those that doesn't even like history.

@marstondavis 4 года назад

BMW's, Porsches, and Mercedes Benz have never done a thing for me. I really don't know why, but they seemed to be so obtuse. Porsches were always so screamin' loud and were like fast VW's. The people that buy BMW's think they're the greatest drivers ( they're NOT) in the world. Benz owners think they're on another level all together. I like cars from all over the world and I'm not a snob about American cars. I really like Audi's so it's not a German thing, either. I just don't get my skivvies in a bunch about those three brands.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

Those 3 brands have prospered for decades, while Audi was defunct until VW bought them from Mercedes & revived them as their luxury brand because no one would buy Phaeton under their own name.

@sabinevandenbussche5688 4 года назад

Please do a video on the BMW isetta.

@WunHeart 2 года назад

Lovely documentry, love the style and the content. 507 a real beauty as was the 503.

@Trev0r98 4 года назад

It's almost too pretty. My eyes hurt. As does my heart. What's the old saying? "Be still, my beating heart."

@rjkulman8990 2 года назад

too bad the 507 didnt work out, big prices these days, several auto shows have featured it (CCC)

@robertgutierrez7983 4 года назад

Looks like Elvis did take delivery on his 507 order. I wonder what he thought of them.

@unowen-nh9ov 3 года назад

Gifted 1 to Ursula Andress but moved on to Yankee barges himself.

@miketierney7 2 года назад

Elvis' car was recently restored and sold at auction.

@51tomtomtom 3 года назад

Unfortunately some details were overseen......f. e buying the company GLAS and badging them as BMW's (700/800/3200) .........

@Porsche996driver 2 года назад

Achingly beautiful.

@jamesrussell2696 4 года назад

I visited the BMW museum in Munich a couple of years ago & it was the first & only time I’d seen a 507 in the flesh. Just a beautiful car. Quite unfortunate they got the numbers so wrong & there are so few examples remaining.

@branon6565 2 года назад

That pair of Ford Thunderbirds @5:50 are beautiful cars...a 1957 model with a supercharged 312 is the way to go...🤘🏻🇺🇸

@simoncumming2124 Год назад

Good video, but this still doesn't really explain WHY the 507 failed to sell. Yes, it was expensive - but so was the Mercedes 300SL against which it was being benchmarked. According to Car and Driver, after taxes, licences and so on, the 300SL often cost over £8,000, and buyers would often pay between £10,000-11,000 for higher-spec ones. Why weren't these buyers interested in the 507? Was it too mechanically conventional for the price point? Did it not drive particularly well ? Did BMW lack the motorsports recognition/development of Mercedes or Jaguar? Equally, the production-mandated price tag seems to have come as a surprise to BMW - why? Why did BMW settle on a body which had to be produced entirely by hand - cars like the Jaguar XK140 and the 300SL proved that you could make attractive bodies without such a bespoke approach. Did no-one realise that a hand-formed aluminium body would be prohibitively expensive for the price point at which they were originally targeting the 507?

@eleganthenryAR 3 года назад

BMW 507 aka the old z8

@A1DJPaul 3 года назад

They Should Have GONE AFTER THE MGB Market. ( & Similar Cars of that Era, Triumph TR's etc ) Great Style & Mass Production . BMW was Batting Way Above it's Financial Position at the time. I Say, :- Fantastic Looks. Great Design, WHY KEEP It For the SUPER WEATHY at the time ?? Sell it to the MASS MARKET & CASH IN, = RAKE THE CASH IN, & FAST. Fit 3 Levels of Engine, 1 ) a basic engine, 2 ) a medium power engine. 3 ) A Fast Engine . Three Different Market Sectors as they do now. example, :- 507 Poverty BMW 1.6 ? Looks cool , But Goes like a Snail ? 507 Reasonably Fast, 507 Silly , Stupid Fast as per M3 / M5 etc. BONKERS FAST. Say ?? £20 grand model £30 Grand Normal Model £40 Grand 'M' version Please every Buyer's Budget. & Performance Demands. BMW could have Cashed IN With a World beating Cae & Design Style. IF IT WAS AFFORDABLE.

@mpetersen6 4 года назад

When AMC and Rootes both attempted to by BMW I suspect they had different plans. AMC was looking to break into the European market with assembly in Europe. Either with knock down body kits or by building basically last years model by means of using older tooling. If they had been successful in buying BMW i suspect they would have concentrated on trying to dominate the taxi market. Eventually they had vehicles assembled in Belgium at Liege by Renault.

@soritessoreites1207 4 года назад

8:37 - "The 507 project was born." All the history is great, but I came for that one beautiful car. Although the grill lines historical carrythrough was cool.