BMW 501

BMW 502 V8

BMW 335 for the BMW 502 (8- cylinder)

The BMW 501/502 cars are the upper class of BMW. The 1952 -built and 1964 vehicles are known for their curved lines as " Baroque Angel ". In addition to the saloons, a few convertibles and coupes were produced.

For the first model BMW 501 with six-cylinder in-line engine and two liters of displacement was 1954, the BMW 502 added, which was driven by the first after the Second World War, newly constructed eight-cylinder engine. The 2.6-liter V8 engine was enlarged in 1961 BMW S 3200 to 3.2 liters. All vehicles have rear-wheel drive and a fully synchronized four-speed transmission with column shift.

Engine and chassis of the BMW 502 and 3200 S were also used for the BMW 503, the BMW 507 and the BMW 3200 CS ( " Bertone ").

General

The representative vehicles were for the postwar period with prices between 11,500 DM (501, as of July 1956) and around 22,000 DM (3.2 liters of premium, 1960-1963 ) very expensive, so in just under twelve years of construction only a little more than 23,000 units were sold, including about 280 convertibles and coupes with bodies of Baur in Stuttgart and Autenrieth in Darmstadt.

Fire departments and the police drove the BMW 501/502 as an insert or patrol car (known from the television series " patrol Isar 12" with Wilmut Borell and Karl table Linger ). The Body Shop Binz & Co. in Lorch (Württemberg ) was commissioned by the Bavarian Red Cross, based on the BMW 502 a comfortable ambulance, but remained a single copy.

It was planned series production of a Pullman limousine, which was presented at the Motor Show 1955 in Frankfurt as a BMW 505. This 5.10 meter long car with a cutting disc and intercom between the passenger and driver's compartment, fold-out writing surface, wet bar, etc. should compete 300 as a "state body " with the Mercedes -Benz. However, after Chancellor Konrad Adenauer could not enter without taking off his hat, and therefore continue the preferred Mercedes, BMW did not go 505 in series; it stayed with two exhibits.

The prestigious but unprofitable BMW eight-cylinder models were 502/503/507 with a reason that was almost taken over by his former main competitor Daimler -Benz in the late 1950s BMW. However, this could be prevented in the exciting AGM 1959 small shareholders. Since the Industrial Herbert Quandt, with its considerable financial and personal commitment had a large share in the rehabilitation of BMW, he received as a reward a BMW 3200 CS Cabriolet. Economically convalesced by the success of BMW Isetta, the BMW 700 and the 1961 featured "New Class " (BMW 1500).

BMW 502 coupe

BMW 502 Baur Cabriolet

Cockpit

BMW 502 V8 Convertible Autenrieth (1960 )

Specifications

In addition to the examples in the table presented engine versions there were, among other still a six-cylinder in-line engine with a displacement of 2,077 cc, which was built from 1955 to 1958; Power 53 kW ( 72 hp) at 4500 min -1. For government vehicles, this engine is said to be until 1964 or until the end of production of the BMW 502/506 in the program.

Next was the IAA 1961 increased by using larger Zenith carburetor for all models the power - at approximately the same fuel consumption. Thus the performance of the 2.6 referred to in the table above 2,580 cc engine ( 2.6 Luxury ) increased from 95 to 100 hp from 100 hp to 110 hp, while both 3.2 liter engine even zulegten by 20 hp: the 3.2 140 hp luxury on the 3200 S and the 160 hp listed in the table.

Judgment of the Press

The car and motorcycle world on March 20, 1953 wrote of the BMW 501 with two-liter engine, among other things: " A wagon of the German class with the best Italians evenly matched line and the famous BMW face. The favorable drag coefficient of the body results in low fuel consumption even at high speeds. " In the data sheet of the fuel consumption standard is specified at 10.3 l/100 km. Particular emphasis is sophisticated heating and ventilation of the car and the suspension with " easy readjustable torsion bars ". Over the six-cylinder engine it says: " The of the BMW 326 [Note: 1936-1941 ] developed engine has been significantly improved: Changed intake ports, tulips valves, improved combustion chamber, the higher compression for the same knock resistance allowed, and result in a reinforced crankshaft at a power of 65 hp engine excellent elasticity. The hydraulically operated clutch eliminates judder when pulling away. "

Over the last " Baroque Angel " (BMW 502 and BMW 3200) is in the catalog " The car models 1963/64 " ( Vereinigte Motor - publishing GmbH, Stuttgart) to read: " As impressive as the performance but are also quiet running, balance and elasticity of the eight-cylinder engines. Excessively frugal you can be sure they hardly call [Note: about 15 l/100 km], but plays the experience shows in this car class not matter much. The more estimates the buyer such representative automobile, the dignified and stable processing as they can be found to this degree nowadays only in exceptional cases. According to its outer form, diverge on their complacency the opinions understandably far, the car is also effective in pretty conservative. After all: space is far more present than one would suspect from the outside, and in terms of convenience or more modern accessories there is not really much ".

The first eight-cylinder BMW

The engine of the BMW 502 was the first eight-cylinder engine, the BMW built. At the same time it was the first eight-cylinder engine from German production after the Second World War and the first mass-produced light-alloy V8 engine in the world. From the overall design of the BMW 502 and BMW 3200, two elements that were of their time yet little attention passive safety relevant, namely, first a relatively short steering column and on the other the protected above the rear axle built- tank revealed.

Comments

Literature and sources

  • Werner Oswald: All BMW cars from 1928 to 1978. 2nd edition, engine book publishing house, Stuttgart 1979, ISBN 3-87943-584-7.
  • Ingo Seiff: BMW - The pleasure of driving. Weltbild Verlag, Augsburg 2000, ISBN 3-8289-5374-3.
  • BMW 501 - a new two-liter car from Munich in: Automotive Technology 5/1952, pp. 150-151

Pictures of BMW 501

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