This was Germany's first V8 since the war — reportedly its fastest production sedan too — but the price tag was so steep only 190 found buyers in its first year.
Median 100 hp across 373 similar cars
Lead trim: 502 / 2.6 Luxus (M502/1 2.6 V8) · up to 110 hp
BMW 502 (Baroque Angel V8)502 · 1954–1963
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a BMW 502 (Baroque Angel V8) yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThis was Germany's first V8 since the war — reportedly its fastest production sedan too — but the price tag was so steep only 190 found buyers in its first year.
The V8 was introduced at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show as the engine of the new BMW 502 saloon, which used the same chassis and basically the same body as the 501 but was more luxuriously appointed (fog lights and individual front seats standard, and more lavish interior fittings) and, with its light V8 producing 100 horsepower (75 kW) with a single two-barrel Solex carburettor, much faster: its published top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) was far higher than that of the first six-cylinder Ponton Mercedes launched the same year, and it was reportedly Germany's fastest production passenger sedan and the first post-war German car with a V8. Its high price of DM17,800 led to low sales, only 190 in the first year; it was mildly restyled in 1955 with a wraparound rear window, Baur built two-door cabriolet and coupé versions in 1954 and 1955, and 501s and 502s were also converted into ambulances and hearses. In 1958 the 502 was renamed the 2.6 Luxus and continued until 1961 with power steering optional from 1959 and front disc brakes from 1960; in 1961 the designations became 2600 and 2600L, the 2600L's engine tuned to 110 horsepower (82 kW), and production ended in 1963. The 502 line (502, 2.6 Luxus, 2600L) accounted for 3,117 cars in 1954–1962. Wheelbase 2,835 mm (111.6 in), length 4,730 mm (186 in), width 1,780 mm (70 in), height 1,530 mm (60 in).
Collectors Spotted in the BMW 502 (Baroque Angel V8) Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the BMW 502 (Baroque Angel V8) yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2600L (M502/110 2.6 V8) | 1961–1963 | 2.6 L V8 | 110 hp | 135 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| 502 / 2.6 Luxus (M502/1 2.6 V8) | 1954–1961 | 2.6 L V8 | 100 hp | 133 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The 3200S squeezed 160 hp from twin carburettors in 1961 — serious output for a luxury saloon of its day.
BMW's new 3.2-litre V8 saloon, unveiled alongside the 507 and 503 in 1955, was the odd one out of the whole lineup — it never got a proper model number, badged only by its engine size in litres.
This was Germany's first V8 since the war — reportedly its fastest production sedan too — but the price tag was so steep only 190 found buyers in its first year.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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