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.
Median 95 hp across 345 similar cars
Lead trim: 3.2 (M506/1 3.2 V8) · up to 140 hp
BMW 502 (Baroque Angel V8)502-3.2 · 1955–1963
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
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.
FactBMW'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.
A further development of the V8 was introduced at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show with an 82 mm bore giving 3,168 cc, debuting in four cars: the 507, the 503 2+2 gran turismo, the 505 limousine prototype and the BMW 3.2, a development of the 502 that had no model number and was identified simply by its displacement in litres. In the 3.2 the engine had a compression ratio of 7.2:1, up from 7.0:1 in the 2.6 V8, and yielded 120 horsepower (89 kW), and the final drive ratio was raised from 4.225:1 to 3.89:1 to reduce fuel consumption. The 3.2 continued until 1961 with power steering optional from 1959 and front disc brakes from 1960; in 1961 it was replaced by the 3200L, with a single-carburettor engine producing 140 horsepower (100 kW). Production ended in 1963; the 3.2/3200L accounted for 2,537 cars (1955–1962 in the production table). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2 (M506/1 3.2 V8) | 1955–1961 | 3.2 L V8 | 120 hp | 161 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| 3200L (M506/140 3.2 V8, single carburettor) | 1961–1963 | 3.2 L V8 | 140 hp | 175 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
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.
It briefly served as senior sibling to Marquette, a GM companion brand cancelled after just one year.
Nissan hired former BMW engineers to help develop the 510's suspension, which is why period reviewers frequently compared its handling to the BMW 1600/2002.
A Trabant 601 won its class at the 1970 Monte Carlo Rally, with a second 601 right behind it in second.
The 600 was a stopgap: the P50's body over the 601's mechanicals, and for a while its estate was built alongside the new 601 saloon.
The G80 Sport brought a 370 PS twin-turbo 3.3 V6, a mesh grille and copper-tinted chrome with copper stitching to match.
The Vigor was sold only with a five-cylinder engine, an unusual configuration Honda used to fit a longer engine transversely under a short hood.
The GS/E coupe earned the nickname "German Charger" for its long hood, short deck stance borrowed from Detroit muscle cars.
This DeVille/Fleetwood was the first production car anywhere to mount its V8 sideways, Cadillac's front-drive gamble on the new C-body.