BMW 503 Classic Cars for Sale

Manufactured in the second half of the 1950s, the BMW 503 was a two-door grand touring car that came in both coupé and cabriolet versions.

The Design Concept of the BMW 503

The brainchild of Hanns Grewenig, who was the sales manager of the German car maker at the time, the BMW 503 was a sports car concept that was based on earlier luxury sedans. Designed by Albrecht von Goertz, the BMW 503 was part of the manufacturer's strategy of making cars that were produced with the American market in mind. Thanks to Grewenig's calls for a sports car that would compete in the US market, BMW approved the development of the car in 1954 following the design proposals of von Goertz. The concept of the BMW was for a 2+2 grand tourer that would be noted for having a cleaner and more contemporary design than other BMWs of the period. It is noteworthy that the convertible version of the BMW 503 was the first such car made in Europe to sport an electrically operated roof. During the production of the car – which ran from May 1956 to March 1959 - only 413 were actually constructed. Even though it was designed to be the maker's most prestigious model of the period, the BMW 503 resulted in heavy losses for the German car manufacturer.

The BMW 503 in Detail

All of the BMW 503s that were made were configured for left hand driving. With a four-speed manual transmission, the BMW 503 had a V8 engine which boasted a compression ratio of 7.5:1. This powerful engine afforded 140 break horsepower at 4,800 revs per minute. The acceleration of the BMW 503 was impressive, too. From a standstill to a speed of 62 miles per hour, the car took only 13 seconds. When the top speed of the BMW 503 was measured by its engineers, it was found to run at no less than 115 miles per hour. In September 1957, the drivetrain of the BMW 503 underwent significant revision. Models made from this time had their gearboxes bolted to the transmission and the gear stick was repositioned from the steering column, where it had been mounted, to the floor. The car had a 3,168 cc engine and possessed a wheelbase measured at 2,835 mm. It weighed approximately one and a half tonnes.

The Legacy of the BMW 503

The BMW 503 was the first coupé that the German manufacturer produced following the Second World War. As such, it was given a big push when first launched at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show. Nevertheless, the car did not sell well in the European or American markets and was soon superseded.