BMW 503 Coupe Series II

Car producer : 

BMW

Model:

503 Coupe Series II

Year:

1956-1959

Type:

Coupe



BMW was established as a business entity following a restructuring of the Rapp Motorenwerke aircraft manufacturing firm in 1917. After the end of World War I in 1918, BMW was forced to cease aircraft-engine production by the terms of the Versailles Armistice Treaty. The company consequently shifted to motorcycle pr

The BMW 503 is a two door 2+2 grand touring automobile from the 1950s. BMW developed the 503 alongside their 507 roadster in an attempt to sell a significant number of luxury cars in the United States. The 503 and 507 cost about twice their projected price and did not recover their costs. During production from May 1956 to March 1959, 412 units of the 503 were built.

Hanns Grewenig, sales manager of BMW, repeatedly requested the development of a sports car based on their 501 and 502 luxury sedans. In early 1954, influenced by the public reaction to Mercedes-Benz 300SL and 190SL show cars in New York in February 1954, the management of BMW approved the project.

Max Hoffman, an influential automobile importer in the United States, saw early design sketches by BMW's Ernst Loof, and suggested to industrial designer Albrecht von Goertz that he should submit design proposals to BMW. Based on these proposals, BMW contracted Goertz to design the 503 and 507 in November 1954. The first prototypes of the 503 were mocked up by Baur in 1954, but by then BMW were able to manufacture the production bodies themselves, even though they were made by hand. 503 Cabriolet became the first German Cabriolet with electrically operated top and windows.

The 503 was a 2+2 grand tourer that was available as either a coupe or a convertible. It was noted for having a cleaner and more modern design than the "Baroque Angel" 501-based sedans. The convertible version of the 503 was the first European convertible with an electrically operated top.

Tasked with designing rolling chassis for two cars while using as much as possible from the existing 502 sedan, engineer Fritz Fiedler designed two versions of a new ladder frame, one with the same wheelbase as the 502, and one with a shortened wheelbase. The long-wheelbase version was used in the 503. Both cars used the steering system and a variant of the front suspension system from the 502; the 503 also used the 502's rear suspension. As originally designed, the 503 used the 502's remote gearbox placement and shift linkage. Both cars used the braking system developed for the 3.2 sedan, using drum brakes with vacuum assist. All 503s were configured for left hand drive.

Both cars used the 3.2 L version of the 502's V8 engine developed for the 3.2 sedan, but with two carburetors and with an improved lubrication system using a chain-driven oil pump. The 503's V8 had a compression ratio of 7.5:1 and yielded 140 bhp (100 kW; 140 PS) at 4800 rpm.

The 503 had sixteen inch wheels and standard final drive ratio of 3.90:1, A final drive ratio of 3.42:1 was optional. Acceleration of the 503 from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) had been measured at 13 seconds; the top speed of the 503 is about 115 miles per hour (185 km/h).

In September 1957, the 503's drivetrain was revised. The Series II 503 used the 507-type engine/transmission arrangement complete with floor-mounted change. The gearbox was bolted to the transmission and the shifter was moved from the steering column to the floor.

Despite Battista "Pinin" Farina's opinion that the 503 was superior in design to the 507, the 503 was largely overshadowed by the 507. However, while neither the 503 nor the 507 sold well enough to earn a profit, the larger, heavier, plainer, more expensive 503 sold 412 units to the 507 roadster's 253. 139 of the 507s made were convertibles. Only six right-hand drive BMW 503s made. Production ended in March 1959.

The 503 was BMW's first postwar sports coupe. It was replaced by the Bertone-bodied BMW 3200 CS in 1962.

assist. All 503s were configured for left hand drive.

Both cars used the 3.2 L version of the 502's V8 engine developed for the 3.2 sedan, but with two carburetors and with an improved lubrication system using a chain-driven oil pump. The 503's V8 had a compression ratio of 7.5:1 and yielded 140 bhp (100 kW; 140 PS) at 4800 rpm.

The 503 had sixteen inch wheels and standard final drive ratio of 3.90:1, A final drive ratio of 3.42:1 was optional. Acceleration of the 503 from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) had been measured at 13 seconds; the top speed of the 503 is about 115 miles per hour (185 km/h).

In September 1957, the 503's drivetrain was revised. The gearbox was bolted to the transmission and the shifter was moved from the steering column to the floor.

Despite Battista "Pinin" Farina's opinion that the 503 was superior in design to the 507, the 503 was largely overshadowed by the 507. However, while neither the 503 nor the 507 sold well enough to earn a profit, the larger, heavier, plainer, more expensive 503 sold 412 units to the 507 roadster's 253. 139 of the 507s made were convertibles. Production ended in March 1959.

The 503 was BMW's first postwar sports coupe. It was replaced by the Bertone-bodied BMW 3200 CS in 1962.

Sold for: 212750 EUR
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