Description
A comfortable saloon car ahead of its time, with very low mileage and nowhere to be found in this condition! During the 1950s, BMW designed and built the first German saloon car to be equipped with a V8 light-alloy engine! Presented by BAYERISCHE MOTORENWERKE at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show, the 502 was an elegant and very comfortable luxury car with rounded, lush forms, and was quickly dubbed the "Baroque Angel".
Our 1956 model was fitted with a 3. 2-litre V8 engine, already producing 120 bhp (over 160 km/ h) at the time, designed to be smooth, reliable and silent in operation... with a unique sound, thus abandoning the principle of 'long-stroke' engines. Externally, the 502 V8 is recognisable by its fog lamps at the base of the front wings and its chrome trim strip under the window line.
This is a high-comfort saloon with a number of special features, and BMW quality that goes right down to the details: high-visibility rear window, multi-position front seat backrests, grab handles, very good upholstery, easy entry/ exit via the 4 doors, dipped/ beam headlights at the foot or centre of the steering wheel, large, perfectly designed luggage compartment, plush seats, lacquered wood dashboard fitted with magnificent round instruments, etc ... Our black vehicle is in exceptional condition: it was marketed and registered in 1956 and has undergone a complete and 100% original restoration since 2006, when its current owner bought it from a private museum that had owned it since 1985. Only the interior, in perfect condition as our photos show, has been preserved without total restoration. The current owner, a passionate collector and informed connoisseur of the model, has carried out an extremely thorough and rigorous follow-up of his vehicle since its purchase. As indicated, extensive restoration work was carried out by professionals, mainly between 2006 and 2008, and since then, with associated invoices available and original parts purchased in Germany! Since then, the car has covered just over 4, 000 km, despite being started and driven regularly! Exceptional ... As for the restoration work carried out, here are just a few examples: Complete V8 engine completely rebuilt, water pump, radiator cleaning, hoses, complete stainless steel exhaust system down to the pipes, electronic ignition (perfectly invisible with all parts still in place), complete brakes with servo brakes, new paintwork in the original colour by a professional (full file and film available), chrome completely rebuilt, windscreen, roof lining and WEBASTO sunroof (very rare), complete boot linings, tyres, etc. And even a NEW original radio (1700 euros) ... All the invoices, including original parts from Germany, are available for the future buyer!
The latest MOT (not compulsory) is CLEAR, and the odometer currently reads 68, 161 km! 2, 500 BMW 502s were produced at the time, of which only a handful remain in the world today! As you can see, this "Baroque Angel" with its powerful V8 engine is exceptional in terms of its presence, its high level of comfort with 4 spacious seats, its temperament, its exceptional condition and its symbolic value for the BMW brand! It is hard to find in this condition and is of rare interest... It is undoubtedly an investment for years to come.
