1956 BMW 503 Coupé

For decades, the spotlight has shone brightly on the 507, BMW’s mid-century masterpiece. And with good reason: the delicate and achingly beautiful roadster has been turning heads and attracting celebrity owners for nearly 70 years. But the 507wasn’t the only notable exotic to leave the Bayerische Motoren Werke in the 1950s: in May 1956 it was joined in the showrooms by another Albrecht von Goertz vision, the lesser known yet equally enticing 503. Like its sibling, the 503was aimed squarely at the American market and was pushed towards production by the US importer Max Hoffman, who saw in von Goertz’s designs a model with the potential to take on the Mercedes SL. The eventual production car was more grand tourer than sports car, sharing the 507’s 3168cc V8 and a number of mechanical components from the 502. Both coupé and convertible versions of the 503 are strikingly modern, with clean lines and attractive proportions that stood upwell to their Stuttgart rival. Despite beautiful looks, strong performance and a raft of gadgets and gizmos, however, the range was doomed from the outset due to spiralling costs: Hoffman had reckoned on selling the cars at half the eventual price. In the end the 503was almost as rare as the 507 – just 413were built – but in comparison today it represents something of a bargain. The convertible model was the first German car to boast an electric roof, but it’s the coupé that has always held the greatest appeal for me. In profile it’s reminiscent of a Ferrari 212 Inter – sleek and attractive, with an elegant pillarless design. Gallery Aaldering’s matching-numbers example is a special find, finished in dark blue with a cream roof and smart whitewall tyres. The body looks straight, with gleaming brightwork, while the leather interior and beige carpets feature just the right amount of patina from a earlier restoration. Everywhere you look are classy details, from the leather-topped painted dash to the controls for the four electric windows. It’s clearly in great fettle, with the reassurance of recent additional work, and the dealer describes the car as a superb driver with only minor blemishes (though it’s so good looking I could forgive it almost anything). Anyonewho’s had the pleasure of hearing a 507will be able to conjure the Low burble of that understatedV8, and just imagine the stir you would cause at a British concours in this 503. Not only will you have one of the prettiest cars there, but you’re almost guaranteed to be the only example, too.

BMW 503 Coupé
Year of manufacture 1956
Recorded mileage 39,835km
Asking price €215,000
Vendor Gallery Aaldering, Brummen, The Netherlands; 0031 575 564055; www.gallery-aaldering.com
WHEN IT WAS NEW
Price £4801
Max power 138bhp
Max torque 164lb ft
0-60mph 10.5 secs
Top speed 118mph
Mpg n/a