Beautiful BMW 507 Roadster is as Rare as it Gets
Only 252 BMW 507 Roadsters were made, but this one belonged to a legendary motorcycle and Formula 1 champ.
Posturing itself as BMW’s “must-have” coupe in the late ’50s, the 507 earned a reputation of being owned by the wealthy and well-known individuals. It was rare, but had excellent style, a strong V8 power plant and nearly unrivaled presence. While the car has its own legacy, this 1957 BMW 507 Roadster at Bonham’s Auction was once owned by world-renowned race driver John Surtees. You can’t get any rarer than that.
His is a familiar name to anyone who is deeply devoted to motorsport. Not only was he a Formula 1 world champion, but also simultaneously held the motorcycle world championship. To date, he’s the only one to accomplish such a feat.
While he was in his two-wheel competition days, Surtees won the 1956 500 cc title for MV Agusta. During a race weekend at the Hockenheim circuit in Germany, Surtees first saw a 507, and immediately fell in love with it. Count Agusta, leading the factory team efforts, rewarded Surtees with “any car he wanted.”
BMW reportedly made the engine a bit stronger in this one to suit the champion’s desires for more power, and disc brakes replaced the drums for even better performance.
As fate would have it, Surtees then found himself in four-wheel competition, driving in Formula 1 for Ferrari. Enzo was aghast that anyone driving for his team would be found driving a car which bore his name, and so he coaxed his new driver to buy one. Despite this, Surtees kept his 507 all the way to his passing in 2017.
For a car owned by a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), an F1 world champ and motorcycle world champ, this the most epic and well-kept BMW you’ll ever see in your life.
Photos: Bonhams
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