BMW - BMW 501
The BMW 501 was available for 1952. Coupled to it's heavy steel bodywork, it used the prewar 327 two litre type engine which struggled to pull the car along due to the low compression engine under the bonnet, which was dictated by post war low grade fuel at the petrol stations. The 4 door body had a distinctive styling, nicknamed after it was initially announced as the Barockengel, which BMW management were no too sure about. This bodywork was designed in house at BMW, which followed Pininfarina producing a design which BMW management thought looked too similar to Pininfarinas work for another car producer. So the Baroque Angel it was. The car was quite expensive, but less than a Mercedes, and in 1954 they dropped the price further to encourage sales with the 501A and more so with the 501B. With an improved BMW 6 cylinder the cars were re branded BMW 501/3. The BMW 501 was available until 1958.
Both 501 and 502 BMW's were originally specified with 640x15 tyres. The radial equivalent for these BMW is the 185VR15 size which Blockley produces.
