That's where Mercedes-Benz was at a loss for words when BMW pulled the curtain off the BMW 502 at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show. Not a six-in-line but a V8, not 80 hp but 100 hp. The BMW 502 actually immediately put the slightly earlier introduced Mercedes-Benz Ponton in the shade. The BMW 501 and 502 were affectionately called by the public “Barockengel” because they could drive so effortlessly blazingly fast over the Autobahn. The BMW 502 even reached a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour with its 100-hp V-engine. Very fast for that time. The BMW 502 was also the first post-war German car to be fitted with a V8. This example was owned by ééone owner for a very long time. He was a very skilled technician working for Pon. So it is understandable that he liked to spend his weekends working on a nice car. The car has been completely body-off restored once in the past. The restoration was done at a top level at the time and since then the car has been very well cared for and maintained. The condition of this BMW 502 is therefore best described as an older restoration that is still very well cared for and technically in perfect working order. The body still looks very nice. The chrome is well cared for and the paintwork is, apart from some light traces of use, in good condition. The car stands on steel rims with correct hubcaps. The sheet metal is nice and thin and the fits are correct.

The interior of the BMW 502 is a beautiful collection of the finest materials available at the time. The dashboard and doors have beautiful wood inlays and the fabric on the seats and rear seat is of very high quality. The carpets are well laid and fit perfectly. The instruments and controls are all in good condition and look beautiful and original. The headliner is also still in very good condition. The technology is, as you would expect from a technician, always very well maintained. The engine has plenty of torque at all speeds and the transmission is precise. The brakes and chassis have all been overhauled or replaced and are therefore in very good condition. The car is beautifully documented so there are many copies of the BMW V8-journal, the magazine of the BMW V8 club, but also parts lists, invoices and general information about the model. A good BMW 502 is a rarity nowadays. In recent decades they have not been worth enough to justify a substantial cash injection, but now people realize that the BMW 502 is not just any post-war car and is therefore worth preserving. There are not many good examples surviving and restoring them yourself is always more expensive, so take advantage because all that expensive work, someone else has already done for you.