Makes › BMW › 503 Coupé and Cabriolet · Rare production · 1956–1960 Very Rare
BMW
503 Coupé and Cabriolet
Hand-built V8 grand tourer.
Still being researched: identification guide, full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: nakhon100 · CC BY 2.0
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Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 412 Built
- Years
- 1956–1960
- Engine
- Front-mounted light-alloy V8 · 3,168 cc / 3.2 LFactory: 3,168 cc
- Power
- 104 kW / 142 PSFactory: 140 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 190 km/hFactory: 190 km/h
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Albrecht Graf von Goertz
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The 503 was BMW's hand-built post-war V8 grand tourer, styled by Albrecht Goertz alongside the 507. With 412 made and the cabriolet credited as the first European series car with an electro-hydraulic hood and electric windows, it helped establish BMW's image for quality and technology despite losing money.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionBMW 503s produced (273 coupés, 139 convertibles) | 4121 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
Series production ran from May 1956 to spring 1960, giving 273 coupés and 139 cabriolets on BMW 502 underpinnings. Goertz completed the design quickly after preparatory work by Kurt Bredschneider. Early cars had a remote gearbox with a column lever; later cars had the gearbox mounted to the engine and a floor lever, and front disc brakes became standard from 1957. Priced near 30,000 marks, neither the 503 nor the 507 recovered its development costs.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard 503 Coupé and Cabriolet.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Front-mounted light-alloy V82 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 3,168 cc / 3.2 LFactory: 3,168 cc2 Independently researched |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 104 kW / 142 PSFactory: 140 hp · converted2 Independently researched |
| Power at | 4,800 rpm2 Independently researched |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 190 km/hFactory: 190 km/h2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | 13.3 s2 Independently researched |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
BMW 503 (1956–1960): A rarity on wheels celebrates its 70th anniversary – VMax Level C
- 412 BMW 503s produced (273 coupés, 139 convertibles)
-
2
BMW 503 (1956-1960): rarity on wheels celebrates 70th anniversary Level C VMAX · 2026-04-04
- eight-cylinder V-engine of light alloy
- displacing 3,168 cc
- 140 hp at 4,800 rpm
- top speed of 190 km/h
- 0–100 km/h in 13.3 seconds
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