BMW

Introduced at the first Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung in Frankfurt in April 1951, the 501 was the first BMW model to be manufactured and sold after the Second World War. Development issues delayed the start of production until late 1952 and even then BMW did not have equipment for pressing body panels in operation. The first 2,000 bodies were built  by Karosserie Baur and were shipped from Baur in Stuttgart to BMW's factory in Munich for assembly. It was fitted with a six-cylinder 1,971 cc engine and was available as a four-door saloon; coupé and convertible versions were available on request.

1953

At the 1954 Geneva Motor Show the new BMW 502 was presented. Using the same chassis and basically the same body as the 501, the 502 was powered by a 2,580 cc V8 engine and was more luxuriously appointed. As well as the saloon version, BMW offered Baur built two-door cabriolet and coupé versions of the 502 in 1954 and 1955. Early 1955, a detuned version of the 502 V8 engine was made available for the 501 alongside an updated version of the existing six-cylinder engine. An upgraded version of the V8 engine had a displacement of 3,168 cc and appeared in the BMW 3.2 in 1955. 

The 501 and 502 model designations were discontinued in 1958, when the 501 V8 was renamed the BMW 2.6 and the 502 was renamed the 2.6 Luxus. In 1961, the model designations were changed again, to 2600 and 2600 L. The 3.2 was renamed 3200. Production ended in 1963.