BMW 503 Cabriolet (1956)
BMW 503 Convertible (1956), one of only 139 built, fully restored to perfection, expert rating: 1, matching numbers
Overview
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BID HISTORY
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BMW 503 Cabriolet (1956)

Kickdown's Take
by Moritz HelbichThis BMW 503 Cabriolet is one of only 139 ever built and ranks among the most exclusive classic cars of the postwar era in Germany. The extensive restoration was graded a 1; the appraiser describes the car as restored to perfection and as one of the finest 503 convertibles ever made. The 3.2-liter V8 with matching numbers runs flawlessly; only about 100 kilometers have been driven since the restoration. A dream for collectors of rare BMW classics in immaculate condition.
Kickdown Check
- On-site kick
down assess ment com pleted - 110 pho
tos - Video includ
ing engine run - An absolute rar
ity: One of only 139 503 con vert ibles ever built - Appraisal from 2024 with a grade of 1 avail
able; replace ment value of €425,000 - Exten
sively and fully restored to like-new con di tion; the appraisal describes this car as “restored to per fec tion” and “with out a doubt one of the best 503 con vert ibles in exis tence today” - The BMW is being sold with a new TÜV inspec
tion
Facts & Specifications
- Year of man
u fac ture: 1956 - First reg
is tra tion: USA (deliv ered in Decem ber 1956 via Max Hoff man Motors, New York) - Engine: 3.2-liter V8 engine with 142 PS, match
ing num bers accord ing to the appraisal report - Trans
mis sion: Man ual - Exte
rior color: spring white - Inte
rior: red leather - New TÜV inspec
tion, H license plate
Condition
Exterior
- Exte
rior color is Fed er weiß - The vehi
cle was com pletely repainted as part of the restora tion - The body is in very good, like-new con
di tion - There are no known defects on the body
- The black soft top has been replaced and is in very good con
di tion
Interior
- The car fea
tures a red leather inte rior - The inte
rior has been com pletely restored and is in very good, like-new con di tion - There are no known defects in the inte
rior
Mechanics
- The BMW is ready to drive imme
di ately, but is not cur rently reg is tered - The entire mechan
i cal sys tem has been exten sively over hauled or replaced - The 3.2-liter alu
minum V8 engine starts cleanly, idles smoothly, and responds instantly to throt tle inputs. Accord ing to the expert report, the vehi cle has match ing num bers - The trans
mis sion also shifts flaw lessly - There are no known tech
ni cal defects
History
Ownership History
- Infor
ma tion to fol low - Ini
tial reg is tra tion: USA
Service History
- Fully restored; has dri
ven only about 100 kilo me ters since then
Documents
- Appraisal report from 2024 with a grade of 1
Summary
For sale is a 1956 BMW 503 Con
Vehicle videos
Kickdown check
- Expert report available
- Kickdown photographer was on site
- Video of the vehicle available
- Main inspection
- Matching numbers
Transport
If you have any questions about shipping or transportation, please do not hesitate to contact us at shipping@kickdown.com . We would be happy to provide you with a non-binding offer for the transport of your new vehicle.
Enquire about transport


Questions and Comments
Technik: Die Aluminiumkarosserie wurde von dem Karosseriebauunternehmen Baur gefertigt. Der Motor mit 3.168 cm³ Hubraum leistete 140 PS (103 kW) bei 4800 min−1 und sorgte für eine Beschleunigung von 0 auf 100 km/h in 13,3 Sekunden. Als Höchstgeschwindigkeit wurde 190 km/h angegeben. Seitliche „Kiemen“ sollten wie im BMW 507 einen Wärmestau im Motorraum verhindern. Angesichts der thermischen Probleme fertigte BMW auf Kundenwunsch einige BMW 503 mit Luftauslässen an den Seiten der vorderen Kotflügel. Graf Goertz segnete diese Modifikation nachträglich als ästhetisch wertvoll ab. Obwohl der BMW 503 von den Jurys der Schönheitskonkurrenzen in Cannes, Rom, Lissabon, Wien und Wiesbaden mit Goldmedaillen ausgezeichnet wurde, war der Wagen kein großer Verkaufserfolg, was vor allem am hohen Preis lag: Für Coupé und Cabriolet verlangte BMW im Mai 1956 29.500 Mark, im Dezember 1957 kostete der Wagen 31.500 Mark und im Juli 1958 32.950 DM. Da ein Reihenhaus zur damaligen Zeit nur knapp das Doppelte kostete, konnten sich nur gutbetuchte Kunden – wie etwa Roland Graf von Faber-Castell, Rudolf-August Oetker und Filmschauspielerin Sonja Ziemann – den Wagen leisten. LG Tom