Conceived in 1954 as sportier versions of BMW’s grand “Baroque Angel” postwar models, the 503 Coupe and Cabriolet featured unforgettable styling penned by Count Albrecht von Goertz, who also designed the contemporary 507. Featuring gorgeous hand-formed bodywork with limited yet effective brightwork, the 503 was a glamorous grand tourer in every respect, with robust power delivered by BMW’s all-new, 3.2-liter V-8 engine. The 503 also included luxurious 2+2 passenger compartments with top-quality leather upholstery and useful instrumentation akin to the finest jewelry. Production was extremely low with high development costs; ultimately, just 412 examples of the 503 were built from 1956 to 1959, including 139 dashing Cabriolets.

This charismatic and handsomely presented 503 Cabriolet was purchased in 1959 from famed import dealer Peter Satori of Pasadena, California, by the consignor’s grandfather for his mother as a wedding gift, and it has remained in the family ever since. It is a highly desirable, later-production Series II model, featuring BMW’s improved floor-shift drivetrain configuration.

The owner commissioned a multiyear restoration beginning in 2004, and according to a detailed spreadsheet on file, utilized multiple noted Southern California restoration specialists to ensure both the cosmetic and mechanical aspects of the BMW were addressed with utmost quality. Foreign Machine Service in Pasadena rebuilt the engine, Timeless Kustoms in Camarillo refinished the exterior in red, Christensen Plating in Vernon completed the chrome, and Ken Sorensen Top Shop in Duarte expertly trimmed the black leather interior, as well as the soft top and trunk.

Beginning in 2019, Classic Investments of Englewood, Colorado, addressed a myriad of the 503’s systems, and a mechanical freshening included the top end of the engine. Additionally, the hydraulic top mechanism and both Zenith twin-choke carburetors have been freshly rebuilt, the ZF gearbox has been overhauled, and the brakes received a major service, including a set of custom-made shoes. In all, over $220,000 in restoration work has been lavished on the Cabriolet.

Exceedingly rare, attractive, and impeccably well engineered, the BMW 503 ushered in a new era of modernism as BMW went all-out to cater to the high end of the automobile market in the late 1950s. While the elite, low-production 503 Series, along with the 507, were built with little regard to cost and put financial strains on BMW, it provided the basis to which its future successes can be traced. This beautifully restored 503, a longtime California car, having been kept by a single family since practically new, has a truly unmatched provenance and now presents as one of the finest of its kind.

*Please note that this vehicle is titled 1957 and by its engine number.