While the BMW 501 could easily be enjoyed a as a luxury cruiser, the six-cylinder engine found in earlier models did not have much to spare once the weight of the sumptuously appointed saloon car had been accounted for. The Munich marque then introduced the 502 at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show, using the same chassis and body as the 501 but with a grander interior and notably featuring a lightweight aluminium V-8 engine block. While the saloon body was the most popular style for the 502, a limited number of cabriolet and coupé versions were made by Karosserie Baur over 1954 and 1955.

The example offered here is thought to be one of only 29 examples made to feature Baur’s flowing coupé body , making it rarer than the 57 cabriolets produced. Believed to have been taken to Finland in 1955, the BMW is understood to have been owned first by Aleksi Patama, a racing driver who competed in the Finnish Grand Prix. It is said that Mr Patama routinely drove the 502 Coupé back to Germany for servicing and repairs, and oversaw the colour change to the shade of red it is presented in today. The car changed hands in the 1970s and its subsequent owner kept the BMW for two decades. It was subsequently acquired by The Munich Masterpieces Collection in 1993.

Fascinatingly rare, the Baur-styled 502 Coupé represents the pinnacle of attractive 1950s styling while being backed by assuring 2.6-litre V-8 power.