Powertrain families
M337 inline-six · M502 V8
501 / 502 (501/502) — Sedan
1952–1964
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- 501/502
- Production
- 1952–1964
- Body style
- 4-door sedan
- Platform
- historic BMW platform · model-specific layout
Body variants
501 / 502 → 501/502 → Sedan
501 / 502 501/502: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected sedan fits into the family.
The 501 was BMW's first post-war automobile developed as a new large-car platform. Its perimeter-frame chassis used torsion-bar suspension and initially carried a developed version of BMW's pre-war two-litre straight-six; the separate gearbox was mounted remotely in the chassis to free passenger-compartment space.
The more luxurious 502 followed in 1954 with a 2.6-litre V8. BMW Group Archive describes it as the first series-production automobile engine made entirely from light alloy; later 2.6, 2600 and 3200 designations continued the same broad large-saloon family after the original 501/502 badges disappeared.
Coachbuilt cabriolets and coupes must be distinguished from the standard sedan. The low-volume 503, introduced in 1956 on related V8 mechanical foundations, had its own aluminium-panelled grand-touring body and is better treated as a related model branch than as a simple two-door 502.
1952–1964generation lifecycle
3body branches
2engine/drive families
11range designations
501/502factory code
historic BMW platform · model-specific layoutarchitecture
Sedan: dimensions and packaging
Dimensions can change with body, market and model year, so this page keeps them tied to the exact factory branch.
Length4,730 mm
Width1,780 mm
Height1,530 mm
Wheelbase2,835 mm
Luggage≈ 500 L
Fuel tank70 L
Seats5–6
Doors4-door sedan
Engines and powertrains
The generation could span very different engines and drivetrains. The table keeps output, gearbox, market and production period together.
Factory modification matrix
Documented sedan applications; output and availability remain market- and model-year-specific.
| Model | Years | Engine | Output | Transmission | Drive | Market | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 501 / 501 A / 501 B | 1952–1955 | M337 1.97 L inline-six | 65–72 hp | 4MT | RWD | Europe | BMW 502 model series |
| 501 six-cylinder | 1955–1958 | M337 2.08 L inline-six | 72 hp | 4MT | RWD | Europe | BMW 501, six-cylinder |
| 501 V8 / 2.6 | 1954–1962 | M502 2.58 L V8 | 95–100 hp | 4MT | RWD | Europe | BMW 502 model series |
| 502 / 2.6 Luxus | 1954–1963 | M502 2.58 L V8 | 100 hp | 4MT | RWD | Europe | BMW 502 |
| 2600 / 2600 L | 1958–1963 | M502 2.58 L V8 | 100–110 hp | 4MT | RWD | Europe | BMW 502 model series |
| 3200 S / 3200 L | 1961–1963 | M503 3.17 L V8 | 140–160 hp | 4MT | RWD | Europe | BMW 502 model series |
Factory designations
501 · 501 A/B · 502 · 2.6 · 2600 · 3200 · 503 · 501 Cabriolet · 502 Cabriolet · 3200 Cabriolet · BMW 503 Coupe
Petrol engines
Inline and V engines are grouped by engine family, displacement, induction system and emissions specification.
Diesel derivatives
Where diesels were offered, output, injection generation and emissions hardware are recorded market by market.
How power reaches the road
Gearboxes, driven wheels and final-drive hardware changed with engine, market and production date.
Transmissions
Gearbox type and unit code follow engine, market and production date. Gear count alone does not identify the transmission.
Driven wheels
Catalog architecture: historic BMW platform · model-specific layout. All-wheel-drive availability and hardware remain derivative-specific.
Final drive
Ratio, differential type and electronic control belong to the exact derivative and can differ on performance models.
What changed underneath
Suspension, brakes, safety systems and electronics evolved across the range, even when cars shared the same basic architecture.
Body-branch dimensions
- 501/502: 4,730 mm × 1,780 mm × 1,530 mm
- 501/502 Cabriolet: 4,730 mm × 1,780 mm × ≈ 1,500 mm
- 503: 4,750 mm × 1,710 mm × 1,440 mm
Body & suspension
- Mounting points and geometry follow the body branch
- Springs and dampers follow axle load and chassis package
- Wheels and permitted loads follow the factory label
Brakes & steering
- Brake size follows engine and equipment
- Assistance type and steering ratio can change
- ABS/DSC generation follows model year
Passive safety
- Airbag count varies by market and year
- SRS parts are VIN-specific
- Structural repairs require factory procedures
Electronics
- Vehicle-bus generations changed during production
- Control-unit software levels must remain compatible
- Retrofits are recorded separately from factory equipment
How the generation evolved
The important launches, additions and updates did not always happen at the same time for every body or market.
501 deliveries
The six-cylinder 501 established BMW's new post-war large-car platform.
502 and the light-alloy V8
The better-equipped 502 added BMW's 2.6-litre light-alloy V8.
503 grand tourer
The related V8-powered 503 coupe and cabriolet entered low-volume production with separate coachwork.
Large-saloon family closes
BMW Group Archive dates the end of the 502 model-series derivatives to December 1963.
The versions that stood apart
Performance models, option packages and regional editions may look related, but their engineering and production identity can be very different.
Sedan
501/502501 / 502 501/502 is a distinct 501/502 body branch. The conventional four-door passenger-car body, balancing rear-seat access, luggage space and the generation’s core chassis layout. Engines/drive: M337 inline-six, M502 V8.
Cabriolet
501/502 Cabriolet501 / 502 501/502 Cabriolet is a distinct 501/502 body branch. An open body with a folding roof and generation-specific structural reinforcement, seating and luggage packaging. Engines/drive: M337 inline-six, M502 V8.
Coupe
503501 / 502 503 is a distinct 501/502 body branch. A lower-roof two-door body with longer doors and a more overtly sporting brief than the corresponding sedan. Engines/drive: M502 V8.
Inside the car
Cabin technology and standard equipment changed by country and year; a build sheet remains the best guide to one individual car.
Cabin & comfort
- Trim and seats follow option codes
- Climate systems vary by market
- Audio and navigation changed by model year
Lighting & assistance
- Lamp technology and modules follow production date
- Driver assistance cannot be inferred from buttons alone
- Regional rules affect lighting and warnings
What to check today
A practical starting point for inspecting and maintaining a car from this generation — not a diagnosis of an individual example.
Identify first
- Match VIN on body and documents
- Obtain the factory option list
- Confirm market and production date
Inspect the structure
- Check repairs and corrosion
- Assess suspension, brakes and tyres
- Compare fitted parts with factory specification
Mechanical history
- Read faults with compatible diagnostics
- Verify engine and transmission maintenance
- Separate invoices from unsupported verbal history
| Item | Interval / trigger | Catalog note |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | CBS/factory schedule; time and mileage for historic cars | Oil approval follows the exact engine and market. |
| Brake fluid | Time-based factory schedule | ABS/DSC-compatible bleeding procedure is required after hydraulic work. |
| Coolant | Factory schedule and condition | Fluid specification and bleeding method are generation-specific. |
| Transmission & final drives | Unit type and operating conditions | Use the exact approved fluid; no one interval fits every derivative. |
How to identify the exact car
The badge and registration year tell only part of the story; production date, body code, engine and factory options complete it.
- Factory body codes
- 501/502 — Sedan; 501/502 Cabriolet — Cabriolet; 503 — Coupe
- Range designations
- 501, 501 A/B, 502, 2.6, 2600, 3200, 503, 501 Cabriolet, 502 Cabriolet, 3200 Cabriolet, BMW 503 Coupe
- Powertrain families
- M337 inline-six, M502 V8
- VIN
- Identifies model, plant and production branch and keys the parts catalog and factory equipment record.
- Production date
- More useful than first-registration year when choosing parts and locating technical revisions.
- Type code
- Refines engine, body, market and transmission combination.
- Option codes
- Confirm factory equipment; later retrofits are recorded separately.
- Unit number
- Supports engine or gearbox originality checks and component applicability.
Where the information comes from
The story is mapped through English Wikipedia and its bibliography, then important dates and technical claims are checked against BMW material.
- 01BMW 501Wikipedia contributors
Secondary history of the 501/502 platform, chassis and evolving model names.
- 02BMW 503Wikipedia contributors
Secondary model history for the related coupe and cabriolet.
- 03BMW 501BMW Group Archive
Factory-archive introduction, price and early sales context for the 501.
- 04BMW 502 model seriesBMW Group Archive
Factory-archive V8 description, production boundary and model-series context.
Notes and limitations
- Research revision dated 2026-08-10: English Wikipedia was used as a subject and bibliography map; key claims were checked against the listed primary BMW Group material.
- The catalog's present 1952–1964 boundary combines several related large BMWs. The 501/502-derived sedan line ends in 1963 in BMW Archive data; any 1964 boundary must be justified by a separately named derivative.
- Sedan, factory/coachbuilt cabriolet and 503 grand-tourer production figures are not interchangeable.
- Tree years describe the worldwide generation lifecycle; individual market dates may be narrower.
- Exact dimensions, power, weight and emissions belong at body, engine, market and model-year level.
- Known-issue guidance is editorial context and never replaces inspection of the individual vehicle.
4 primary references · market differences documentedPhotography: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Rights checked 2026-08-06; wikimedia commons 1,800 px derivative downloaded; local 640 px and 1,280 px avif versions created without cropping.Updated 6 August 2026