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BMW 507 – #70136

Cuba libre!

This BMW 507 probably just had a bit of bad luck. It is assumed that it arrived in Havana, Cuba at the beginning of June 1958, still in old ivory at the time. What happened to #70136 after that is not known; but we do know that Fidel Castro and his resistance movement were already at the gates of Havana in the summer of 1958, and finally chased the dictator Fulgencio Batista out of the capital on 1 January 1959. Well, after that it was no longer very opportune to cruise along the Malecon in a well-kept white German roadster, which is probably why the trail of this BMW 507 goes missing until the 1980s, when it reappeared in Germany. It is not possible to determine exactly when it changed colour.

VIN: 70136
Engine: 41288
Auction: RM Sotheby’s, Paris 2025, estimate 1,75 to 2 mio. Euro, with these informations: «Correspondence with BMW reveals that chassis 70136, offered here, holds a 5 May 1958 production date. As one of just 218 examples of the updated Series II model, it benefits from improved cabin and luggage space. Finished originally in the shade Altelfenbein (old ivory), this 507 Roadster is believed to have been initially displayed at the BMW Pavillon in Munich before being imported to the Cuban capital Havana on 7 June 1958. Although the complete history thereafter is not known, the car moved to Germany in the mid-1980s before being purchased by the consignor in 1988. Soon after, a six-year restoration was embarked upon. The owner reports that Munich-based marque specialist Brummer carried out the mechanical overall, while the bodywork was tended to by Hagl in Attenkirchen, Bavaria (supporting photos available on request). The total price for the work is said to have amounted to 560,000 Deutsche Mark. Presented today in black, with matching centre-lock Rudge wheels and folding soft-top roof, the interior is trimmed with grey upholstery. A correct-type 3,168-cc V-8 is currently installed, although chassis 70136 is notably accompanied by its matching-numbers engine stamped 40147. The car is further complemented by a rare colour-matching hard-top roof, plus spare fuel tank, and its owner’s guides.»

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