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The BMW 507 TS, or "Touring Sport," was the brainchild of BMW importer Max Hoffman, who in 1954 persuaded the BMW management to produce a roadster version of the BMW 501 and BMW 502 saloons that could compete with Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz sports cars. Hoffman pushed for designer Albrecht "Zeppo" Goertz, who also designed the contemporary BMW 503, and the Datsun 240Z as the designer, over existing designs by Ernst Loof, whose sketches Hoffman felt were not commercially viable. Goertz was hired by BMW in November 1954. BMW engineer Fritz Fiedler was assigned to design the mechanical package, using existing components wherever possible.

The 507 made its debut at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York in the summer of 1955 [2]. Production began in November 1956. Max Hoffman intended the 507 to sell for about $5,000 U.S., which he believed would allow a production run of 5,000 units a year.


(Wikipedia)

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Der BMW 507 gilt als zeitlos schoner Roadster und als Ikone des Automobil-Designs. Er kam 1955 auf den Markt. Der Wagen ist mit einem 150 PS (110 kW) starken V8-Motor mit 3.168 cm? Hubraum ausgerustet. Er wurde von Albrecht Graf von Goertz in Konkurrenz zum Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flugelturer entworfen. Der BMW 507 ist um einiges leichter als der Flugelturer und auch viel seltener.

Vorgestellt wurde der 507 auf der IAA in Frankfurt 1955. Die Produktion von insgesamt 251 Exemplaren begann 1956 und endete 1959.

(Wikipedia)

The VW up! is a city car, part of the Volkswagen Group New Small Family (NSF) series of models, unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA). The up! was first shown as a series of concept cars, starting in 2007 with the Volkswagen up! Concept, also at the Frankfurt Motor Show. All up! concepts are designed by Volkswagen Group Chief Designer Walter de'Silva and Head Designer of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars marque Klaus Bischoff. Shown at the Frankfurt launch were several further up! concept cars, including a 98 bhp GT up!, a natural gas-powered Eco-up! (with CO2 emissions of 79g/km) and a four-door Cross up!.

The original up! concept car used a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, however the production up! model will have a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, using the Volkswagen Group MQB platform. It will be manufactured in Bratislava, Slovakia. The production up! will use a 3-cylinder 1.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine. A plug-in electric up! is also expected to be launched in 2013.

(Wikipedia)