Introduced at the 1951 Frankfurt Motor Show, the BMW 501 was the German automaker’s first all-new car produced in Bavaria following World War II. With its soft edges and curved shapes, the 501 earned the nickname “barockengel,” or “baroque angel,” due to the shared aesthetic qualities with the artistic movement.

Under the hood, a newly developed overhead-valve 2.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine bearing the internal code M337 fed 64 horsepower into a four-speed manual transmission. Three body styles were offered, including a sedan, cabriolet, and coupe—all with incredibly luxurious interiors. The live rear axle sprung by torsion bars was a carryover from the prewar BMW 326, but the front featured more sophisticated double A-arms and the chassis was much stiffer and lighter than that of its predecessor. A ZF manual transmission was mounted unconventionally to improve legroom and weight distribution: rather than linked directly to the engine, it was set further back, connected by a short cardan shaft, which also served to reduce vibration.

The 501 was incredibly luxurious and carried a price to match. An updated 501a was introduced in 1954 with a reduced price and a more powerful inline six-cylinder, alongside a de-contented 501b with the same engine but at an even more attractive price. Just a year later, the model was renamed yet again to the 501/3 after gaining a larger inline-six. Alongside this updated model, BMW sold a version called the 501-8 with a 2.6-liter V-8 engine that debuted a year earlier in the more luxurious model 502. Production ran from 1952 through 1962.

The 1954 BMW 501-6 offered here was beautifully restored under previous ownership and won multiple awards in Europe. Though showing signs of its age, particularly in the chrome and interior details, the incredibly high quality of workmanship still shines through, aided by the lovely cream color scheme, which showcases the car’s stunning design.

Said to have been first registered in Munich and to have spent more than 30 years with its original owner, the consignor acquired the 501 out of Dornstetten, Germany in 2017 and had it imported to the United States that same year. BMW’s 501 remains a relatively rare find among postwar German luxury vehicles, making this wonderfully restored example an excellent candidate for showing at events, once it has been appropriately detailed and recommissioned to full concours condition.