BMW 502 model series

After the BMW 501, the BMW 502 was the second post-war model to come out of the BMW stable. The visual appearance and engineering were related to the former but the difference was the more luxurious equipment and the world's first engine made entirely from lightweight alloy and mounted in a series automobile. This V8 power plant had a displacement of 2.6 litres and generated an output of 100 hp. This engine was noticeably better able to power the large sedan than the six-cylinder engine from the BMW 501. The BMW 502 was also available in several different bodywork versions and denoted under a number of different model designations. However, the number of these large vehicles actually sold remained way below expectations and ultimately brought BMW to a crisis at the end of the 1950s that posed a threat to the company's very existence as a viable going concern.