Just a year after the presentation of BMW's top 502 model with a 100 hp V8 engine, the BMW 502 3.2 litre generating 120 hp was launched in the marketplace in the autumn of 1955. It was one of Europe's most exclusive touring sedans and with a top speed of 170 km/h also one of the fastest. As was the case with the other luxury cars from the BMW stable, the demand here was low, contrasting with the positive response in the media. From October 1958, the model designation was changed to BMW 3.2.