The BMW 502 was the first BMW model produced with a V8 engine.
BMW introduced the 502 at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show as a more luxurious, V8-powered companion to the six-cylinder BMW 501. Its newly developed 2.6-litre BMW OHV V8 produced 100 horsepower and used lightweight-alloy construction for both its block and cylinder heads. BMW described it as the first lightweight-alloy engine fitted to a series-production automobile.
The 501 had entered production in 1952 with a six-cylinder engine derived from the pre-war BMW 326. Engineers recognized that the large luxury sedan needed more power, so BMW developed a compact V8 under the direction of chief engineer Fritz Fiedler. The resulting engine became an important part of BMW’s post-war technical recovery and remained in production in several forms until 1965.
The BMW 507 is an easy distractor because it is a famous V8 sports car from the same era, but it arrived after the 502 and used the same broader V8 family. The 3200 models also came later, so they cannot be BMW’s first V8-powered production model.