[REVIEW] Matchbox 1:38 BMW 507: The Car, the Myth, the Legend

Ah, the BMW 507. Conceived by US BMW importer Max Hoffman, the 507 was meant to be more or less what the Miata became, a highly popular roadster for the US market that BMW wanted to export by the thousands. Beauty, however, apparently comes at a price, and the 507 priced itself out of the game. Only 252 were ever made and BMW suffered heavy financial losses. This story, of course, is about as legendary as the car itself.

But what a car it is. Utterly beautiful to look at from any angle, distinctively BMW enough, but different enough to look exotic at the same time, it had many famous owners, most notably of course Elvis, and (as a second owner) original Batmobile creator George Barris.

This little guy I just picked up from Ebay for $7 including shipping. Not a bad deal, I think! It's a Matchbox Models of Yesteryear 1957 BMW 507 issued in 1988. Apparently it's a "Special Limited EditionIts picture randomly popped up on my Ebay feed and the starting bid was low enough that I took the chance. I only bid $3, and with five days left, I did not expect to win this one at all. But here she is, and I love her.

Design and Accuracy 8/10

The car's silhouette is pretty bang-in, it has badges in all the right places, the fender mirrors are a lovely touch, and the brightwork matches. The only sad thing is the wheels that don't really match any of the real-life 507 wheels. I love those painted steel wheels with the center locking hub, so points off for that. The interior is not detailed in color, with a body-colored dash, but the nobs and switches are clearly visible. The steering wheel does have a nice little center cap!

My one grip about the interior is that the shifter is so far under the dash that it does not seem very ergonomic at all. It's more or less next to where the pedals would be. So long arms and a short torso were apparently a must on this 1:38 roadster.

Great detail for this size car though!

Fit and Finish 8/10

This car is solid. Metal body, metal base, so nice and heavy. The axles are a little bit bent, unfortunately, but then again this car is from 1988 so a little wear and tear is expected. There is also a little bit of a chip on the nose, but nothing too bad.

Features 7/10

It's a little lacking in features, but the hood does pop open! That little 3.2L dual carb V8 is clearly visible. The roof also pops off, so on sunny days I can display it top-down. Tires are rubber. Not sure that is a "feature" per se, but we'll take it.

Value 9/10

I see a lot of them on Ebay, but starting prices are on average around $6, so a little higher than what I got mine for ($3), though some of these are in their original box, to be fair. I'd say I got pretty good value for my money!

Rarity 6/10

Not very rare, judging by the amount of auctions on Ebay at the moment, but only 7 on sale from US-based sellers. Another 30 or so from international ones.

Total 38/50

I'm very happy with thie 507. I always wanted one in my collection and in this size it's even better! Now that I can see it up close, the resemblance to the Z8 is very apparent, and I guess I need to add one of those to my collection as well. I think I have a Wellys 1:64 version, but I need to find one in this size to put next to the 507.

Would I recommend buy it? Hell yeah! If you like BMWs, which I do, you need a 507 in your arsenal, and this is a good place to start. Especially if you can find one priced as low as mine.