A short time ago, we wrote an article talking about how John Surtees’ BMW 507 was up for auction. Surtees was gifted his 507 by MV Agusta, for winning a championship while riding an MV and he’s owned it until his death last year. It now just sold at auction in Goodwood for almost double what it was projected to sell for.

Even after Surtees ended up racing for Ferrari, and was forced to buy a Ferrari with his own money by Enzo himself, he still kept his BMW 507. In fact, Surtees felt that it needed a bit of modification to make it perfect and he went back to BMW for it. So his 507 is not just unique because he owned it but because it’s actually faster and a bit sharper than a standard 507.

So it truly is a one-of-a-kind BMW 507 and it’s a one-owner car, with that owner being a legend in motorsport. It’s no surprise, then, that it sold for big bucks at auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It was expected to sell for about $2.6 — 2.9 million, but it actually sold for a record-breaking $5,026,522, making it the most expensive 507 ever. Possibly even the most expensive BMW ever sold.

Not only is it the most expensive 507 ever sold, it was the third most expensive car sold at Goodwood. Only two cars sold for more and both were even more special, such as a 1932 Alfa Romeo Tipo B Gran Prix Monoposto, which sold for over $6-million, and a 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato “MP209”, which sold for a whopping $13.2-million.

The BMW 507 is not only the most beautiful BMW ever made, it’s one of the most beautiful roadsters of all time. John Surtees’ car is even more special and even more rare than the already incredibly rare 507 itself. So we completely understand it selling for the money it did. Even if it baffles my mind a bit to spend that much money on a single car. I would if I could, though.

[Source: Car and Driver]

[Note: Not an actual image of the car]