This car was held over for 2 months while we waited for someone to get it. Eventually, Jon Ranney came through with this answer:

"The mystery car from your web site is an early '50s Albrecht Goertz bodied prototype BMW 503"

"The new BMW 1600, camouflaged with an Alfa grille. Rumors say that production is about to start, or that it will never be built!"

Ed continues: "At the time they were still making the 2-cylinder 700 and probably also the V-8 powered cars. It seems that it took them awhile to actually get it into production. The 4-door 1500 came out in '62 with the smaller 1600 being introduced in '66. The car in the photo does look as if it has a 1600/2002 2-door body as opposed to the larger 1500. Now the question is -did they just graft on a Giulietta center grille (plus Alfa like side grilles) in place of the BMW ones. If that is the case, front end styling is considerably different than the 1600 that they actually produced or did they go to the trouble of changing the hood and nose panel as well -probably not. Do we really care?"

Incidentally, we can't confirm that Goertz had anything to do with it -- probably not, as he was a "hired gun" brought in to do the 507, but if any one out there can confirm or deny his involvement positively, we're all ears.

Thanks Ed, and Congratulations, Jon!