Production was interrupted in the 40s for obvious reasons, but resumed in 1948 with motorcycles and finally again with cars in 1952. During this time however, the production facilities in Eisenach were now in Soviet-controlled East Germany and they were making pre-war BMWs there with red-and-white EMW badges until about 1955.

The cars being built in the early 50s were large expensive cars and put BMW in a pretty precarious position, even when supplemented by the Isettas they were building under licence. The concern was almost sold to Daimler Benz but managed to survive as an independent. Isettas are funny little cars but not that pretty, so I've stuck with the larger cars for the photos :)

502
The "Baroque Angel", itself a development of the 501, some of the cars sporting V8s. Two of the cars in the photo are actually later 3200s from 1961, but they are more or less the same car.

503
It was felt a more exuberant car was needed on the 501/2 chassis, so a coupe was drawn up with input from Albrecht Graf von Goertz. Not as celebrated as its 507 roadster sibling, I still find it an attractive car.

505
The almost unknown limousine version of the 501/2, intended for presidential use. Adenauer anecdotally knocked his hat off on climbing in and stuck with his familiar Mercedes and the 505 was limited to Bavarian state use.

507
And onto the "purer" Goertz design, the 507. Where this discussion started and what many consider to be the high point of BMW design.