TO ANY lover of classic BMW boxers, this pair certainly commands an unhealthy chunk of his affection. It’s the R 51/3 from the 1950s and the R 60/5 of 1969, and these two motorrads are set to be among the biggest attractions at the Retromobile 2019, the classic car and bike spectacle that, for five glorious days in early February, will turn Paris into the city of love for such things.

Boosting the already irresistible appeal of these historic two-wheelers is the fact they will actually be put on sale — sure to send connoisseurs and collectors into a spin. After all, upon its launch in 1951 the R 51/3 brought with it a completely redesigned twin-cylinder, 500cc boxer engine that immediately impressed bikers because of its silken throbbing and perceived high level of reliability.

Equally as sensational upon its debut was the R 60/5. The then-new model, as identified by its “/5” designation, heralded the arrival of BMW Motorrad’s sport touring genre (as seen later in the R 75/5, for instance). Propped by a chassis kitted with a telescopic fork and an adjustable suspension front and rear, respectively, the R 60/5 also flaunted innovations like an electric starter — as well as paintjob options other than black. Yes, color was just entering Motorrad’s world 50 years ago.

Expected to join these two classic motorcycles at BMW’s exhibition floors at Retromobile 2019 are a pair of roadsters that speak well of BMW’s history — the 507 and the Z1. The 507, designed by Albrecht Goertz, was built from 1956 to 1959. Only 252 of these roadsters were completed, guaranteeing their relative rarity. Making the 507 even more appealing during the Paris show is that it will be presented alongside a speedboat.

This, of course, is no ordinary watercraft. Word has it that BMW in 1957 commissioned boat-builder Werft A. Rambeck to construct a speedboat that reflected the numerous design attributes of the 507. The speedboat was powered by a BMW 401 marine engine, which itself was derived from an automotive power plant. It spun out 150hp, matching the output of the 507’s V8. The unique boat was long believed to have been lost, until it was discovered a few years ago, then subsequently restored by the same company that built it. Seeing it beside the 507, therefore, promises to be a treat for Retromobile 2019 visitors.

Exactly three decades after BMW stopped making the 507, the company brought out the Z1. Originally meant as some development project by BMW Technik GmbH, the Z1 explored innovative vehicle structures and materials — doors that drop down into the largely plastic bodywork is an example these efforts. Other pioneering stuff it carried were a multi-link rear suspension and a roll hoop integrated into the windshield frame. Only 8 000 Z1s were built by the time 1991 rolled around — the model’s last year of production. And so the one that will show up at the Paris spectacle, to be offered for sale at

that, is shaping up to be a hit.

Additional BMW attractions at the event are a couple of the brand’s racecars that competed in the Junior Team and the Procar Series. The first, meant for the Junior Team series, was the Group 5 BMW 320 touring car whose massive front spoiler and rear wings, as well as flared wheel arches, matched its Formula 2 racing engine, which squeezed 300hp out of a 2.0-liter displacement. The other racecar is a competition version of the only supercar BMW has built to date — the M1. Intended for the Procar Series, in which Formula 1 and touring car drivers roughed it up in identically prepared cars with 470hp under their sheet metals, this M1 raced in 1979 and 1980. In Paris this year, it should still be a crowd-drawer.

BMW’s exhibit at Retromobile 2019 is the result of the BMW Group Classic hooking up with BMW France and BMW car clubs from the country. However, telling the story of the brand’s boxers, roadsters and racecars will simply serve as an amuse bouche as BMW prepares for the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019, set in late May in Cernobbio, Italy.

Retromobile, by the way, is one of the biggest and most diverse exhibitions of classic vehicles in Europe. This year, the 44th edition is forecast to see more than 600 historic vehicles, many of which will be offered for sale.

So, for those who missed out on the opportunity to acquire something coveted in Retromobile’s previous editions, the upcoming one is just around the corner. We’ll always have Paris.