What do BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat, and Jaguar have in common? They can all list Max Hoffman among their early proponents in the U.S. market. The Austrian-born businessperson was an early champion of the Continent, importing a variety of cars to America through his New York showroom. Among them was the legendary (but financially near-ruinous) BMW 507 roadster, as well as the so-called “02” series – the 1602, 1802, and 2002, precursors to today’s 3 Series sedan and 4 Series coupe.
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