To say that BMW owes its success to the 1600/2002 is a massive understatement. The two-door sedan almost single-handedly turned BMW into a household name in the United States, and it cemented the company’s reputation for building driver-focused sports sedans. Were it not for the 1600-2 and its numerous derivatives, BMW wouldn’t be using the slogan “the ultimate driving machine” today.
The 1600-2 was presented to the public at the 1966 edition of the Geneva Auto Show, and it went on sale across the United States—where it was badged simply 1600—later that year. It was powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that sent 95 horsepower to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. More importantly, it offered space for four passengers while delivering the kind of praise-worthy handling that only members of the Alfa Romeo lineup could match.
An experimental 1602 powered by an electric drivetrain was built for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
The 2002 gradually replaced the 1600, though how it came to life is a point of debate among automotive historians. Some claim that Max Hoffman, an Austria-born businessman known for his influence on European car makers, convinced BMW to stuff a bigger engine between the 1600’s fenders to lure power-hungry American motorists into showrooms. Others believe that BMW launched the 2002 because it wanted to offer a more powerful model, and the 1600ti it offered in Germany wasn’t compliant with American emissions regulations.
Demand for a more powerful 1600 came from American motorists, and from German drivers who wanted to take advantage of the Autobahn network.
What’s certain is that the 2002 was added to the BMW catalog in 1968. It looked virtually identical to the 1600 when viewed from the outside, but a peek under the hood revealed it benefited from a 2.0-liter engine that developed about 113 horsepower from 5,550 to 6,000 rpm. If that wasn’t enough, buyers could spend $2,185 on the 135-horsepower 2002ti model.
BMW gave the 2002 a facelift in September 1973. Shown on this 1974 Tii project car (for sale on eBay with a Buy-It-Now price of $5,500) the updates included government-mandated 5-mph bumpers, a plastic grille, and square tail lamps. The Touring hatchback that was exclusively sold in Europe also received the plastic grille, but it retained its round lights until the end of its production run.
The 2002 earned the honor of being the first production BMW fitted with a turbocharger.
A 147-horsepower model called 2002tii was launched in 1971, but the ultimate evolution of the 2002 was the Turbo, which was introduced in the United States in time for the 1973 model year. As its name clearly implied, the 2002 Turbo was powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that used a turbocharger to generate 170 horsepower at 5,800 rpm, 45 more than the Tii, the next model down in the 2002 hierarchy. It also gained blue and red M stripes, and an eye-catching body kit that included a sizable chin spoiler, fender flares, and a trunk-mounted spoiler.
BMW had to fit the 2002 with huge, 5-mph bumpers on both ends to comply with federal regulations.
The 2002 was replaced by the very first 3-Series (called e21 internally) in 1975, though production carried on until 1977. The 3-Series was only available as a two-door sedan, and it wore a careful evolution of the 2002’s design.
Built by coachbuilder Baur, the topless 2002 is highly sought-after by enthusiasts today.
The BMW 1602 and 2002 were still relatively affordable about a decade ago; it wasn’t rare to see worn-but-drivable examples listed in classifieds in the vicinity of $2,000. Values have skyrocketed in recent years, and clean, well-sorted early 2002s with round tail lamps (like this stunning red example currently listed on eBay) routinely sell for $15,000 and more. The rarer versions like the Touring and the Baur convertible understandably carry a hefty premium.
See 2002 BMW Cars for sale on eBay.
