BMW 02 (1966-1977): from the 1600-2 to the 2002 turbo

The origins: the Neue Klasse

At the turn of the 1960s, BMW was emerging from a very difficult financial period. The marque recovered thanks to the Neue Klasse, a modern four-door saloon whose production began in 1962 with the 1500. Under its bonnet appeared an engine destined for a very long career: the M10 overhead-cam four-cylinder, designed by Alexander von Falkenhausen.

In the mid-1960s, BMW imagined a more compact and more affordable version of this saloon, with only two doors. The designers Georg Bertram and Manfred Rennen shortened the body, the wheelbase and the overhangs. The result was lighter, and therefore livelier, without sacrificing roominess: the 02 series was born.

1966: the 1600-2 opens the ball

The 1600-2 was presented at the Geneva show in March 1966. The "-2" is merely a commercial suffix meaning "two doors" and set it apart from the four-door 1600 of the Neue Klasse; on the car itself, the badge simply reads "1600". Its 1.6-litre M10 produces 85 hp, a modest output on paper but enough for such a light car.

BMW was quick to spice up the recipe. In 1967 came the 1600 ti, whose engine, fed by two Solex twin-choke carburettors, climbs to 105 hp. Its career would be short: it gave way to a bigger sibling the following year.

1968: the 2002 changes dimension

In 1968, BMW slipped the 2-litre M10 into the 02's body. The basic single-carburettor 2002 produces 100 hp, while the twin-carburettor, higher-compression 2002 ti reaches 120 hp. The marque's American importer had been asking for a sportier version for his market: he got it. The 2002 became the emblematic model of the series, the one whose name ended up describing the whole family.

1971: tii, 1802, Touring and a new look

The year 1971 was a turning point. The whole range received wraparound bumpers, a new dashboard and new seats, and the 1600-2 officially became the 1602. Three novelties made the news:

• the 2002 tii, which took over from the ti with Kugelfischer mechanical injection and 130 hp. It is the most sought-after 02 today, turbo aside;
• the 1802, a 1.8-litre of 90 hp that filled the gap between the 1602 and the 2002. Contrary to what you sometimes read, it is not the one that replaces the 2002 ti: that role falls to the tii;
• the Touring, a three-door hatchback body, shorter than the saloon. Offered with almost all the engines in the range, it did not find its public: only 25,827 were built up to 1974.

The Baur cabriolets

Open-air fans were not forgotten. From the late 1960s, the Stuttgart coachbuilder Baur produced a four-seat cabriolet for BMW on the 1600 base. Its body lacked rigidity, and from 1971 it gave way to a cleverer model: a cabriolet on the 2002 base, with a fixed roll hoop and retained window frames, a formula close to a targa. It remained available until 1975. These cabriolets, built in small numbers, are today among the rarest 02s.

2002 turbo: 170 hp in the middle of an oil crisis

In autumn 1973, BMW unveiled the 2002 turbo at the Frankfurt show. The tii's engine received a turbocharger and reached 170 hp: it was the first German production car to be turbocharged. Front spoiler and rear wing: the car did not go unnoticed. The timing, though, was disastrous. It arrived just as the first oil shock broke, and its thirst drew sharp criticism. Production stopped as early as 1974, after 1,672 examples, which makes it the most coveted 02 today.

On the circuits and with the tuners

Light, rigid and fitted with an engine that willingly accepts being pushed, the 02 quickly made its mark in competition. You find it in touring-car racing, rallying, hill climbs and slaloms, driven by the works as well as by a host of amateurs. It also served as a springboard for several German tuners who became famous, Alpina and Schnitzer foremost. Their kits, cylinder heads and settings helped forge the sporting reputation of the little BMW, and a "period-tuned" 02 remains an inexhaustible talking point at gatherings today. If you come across one, check carefully what is original and what has been added over the years: the value and the availability of parts are worlds apart.

1975-1977: the 1502 draws the curtain

Since summer 1973, 02s can be recognised by their black plastic grille and square tail lights, which replaced the round lights of the early years (the Touring kept its own design). In 1975, the first-generation 3 Series, the E21, took over. But BMW kept one 02 in the catalogue: the 1502, an economy model launched in 1975. Its lower-compression 1.6-litre is content with ordinary petrol and produces 75 hp. It remained in production until 1977, which brings the series' career to eleven years.

Identifying your 02

A few simple pointers help place an 02 before ordering parts:

• The badge: 1600 on the first 1600-2s, then 1602, 1802, 2002, 2002 tii or 1502. It is easy to change: cross-check with the papers and the chassis number;
• The bumpers: wraparound, with a protective strip, from 1971;
• The tail lights: round until 1973, square afterwards, except on the Touring;
• The grille: black plastic from summer 1973;
• The fuelling: single carburettor, twin carburettors (ti) or Kugelfischer injection (tii and turbo). This is the point that changes the most part references under the bonnet.

The table of BMW 02 series engines summarises the versions by body style: saloon, Touring, cabriolet.

What to watch for

A 02 is now fifty to sixty years old, and its body is its sensitive point. Like most saloons of its era, it fears corrosion: sills, floors, wheel arches, door bottoms and the base of the windscreen pillars should be inspected closely, ideally on a lift. Mechanically, the M10 is a robust engine, provided it has been maintained: timing, cooling and carburettor or injection settings deserve a check. On a tii, the Kugelfischer injection needs a specialist.

• Body and sealing: bodywork, body seals and bumpers;
• Mechanics: engine mechanics, carburation and ignition;
• Chassis: brakes, running gear and shock absorbers.

The little BMW that started it all

Without the 02 series, the 3 Series would probably not have had the same face. Compact, light, well suspended and powered by an engine that loves revs, it defined a recipe that BMW still follows. Whether it is a late-run 1502 or a rare 2002 tii, a well-maintained 02 remains a real driving pleasure. All the parts are gathered on the BMW 02 series (E10) page.