BMW 2002 (1968-1975)
The 1960s was a particularly important decade for BMW, with the well-received ‘Neue Klasse’ saloon range carrying on from the 700 in rescuing the company from serious financial trouble and setting it on the road to prosperity. But there was still room for a smaller, more affordable version of the Neue Klasse, and in May 1966 the 1600-2 (‘2’ for two doors) was launched using a shortened version of the same platform. Attractive and sporty, it set the ball rolling for a worldwide love affair with compact BMWs that still shows no signs of abating.
The chassis was clearly capable, and it wasn’t long before the 1600-2was joined by the twin-carb’d, higher-compression 1600ti in 1967. This was popular in Europe, but couldn’t meet emissions regulations for the US market, which was already crying out for a faster version of the small BMW.
The answer was the BMW 2002. Legend has it
