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The BMW 2002 Turbo was quite a pretty impressive performance car for its era.
“The 1972-1975 commodity boom,” as Richard N. Cooper calls it in a Yale paper, was a time in history when fuel prices and inflation exploded and most of the Western world recorded a serious drop in GDP. According to “Encyclopedia of Energy,” the 1973 oil crisis brought upon a drop in GDP of 4.7 percent in the United States, 2.5% in the Old Continent, and 7% in Japan. In this context, Western governments have enacted restrictive policies to save fuel.
Germany, for example, enforced a speed limit on highways of 62 mph and demanded that drivers follow the car-free Sunday principle. Evidently, this didn’t seem as the best moment in history to launch a powerful German car that was racing on highways and impressing with its speed and performance.
However, BMW did just that when it inaugurated the 2002 Turbo. Right from the get-go, the BMW 2002 Turbo positioned itself on the European market as the bad boy of the automotive industry. This seemed as a car made to break the rules. Naturally, the public who was already fed up with following boring policies, loved the rebel character of this new vehicle. Fast-forward to today, and this is still a vehicle made for modern rebels and cool Gearheads, so these are the reasons why everyone should drive the BMW 2002 Turbo.
Related: This Is Why The BMW 2002 Turbo Is So Awesome
BMW understands that when customers buy their vehicles; they expect it to be reliable, fast, and luxurious. Evidently, the 2002 Turbo is all that. Under the hood, this powerful vehicle had a 2.0-liter version of the M10 inline engine that generated 120 horsepower at 5,500 revs for the 2002 ti and 130 horsepower at 5,800 revs for the 2002 tii with the Kugelfischer fuel injection pump. Those who opted for the KKK turbocharger would get up to 170 horsepower at 5,800 revs and 176 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 revs. According to BMW, the 2002 Turbo could speed up from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.0 seconds and could reach the top speed of 130 miles per hour. That was a pretty impressive performance for a car in the 1970s.
The BMW 2002 Turbo had quite an aggressive exterior thanks to small details like the Motorsport stripes and the placement of the “2002” and “Turbo” writing on the front spoiler in reverse script. Meanwhile, the choice between “Chamonix” white and “‘Polaris" silver metallic for the bodywork made the BMW 2002 Turbo even more attractive. But while the sporty exterior was impressive, the revolutionary cockpit got extra points for ingenuity, comfort and the deluxe styling.
Without a doubt, the cabin was comfortable, and the rear bench could easily accommodate three average-size people. In the front, the leather-wrapped steering wheel highlighted the sporty essence of the car. Elsewhere, the focal point of the cockpit remained the three round instruments. They were ideally placed, offering increased visibility while driving.
French automotive designer Paul Bracq was a legend thanks to his work and contribution at iconic car brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, and Citroën. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, Bracq even styled the Pope’s personal vehicle. At BMW, the designer was in charge of sketching the first concept design for the Turbo. The model was originally introduced to a wider audience in 1972, and right from the get-go, everyone loved the sleek lines and the gullwing doors with gigantic windows. Understandably, this futuristic prototype won the “Concept Car of the Year” award by the Revue Automobile Suisse.
Related: Watch This Unusual Turbo BMW 2002 Shoot Flames On A Potted Plant
Young collectors are constantly on the lookout for cars whose monetary worth is projected to increase significantly in the short term. But buying an automobile that appreciates in value is easier said than done, mostly because everyone chases these vehicles. Even worse, usually, these cars are manufactured in limited series, so the inventory is from the start tight.
Unfortunately, this is also the case with the BMW 2002 Turbo, which was released during the oil crisis; thus, demand for high-performance cars wasn’t that high. Less than 1,700 BMW 2002 Turbo units were ever built, so private collectors won’t have too many options available, especially when it comes to vehicles found in an excellent condition. Naturally, the limited supply has boosted prices in recent year. As such, the value of a 2002 Turbo has climbed to over 100,000 Euro ($101,873), but even if money is not an issue, wealthy car collectors' know the low inventory remains the biggest problem in the industry.
Eugenia Akhim is a luxury car aficionado. She naturally gravitates towards the legendary 911 and the classic Ferrari because they are fun to drive and have a killer aesthetic. In her column, expect to read more about turbo-powered vehicles.