Although the modern BMW takes many forms, the compact sport sedan is arguably where the brand hit enthusiast paydirt first. And no other car did more to help BMW find its modern roots than the BMW 02 Series. Incredibly, this year marks 60 years since the car changed the face of BMW forever. What’s even more surprising, the car’s legacy has arguably never mattered more.
1966: The BMW 02 Series Debuts
The first of the 02 Series BMWs was the 1600-2. It debuted in March 1966 at the Geneva International Motor Show. The car derived from the Neue Klasse (New Class) cars of the early 1960s, though it was overall smaller and lighter in an effort to be more sporting. BMW trimmed nearly 12 inches (30 cm) off the car in total, in addition to two inches (5 cm) taken out of the wheelbase. Wilhelm Hofmeister — who by this time had already contributed the eponymous “Hofmeister kink” to the brand’s legacy — adapted the cabin to its new, smaller dimensions. He also gave the car’s front end a light redesign that made it just different enough from the New Class to stand out. Combined with substantial weight savings, the car was a commensurately better performer than its New Class brethren.
Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
If you’re unfamiliar, you may wonder why BMW needed the 02 Series at all. The New Class had already rescued the company from financial dire straits by the late 1960s. But there was still a lot to do. While the New Class cars were successful, they did not entirely restore BMW’s sporting reputation from the pre-war days. The 1600-2, later renamed 1602, was an early step towards what would eventually become the company’s legacy.
The car’s warm reception and popularity led to rapid development on the BMW side. Even more focused versions came to the public: first, the 1600ti in 1967, which made around twenty more horsepower than the 1600-2 (approximately 105 horsepower vs. 85 horsepower). Arguably more important was introduction of the BMW 2002. Replacing the 1.6-liter M10 engine with the larger 2.0-liter changed the character of the car, but there were even more important ramifications. The larger engine happened to meet emissions standards in what would eventually become BMW’s “second home” market: the United States.
The 2002 was critically well received and allowed BMW to continue to build upon the 02 Series. Perhaps the most famous 02 of all was the 2002 Turbo, which debuted in 1973 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. With nearly 170 horsepower on tap and a feisty turbocharged engine — Europe’s first mass-produced turbocharged car, by the way — it reshaped expectations for what a BMW could be. Sadly, the car was more or less hobbled by the Oil Crisis later that same year. By 1975, BMW replaced the aging 02 with a nameplate you probably recognize: the BMW 3 Series.
BMW 02 Series: 60 Years Later
Even though the 2002 Turbo was almost comically ill-timed, the word was out. Low production volume makes the car even more desirable today than ever: you’ll find examples trading for nearer to $200,000 USD than you might expect. Of course, if you just want to dip your toe into the 02 Series, there are plenty of options there, too. BMW produced nearly 850,000 examples of the 02 across its different configurations; finding one isn’t a truly daunting task. The car’s accessibility and enduring charm make it a great enthusiast pick even six decades later.
Remember, the BMW 02 Series birthed from the Neue Klasse of its day. With a next-gen New Class dawning this year — beginning with the iX3 — we can only hope BMW remembers the road map. A smaller, lighter, performance-focused car based on the NK architecture could radically redefine how performance EVs are looked at. While it remains to be seen if BMW has plans to recreate the 02 Series, it doesn’t hurt to dream. Even if a modern 02 never happens, the original’s legacy lives on. After all, there wouldn’t be an iX3 without an X3, or an X3 without a 3 Series. And it’s impossible to get to 3 if you can’t first count to 02.