Page 73 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

silver. Unfortunately launched in the midst of the oil crisis, the Turbo’s very dramatic appearance also made it a target due to its poor fuel economy. Engineer von Falkenhausen had managed to extract an impressive 170 horsepower from the aging M10 engine family, but these were the early days of turbocharging, and especially of turbo lag, and the engine was known for its boost to come on with an unexpected punch. Bob Lutz, who had moved from Opel to BMW and championed the Turbo, also added a provocative reverse “turbo” script on the front air dam, which was removed before launch.
In their 10 years of production, the 1600 and 2002 had a profound impact on consumer expectations for performance oriented mid- range cars. They offered a hitherto missing combination – the engagement and verve of a sports car with room for four. No wonder they were so popular. And their shadow stretched for years to come: every hot hatch that defined the 1980s, be it the VW GTI, the Peugeot 205 or the Ford XR4TI, they must all bow down to the altar created by BMW.
TOP: The 2002 Turbo is prized by collectors today, but has some quirky performance characteristics. Provocative reverse script spoiler labeling was removed before introduction. ABOVE: The Turbo’s interior featured bolstered sport seats as well as extra instrumentation. ABOVE RIGHT: Though perhaps a bit Spartan by modern standards, the 2002’s interior was roomy and purposeful.
THE DRIVE
It didn’t take any gushing praise from David E. Davis, or any other motoring journalist, to convince buyers that the 2002 was the ultimate expression of what would later become an enduring tagline for BMW, “the ultimate driving machine.” Its very appearance seemed to defy classification, at least in the period before hot hatches showed that an entertaining driving experience wasn’t necessarily in contradiction with day-to-day functionality.
As with other contemporary German cars (in contrast to, say, some Italian alternatives), the overall cabin is efficiently packaged, though perhaps a bit somber. The early 1600s had a quaint two- spoke steering wheel, later upgraded to a more contemporary three-spoke version. The dash binnacle at first housed only a speedometer and clock, with gauges for fuel and water temperature. A tachometer was initially an optional extra. A roomy central cubby is typically used for the radio (and speaker) if equipped. There’s more than enough leg and head room for most any size driver. Seats are comfortable, though not overly supportive. Some were finished with cloth centers, while others were vinyl overall. Rear seat roominess wasn’t abundant, but certainly more usable thana2+2coupe.
Turn the key and the M10 engine springs quickly to life. Earlier cars had a manual choke, later replaced by an automatic version. Most 2002s are equipped with manual transmissions (normally a four-speed, though limited numbers of five-speeds were built), the better to take full advantage of their sporty character, though a ZF-sourced three-speed automatic option was offered starting in 1971. The linkage is not quite as tight as in modern cars, but there’s no concern about missing a gear. Torque starts to build as early as 2,000 rpm, though the peak is about 3,000 rpm and it can pull all the way to 5,200 rpm.
The 2002 ti and tii variants seem to get collectors excited, especially European-sourced versions. Putting aside the differences caused by US emissions regulations (and it’s likely that many original cars have been “adjusted” to increase performance to European levels), the base 2002 with a single Solex carb produced about 100 horsepower, while the twin-carb ti increased that 120 and the fuel- injected tii reached 140. There’s no question that that extra 20 or 40 horsepower makes a difference, but it comes at a price that’s
BMW 1600/2002
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