BMW · 1966–1977

BMW 1602 Elektro-Antrieb

The BMW 02 Series is a range of sporty compact executive cars produced by German automaker BMW between 1966 and 1977, based on a shortened version of the New Class Sedans. The first 02 Series produced was the 1600-2 (later renamed 1602) in 1966. In 1975, the 02 Series was replaced by the E21 3 Series (except for the 1502 model, which continued until 1977).

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Overview

In the mid-1960s BMW perceived a market for a smaller, more affordable, two-door version of its four-door New Class executive sedan. Corporate design director Wilhelm Hofmeister assigned the project to staffers Georg Bertram and Manfred Rennen, who produced an attractive and sporty car 5 cm (2 in) shorter in wheelbase and some 25 cm (10 in) shorter in length, mainly by shortening the rear deck. The resulting 1966 production 1600-2 was less well-appointed than the New Class, but lighter, faster, and better handling. The larger displacement 2002 directly derived from it in 1968 would go on to establish a new reputation for BMW as a maker of high-quality affordable performance vehicles. Cabriolet, targa, hatchback, and economy versions of various "02" Series models were also produced.

1600-2 / 1602

The 1600-2 (the "-2" meaning "2-door") made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966 and was sold through 1975, with the designation being simplified to "1602" in 1971. The badging on the 1600-2 read simply "1600". The 1.6 L M10 engine produced 85 PS (63 kW; 84 hp) at 5,700 rpm and 130 N⋅m (96 lb⋅ft) at 3,500 rpm. In 1968, Road & Track declared the US$2676 1600 "a great automobile for the price". The 1600-2 became quickly popular in Western Europe, exception being Italy, where the 85 CV car available only with two doors with a 1.4 million lire price was not competitive against four-door alternatives, such as the Fiat 125 and the Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300 ti and Super. A high performance version, the 1600 TI, was introduced in September 1967. With a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and the dual Solex PHH side-draft carburettor system from the 1800 TI, the 1600 TI produced 105 PS (77 kW; 104 hp) at 6,000 rpm. Kerb weight for the 1600 TI is 960 kg (2,116 lb). Once the 2-liter 2002 arrived, the 1600 TI was immediately discontinued. The 1600 TI was not sold in the United States, as it did not meet the federal emission standards. Also introduced in September 1967 was a limited-production cabriolet, which would be produced by Baur. The original design was a full convertible; after 1971 this was replaced by a targa-top model with fixed window frames called a "top cabriolet" (commonly referred to as a cabrio coach). A hatchback, called the Touring model, was developed from the 02 body, being available from 1971. Only 25,827 Touring models were sold before the body style was discontinued in 1974.

2002

Helmut Werner Bönsch, BMW's director of product planning, and Alex von Falkenhausen, designer of the company’s M10 engine, each independently had a two-litre version of the M10 installed in a 1600-2 for their personal use. When they realized they had both made the same modification to their own cars, they prepared a joint proposal to BMW's board to manufacture a two-litre version of the 1600-2. At the same time, American importer Max Hoffman was asking BMW for a sportier version of the 02 series that could be sold in the United States. As per the larger coupé and four-door sedan models, the 2.0 engine was initially sold in two states of tune: the base single-carburetor 2002 producing 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp) and the dual-carburetor high compression 2002 ti producing 120 PS (88 kW; 118 hp). The 2002 Automatic, with the base engine and a ZF 3HP12 3 speed automatic transmission, became available in 1969. The 2002 ti was replaced in 1971 by the 2002 tii, which used the fuel-injected 130 PS (96 kW; 128 hp) engine from the 2000 tii, delivering a top speed of 185 km/h (115 mph). In 1971, the Baur cabriolet was switched from the 1.6 L engine to the 2.0 L engine to become the 2002 TopCabriolet, a cabrio coach with a large rollbar and fixed window frames which continued to be available well into 1975. In 1978 Baur presented a TopCabriolet version of the succeeding 3-series as well. The Touring version of the 02 Series became available with all engine sizes at the time, including the tii (of which only 422 examples were made). A 2002 tii Touring model was available throughout the run of the tii engine and the Touring body, both of which ended production in 1974. The 2002 turbo (E20) was launched at the 1973 Frankfurt Motor Show. This was Europe's and BMW's first turbocharged producti

1802

The 1802 was introduced in 1971 and was available with either the original 2-door sedan body or the 3-door Touring hatchback introduced that year. Power from the 1.8-liter engine is 90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp) at 5250 rpm. Production of the Touring model continued until 1974, with the 1802 sedan ending production the following year.

1502

The 1502, an economy model able to run on cheaper low-octane regular gas, was introduced in 1975 in response to increased gasoline prices resulting from global petroleum shortage. It had the same 1573 cc engine displacement as the 1602, but a lower 8.0:1. compression ratio reduced power to 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp). While the rest of the 02 Series was replaced in 1975 by the E21 3 Series, the 1502 continued until 1977.

Yearly changes

=== 1968 January === Production of the 2002 for the European market begins with VIN 1650001. 1968 February. Production for the US market begins with VIN 1660001. A few early production models were assembled in the third quarter of 1967 for emissions testing and as press pool cars. Approximately 2,850 were built by the end of the model year production in September 1968. These models complied with US DOT regulations implemented at the beginning of 1968. 1971. In 1971, the 02 Series received a facelift. The 3-door hatchback "Touring" body style (initially badged "2000") and the 1802 model were introduced as part of the facelift. The 2002ti was replaced by the 2002tii. Other changes included wraparound bumpers for all models, a 2-piece instrument cluster, and new seats. 1973. Exterior trim changes, including revised tail-lights (except for Touring models and in the United States, which maintained round tail lights, US models received the revisions for the 1974 model year), grille and kidney trim. 1975. The 1502 is introduced as the base model.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

BMW 02 Series

Production

1966–1977, 837,038 units

Assembly

West Germany: Munich, Uruguay: Montevideo (Convex S.A.)

Class

Compact executive car (D)

Body style

2-door coupé , 2-door convertible , 3-door hatchback

Layout

FR layout

Engine

1573 cc M10 I4 (1502, 1602), 1766 cc M10 I4 (1802), 1990 cc M10 I4 (2002), 1990 cc M10 turbo I4 (2002 Turbo)

Wheelbase

2500 mm

Length

4220–4230 mm

Width

1590–1620 mm

Height

1360–1410 mm

Kerb weight

940–1080 kg

Transmission

4-speed manual , 5-speed manual , 3-speed automatic

Successor

BMW 3 Series (E21)

Designer

Georg Bertram, Manfred Rennen, Giovanni Michelotti

Manufacturer

BMW

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25245626CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_02_SeriesCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1377379776 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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