1971 BMW 2002 Cabriolet

BMW's 'Neue Klasse' four-cylinder sedans of the early 1960s helped return the company to profitability, along with inspiring a design that would continue through the mid-1970s. The BMW 2002 was based on the 1602 and was available in two-door sedan and three-door touring guise. The 2002 was the reported brainchild of New York BMW importer Max Hoffman.

The BMW 2002 joined the catalogue for 1968 and continued through 1976. For customers seeking an open-air experience, BMW subcontracted the work to Karosserie Baur, which converted 200 cars to full-cabriolet form through 1971, followed by some 2,300 Targas.

This 1972 BMW 2002 Cabriolet wears coachwork by Karrosserie Baur. It was produced during the final year of the Baur-performed BMW conversions. The car has the original round tail lamp, a manual gearbox, and was originally finished in Golf (yellow) and imported from Greece to the United States and New York City, where it was owned by a BMW enthusiast. The car was eventually acquired by Dr. Norman Druck M.D., an Otolaryngologist practicing in St. Louis, Missouri. There, the car received body repairs including the replacement of the rocker panels and a refinish in Granada red.

The next owner was a well-known individual in the BMW Car Club of America circles. At the time, only one other example was known by BMW marque aficionados to exist in the United States. He acquired the car in 1996 and, over the next two years, the car was freshened. Following completion, the cabriolet was shown at the 1999 SCCA Concours d'Elegance where it received a Second Place award.

In January 2002, the car was sold to another BMW collector.

The car is powered by a 1990cc single overhead cam four-cylinder engine breathing through a single Solex twin-choke carburetor and offering 100 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and disc brakes in the front with hydraulic drums in the rear.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2014