1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002
1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002
1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002 1973 BMW 2002
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This is the automobile that put BMW on the map. A heritage of high performance is its legacy. This quality German automobile invented the 'sports sedan' and launched BMW's reputation as it is known for today. Every BMW built since can trace its roots to the famous 2002.

This 2002 has only 21,000 miles on it and is entirely original. The owners purchased the automobile from a lovely lady in Buffalo who drove it sparingly and cared for it tenderly. The current owner does the same.
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Chassis Num: 2764021
 
This 1973 BMW 2002 Tii is powered by a 1990cc inline four-cylinder engine with Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection. It is capable of producing 130 horsepower and has a five-speed manual gearbox and front disc brakes. It was offered for sale at the 2007 RM Auctions held in Meadow Brook where it was offered without reserve and estimated to sell between $18,000 - $24,000. This car was the first automobile to cross the auction block and bidding quickly escalated. Without reserve, the seller runs the risk of losing the vehicle for a low bid. This was not the case for this vehicle, as a high bid of $25,300 was enough to secure this gorgeous car. This car has been treated to an extensive restoration making it one of the finest examples of the 2002 in existence. This car is finished in red with a black vinyl interior, twin mirrors, 13-inch painted steel wheels, and period-correct tires.

The Tii version of the 2002 was introduced to the North American market in 1971. It sported wider wheels, larger brakes, and a four-speed gearbox as standard equipment. It was reported that after the 4000 RPM mark, the Tii stopped behaving like the standard 2002, and acted like a new vehicle with much more performance than the standard 2002. There was an increase in power thanks to the Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection system, which added 30 pound feet of torque over the standard carburetor system between 4000 and 4700 rpm. This was done while satisfying all emission regulations, which were very stringent at the time.
Those manufacturers that had found a niche in the market place to survive the Great Depression were forced once again to figure out how to stay in business after World War II. BMW stayed successful with their affordable and efficient bubble car, named the Isetta. They also produced luxury cars such as the 507 and aircraft parts.
In 1959, BMW was on the brink of bankruptcy. Their Isetta vehicle had sold well for a period of time but it was quickly loosing ground to the VW Beetle. A vehicle that had similar features such as excellent fuel economy and practicality, but offered more room for passengers.

Harald and Herbert Quandt provided financial backing to BMW to produce a four-door car which came known to be Neue Klasse or 'New Class'. This happened to be the savior for the struggling company. In 1962 the vehicle was debuted and dubbed the 1500. It featured a four-cylinder engine. In total, 24,000 of the 1500's were produced.

The 1800 was introduced near the end of 1963. It had a four-cylinder, 1773cc engine that was capable of producing 90 horsepower. Variants such as the 1800 Ti and 1800 Ti/SA soon followed.

In 1964 the 1600 replaced the 1500. The 1600 was a responsive, four-door sedan that received excellent reviews from the automotive tests all over the world. The 1600-2 was soon introduced. It was a sportier, two-door version of the four-door 1600 that offered more horsepower and sat atop shorter 98.4 wheelbases, thus decreasing the overall weight of the vehicle and improving performance. The 1600-2 featured a 1573cc (1600) cc engine. The additional '2' represented the number of doors. A 105 horsepower 1600Ti soon followed. BMW was once again inching closer to its sports-car roots; a heritage it had not visited since the 1930's.

Helmut Werner Bonsch and Alex von Falkenhausen, both employee's of BMW's, had independently experimented with a 2.0 liter engine in the 1602 body. The combination was a success.

In 1966, the sale of 1600's in the United States began to escalate. The press had done much to stimulate desire for this small and responsive vehicle. The problem was that the sportier version, the 1600ti, was unable to pass the US Federal exhaust emissions regulations and thus, unable to be sold in that market. This was due to its twin-carburetor engine. The solution was to sell the 2-liter version which was able to pass the emissions regulations. So, in 1966, the 2002 was introduced.

During the life span of the 2002, which ranged from 1968 through 1976, there were three generations. The first generation was from 1968 through 1971. The second generation was built from 1971 through 1973. The third generation was built from 1973 through 1976.

From 1968 through 1976, BMW produced around 80,000 vehicle for the US market.

The vehicle produced from 1968 through 1973 can be identified by their round tail lights. Vehicle built after that and through 1973 had larger bumpers and sat atop a wider trac.

A turbo version of the 2002 was introduced but due to safety concerns, only produced in limited numbers. Less than 2000 were made; all were left-hand drive.

Photos grouped by event

Vintage Motor Car Auction at Meadow Brook Hall

Walnut Street Invitational Car Show in Shadyside

Ault Park Concours d'Elegance

2006 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Car Show

2006 Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction

2005 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
   

1973 BMW 2002

Year1973
MakeBMW
Model2002
Engine LocationFront
Drive TypeRear Wheel
Production Years for Series1971 - 1973
Weight2282 lbs | 1035.1 kg

Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown
Chassis Number2764021

Performance
Top Speed171 km/h | 106.3 mph Similar top speeds

Engine  
Engine ConfigurationS
Cylinders4
Solid valve lifters
Aspiration/InductionNormal
Displacement1991.00 cc | 121.5 cu in. | 2 L.
Valves8 valves.
2 valves per cylinder.
ValvetrainSOHC
Horsepower98.00 @ 5500.00 RPM
Torque116.00 Ft-Lbs (157.3 NM) @ 3500.00 RPM
Compression Ratio8.50:1
Main Bearings5
Fuel TypeGasoline - Petrol
Fuel FeedCarburetor
1 Solex 32/32 DIDIA carburetor
BlockCast-iron
HeadAluminum

Standard Transmission
Gears4
TransmissionManual
Final Drive3.64:1


 
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Vehicle Ratings
StylingVehicle Styling Rating: 100%
PerformanceVehicle Performance Rating: 86.666%
InteriorVehicle Interior Rating: 86.666%
QualityVehicle Quality Rating: 93.334%
OverallVehicle Overall Rating: 100%
No. of Votes: 3
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Articles and Event Coverage
Vintage Motor Car Auction at Meadow Brook Hall
Walnut Street Invitational Car Show in Shadyside
Ault Park Concours d'Elegance
2006 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Car Show
2006 Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction
2005 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix

Additional Resources and Links
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Official Website
Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction Official Website
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Car Show Official Website
Concours d'Elegance at Ault Park Official Website
Walnut Street Invitational Car Show in Shadyside Official Website
RM Auctions at Meadow Brook Official Website

Topics
2002

Replies: 2
Wednesday, January 31, 2007

1973 BMW models
2002 Turbo
3.0 CS
3.0 CSL

Other Model Years
1976 2002
1975 2002
1974 2002
1973 2002 Turbo
1972 2002 Turbo
1971 E06 2002 ti
1971 2002 Turbo
1970 2002
1969 2002
1968 2002
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