In Munich the BMW ‘02 models are cult cars that embody the spirit of the 1960s and ’70s. The goal was to revive this exciting era by rebuilding the 2002 tii model out of individual components. Motoring nostalgics can experience the legendary “young classic” close up from 06 – 09 April at the world’s biggest historic vehicle show, Techno Classica in Essen.
The idea was hatched last year. The plan was to bring the BMW 2002 tii back to life using available spare parts, on the basis that Mobile Tradition the BMW Group’s heritage division is today still able to provide some 90 per cent of all components for the BMW 02. It seemed a logical step, then, to reconstruct this ever-youthful recent classic. Master mechanic Arthur Herrmann and Klaus Kutscher, head of the BMW Mobile Tradition workshop, set to work on an original bodyshell from the 1970s.
In a “Glass Workshop” specially constructed for the purpose on the site of the BMW Museum Exhibition next to the Olympic Tower, the car was gradually put together piece by piece to the delight of thousands of visitors monitoring its progress live since May 2005. Eleven months and some 4,000 spare parts later the new BMW 2002 tii, model year 2006, goes on display at Essen’s Techno Classica, the world’s largest specialist fair for classic models.
Inka, a glowing shade of orange, is one of the typical colours favoured during the “crazy seventies”. In keeping with that era, the new BMW 2002 tii shines brightly in this flower-power hue guaranteed to get the pulses of car aficionados racing. The heartbeat of the newly revived dream car is provided by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 130 bhp, as in the original model built back in 1973.
That’s enough power to take the 1,030-kilogram car from standstill to 100 km/h in 9.4 seconds. Even the top speed of 190 km/h reached 30 years ago on roads dominated by the VW Beetle was a creditable figure and still makes for a superlative driving experience today. Sipping an average 9 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, this four-wheeled gem came with a price tag of DM 14,400 attached.
From 6 April 2006, interested car fans have the opportunity to take a closer look at this old model made up of new parts. Once again BMW Group Mobile Tradition will be welcoming visitors in Hall 12 of the Techno Classica automotive show, where the 2002 tii will be on display not behind glass this time. Visitors to the BMW Museum Exhibition at the Olympic Tower will be able to observe another “new-but-old cult car” taking shape on the hydraulic platform this time it’s a BMW 528.
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