This 1975 BMW 2002 Turbo is one of 1,672 examples built during a two-year production period and was reportedly delivered new to Italy. It was raced by its original owner, who kept the car until approximately 2015, and it was imported to the US from the Netherlands by the current owner in December 2016. The car is finished in Chamonix over Black Skai vinyl upholstery and is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four mated to a dogleg five-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. Equipment includes a Turbo-specific body kit and graphics, 13″ steel wheels, front disc and rear drum brakes, front bucket seats, a heated rear window, and a Blaupunkt Frankfurt stereo with Bluetooth. This 2002 Turbo is now offered by the seller on behalf of the current owner in California with records, spare graphics, and a clean Montana title in the name of the owner’s LLC, listing it as a 1974 model year.
The 2002 Turbo debuted at the 1973 Frankfurt Motor Show as BMW’s first turbocharged production car. It was distinguished from the standard 2002 by a Turbo-specific body kit consisting of a front air dam, body-color fender flares, and a rear spoiler. The “turbo 2002” lettering at the front of the car was applied in reverse so that it would read correctly in the rear-view mirror of a vehicle ahead. This example is finished in Chamonix (085) and wears multi-color graphics. Additional equipment includes dual side mirrors, a chrome rear bumper, and a single exhaust outlet. A replacement front air dam and fender flares were installed in 2018 and the vinyl graphics were replaced at that time.
The 13″ steel wheels are mounted with 185/70 Kumho tires. The 2002 Turbo’s chassis was based on that of the contemporary 2002tii but featured a larger 20mm front antiroll bar and Turbo-specific rear springs. The Turbo was also equipped with Bilstein shocks, reinforced trailing arms, rear wheel bearings, hubs and stub axles. The front disc and rear drum brakes were rebuilt in 2016, and a replacement master cylinder, booster, and front rotors were installed. The suspension was also refreshed at that time.
The cabin houses bolstered front bucket seats and a rear bench that were re-trimmed in black Skai vinyl upholstery in 2018. Replacement door panels were also installed at that time, while the carpets were replaced in 2020. A Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio with Bluetooth capability is housed in the center console and is linked to hidden front and rear speakers. The heating system was refreshed in 2018. The seller tells us that a roll cage was previously fitted by its original owner.
The leather-wrapped steering wheel frames a red-finished instrument cluster bezel housing a 240-km/h speedometer, a tachometer with a 6,400-rpm redline, and auxiliary gauges for fuel level and coolant temperature. An analog clock and boost gauge are positioned centrally on the dashboard. The five-digit odometer shows 64k kilometers (~40k miles), approximately 15k of which were added under current ownership.
The turbocharged 2.0-liter M10 inline-four is equipped with Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection and was factory equipped with a Kühnle, Kopp, & Kausch turbocharger, 6.9:1-compression pistons, and an auxiliary oil cooler. The engine, fuel injection pump, and turbocharger were reportedly rebuilt in 2015.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via a dogleg five-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. The seller tells us that the clutch was replaced in 2016 and the transmission was resealed in 2017.