BMW 2002 tii Classic Celebrates Ressurection

Text & photos courtesy of BMW AG

Mission Accomplished

Bit by bit,
visitors were able to observe the reconstruction of this cult car in the Glass
Workshop at the BMW
Museum.
It has now finally reached completion. With paintwork in powerful Inka orange,
the car gleams in renewed splendour for the 40th anniversary celebrations of
the BMW 02 series this year. It goes on display for the first time at Techno
Classica in Essen

The BMW 02
models are cult cars that uniquely embody the spirit of the 1960s and ’70s. The
aim was to revive this exciting era by reconstructing 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.

Old into new

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.

The crazy
seventies

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.

Oldster made up of new parts appears at Techno Classica 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.

The
successful project has spawned more of the same, ensuring that the Glass
Workshop does not remain empty. 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 (E12).

View the entire Gallery here.