The BMW 02 Series, introduced in 1966 as the 1600-2, established BMW's reputation for affordable, driver-focused compact cars. The range grew through the 1602, 1802, and 2002 variants, with the 2002 — a two-litre version created when two BMW executives separately fitted a larger engine to their personal 1600-2s — proving the most successful. The 2002 tii, using Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection, produced 130 PS and a top speed of 185 km/h. The Turbo extended that foundation into new territory.
The 2002 Turbo (internal designation E20) used the 2002 tii's four-cylinder engine paired with a twin-scroll 0.55 bar turbocharger developed in partnership with KK&K. To manage the increased cylinder pressures, the cylinder head was a modified version of the 121TI design used on 1972 and earlier 2002s, with enlarged combustion chambers reducing the compression ratio to 6.9:1. The Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection was adapted to include integrated boost enrichment and altitude compensation.
Output was 170 PS at 5,800 rpm and 240 N·m of torque, giving a top speed of 211 km/h. The cooling system was upgraded with a larger radiator and a standard oil cooler. Front brakes were a ventilated derivative of the tii unit; rear drums were a 250 mm design that would later appear on the E21 3 Series. Gearbox options were a strengthened Getrag 232 four-speed unique to the Turbo or the Getrag 235/5 close-ratio five-speed, driving through a 3.36:1 limited-slip differential to 5.5J×13 steel wheels.
The steel body was modified with a different front panel incorporating additional tow-bracket and air-intake apertures. Front and rear wheel arches were cut back to accept wider wheels, clothed in fibreglass arch extensions and a front airdam, all bolted to the body. A rubber rear spoiler sat on the bootlid. Two standard colours were offered: Chamonix white and Polaris silver, both featuring BMW Motorsport colour-scheme stripes and decals. The interior added a supplementary gauge cluster for boost pressure and a clock, plus a red instrument panel with a 240 km/h speedometer, sports seats, and a sports steering wheel.
The 2002 Turbo was introduced just weeks before the 1973 oil crisis dramatically changed public attitudes toward high-performance, fuel-intensive cars. BMW subsequently described the situation as having "built a car that contradicted the spirit of the times like no automobile before." As a result, production was halted after just 1,672 units, far short of any larger commercial ambitions.
Despite its brief production run, the 2002 Turbo holds a firm place in automotive history as the first turbocharged production car sold in Europe. It demonstrated that forced induction could be integrated into a road-legal compact without sacrificing usability, and it preceded the wider turbocharged performance car boom of the late 1970s and 1980s. The 02 Series itself was replaced by the E21 3 Series from 1975, though the economy-focused 1502 model continued until 1977.
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