Bmw 2002 ti
The scarcity principle of social psychology says that consumers place a greater value on goods that are in limited supply: the rarer a car is – whether an homologation special, final edition, or even just from a low production run – the more we want it. We judge a product as high quality if it's rare, and we want it even more when we find out that we can’t have it. Nevertheless, there are occasional anomalies. Some rare cars are uncherished. Some common ones are highly sought after!
Call the BMW 2002 one such anomaly of the latter type. Approximately 400,000 units displaying the famous palindromic model designation made their way around the world over the years, and the model’s cultural and financial value have increased.
Whether it be the 2002’s charming design, playful chassis or even its vast and diverse owner base, there's always been something very alluring about that iconic silhouette. I’m sure as you're reading this, you can think of someone you know who either owned, learnt to drive, raced, or worked on a BMW 2002. From rat rods to rally cars, it’s hard to beat a clean example of this minimalist German machine, and Herbert Grüensteidl's ti, is one such. Starting life as an automotive mechanic and building up his own garage in the 1960s, Herbert developed race and rally Mini Coopers, VW Beetles, and BMW 2002s, of course. The BMW’S relative affordability, short wheelbase and light weight, meant many of these twodoor ‘Neue Klasse’ cars made their way into motor sport. Herbert became Austrian Rally Champion in 1975 and 1978 with his
LEFT: European Champion, Herbert Grüensteidl at home behind the wheel of his BMW 2002 ti.
Volkswagens. Then, European Champion in 1977 with his Alpine A310. But after landing a job with BMW as a product planner, you could sense his nostalgic heart had a 2002-shaped hole that needed filling. Herbert purchased his BMW 2002 ti nine years ago and got straight down to business. ‘The owner was a good friend and he was the second owner from new. The car got a full frame-off restoration 15 years ago by friends and I did the electric work.’
But rather than rolling back the years and building a replica of his former rally car, Mr Grüensteidl was adamant that the build would be driven by authenticity.
He said: ‘The highest value for a vintage car is always 100% original condition.’ To many, the exterior beauty of the 2002s is what drives the appeal, but to those like Herbert the true beauty lies in the unsung
hero that resides behind that alluring front end. The heroic BMW M10 under the hood is a SOHC four-cylinder engine that was designed by BMW engineer and racing driver, Baron Alexander von Falkenhausen, in the early 1960s. Originally produced as a 1.5litre unit for the original ‘Neue Klasse’ BMW 1500, the M10 was utilised in assorted configurations (including Formula 1) until 1988 – making it one of the longest engine production runs in history. With its robust build, easy maintenance, lightweight architecture, and high-revving character, the M10 was the perfect Bonnie to the 2002’s Clyde. The 1990cc version of the legendary four-pot found in the base 2002, was fitted with a single carburettor and produced around 100hp (74.57kw), but Herbert's rally DNA required something a little bit pokier. Launched towards the
end of 1968, the BMW 2002 ti (or Touring international) was a more performancefocused version. Twin Solex 40 carburettors and higher compression pistons bumped the power up to 118hp (87.99kw) with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 9.1seconds, and a top speed of 185km/h. Anti-roll bars were added to aid the Macpherson struts up front and the semi-trailing arms in the rear, while tyres were upgraded to handle the higher speeds.
Next came the (Kugelfischer) fuel- injected 2002 tii (Touring international, injected) with 130hp (96.94kw). By this time, there was a 5-speed manual gearbox. Plus, leather had found its way into the cabin.
Many still regard the 2002 Turbo as the holy grail for the Neue Klasse platform. While there’s no doubting its significance, there’s an elegance and approachability about other 2002s that the brazen turbo can’t quite replicate. Herbert’s ti was the perfect blend of understated performance, utility, serviceability and style when it rolled off the showroom floor and, some 50 years later, it’s still delivering the goods. This is a formula many have attempted, but no other manufacturer has done it as well as BMW. It’s one of the biggest compliments you can give to a piece of industrial design. An object that has been produced in such high volumes, but still manages to garnish admiration the world over. But the BMW 2002 was much more than just a piece of industrial design. It was the daily commute, the weekender, the first car, the last car, the rally before dinner, the Le Mans winner – it was all things to all people. Certainly, there’s comfort in familiarity and its cultural significance can’t be downplayed, but the true appeal of the 2002 lies in the diversity of its stories. Its playfulness and accessibility meant that people from all walks of life have shared some great times inside a 2002. And, for owners like Herbert Grüensteidl, the smiles keep widening.
HERBERT’S TI WAS THE PERFECT BLEND OF UNDERSTATED PERFORMANCE, UTILITY, SERVICEABILITY AND STYLE WHEN IT ROLLED OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR.
LEFT: The 2002’s charming design, playful chassis makes it the perfect car for the twisty mountain roads.