WHAT IS IT?
The BMW 2002 is probably the model that did the most to cement BMW’s place as a maker of fun German sports sedans in the United States (though these were technically 2-door coupes). The 2-liter model replaced the earlier 1602 (1.6 Liter, naturally) in 1968 and was sold in the United States through the 1976 model year. 1971 saw the introduction of the Tii model, that brought fuel injection to the 4-cylinder engine, increasing power over the base model from 100 hp to 138 hp. As a 1972 example, this one sports the earlier grill and round tail lights which were updated in 1973 to more modern larger square tail lights. “Roundies” are typically considered more desirable to collectors from a styling perspective (along with lighter smaller bumpers).
WHY THIS ONE HAS BEST ONE ON THE PLANET CHOPS
This is an interesting example that just sold on Bring a Trailer for an eye-opening $50,000. It isn’t a “survivor” per se, though having reportedly been owned by the same person for 38 years, it has undergone a comprehensive restoration with some notable modifications. BMWs (and most cars) from this era suffered from serious corrosion unless they were garage queens and never driven, so this car has had serious bodywork per the description. Herein lies the question: do modifications that vary from original but make for a better modern driving experience detract or enhance a car’s value or BOOTP chops? In this case, cosmetically one would be hard pressed to find anything that doesn’t look correct aside from an aftermarket steering wheel and a stereo head unit, each of which are easily reversible. The biggest change is to a 5-speed manual transmission from the original 4-speed. The shifter looks correct on the interior but there is little doubt this hidden modification helps performance and likely makes freeway slogs far more tolerable and efficient. The selling price certainly doesn’t indicate that the market disagreed with the owner’s sympathetic restoration and improvements. The fantastic (and original to this car) Inka Orange paint certainly added a premium as well. What do you think? Can a restored car done to this standard still be a Best One On the Planet?
Do modifications that vary from original but make for a better modern driving experience detract or enhance a car’s value or BOOTP chops?
