It is impossible to overstate the importance of the 2002’s contribution to the success of the BMW brand. If it wasn’t for the 2002, BMW may not have continued to be a car company. When the 2002 was out, BMW coined the tagline “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” In the late-1960s and 1970s, the 2002 put BMW on the map with that first important group of influencers: automotive journalists and enthusiast owners. The leader of that original influencer group, David E. Davis, who at the time was editor of Car and Driver magazine, wrote the best description of the 2002 BMW could have ever asked for. In his 1968 road test of the car, he said, “To my way of thinking, the 2002 is one of modern civilization’s all-time best ways to get somewhere sitting down.”
Davis went on to say, “The BMW 2002 may be the first car in history to successfully bridge the gap between the diametrically-opposed automotive requirements of the wildly romantic car nut, on one hand, and the hyperpragmatic people at Consumer Reports, on the other.”
Reviews like this made the BMW 2002 an overnight success with enthusiasts. BMW elevated the car to its ultimate specification with the introduction of the 2002 tii model, which added fuel injection to the mix, giving the 2002 a sizable increase in power. All this made a great car even better. People lined up to buy the 2002, adding themselves to waiting lists at dealers – something that was not very common at the time and probably a first for BMW.
I have personally owned a 2002 and driven a number of the models, and I will state right now that the 2002 tii is worth all the hype. It is a true enthusiast car from the era with great handling, more power than most of its 1960s and early-1970s competition, and fun to drive. The 2002 is able to wipe the floor with MGBs, Healeys, Alfas, Triumphs, and even many Porsche cars of the era, without breaking a sweat. It is – in a word – capable. All these characteristics make it a historical icon for the BMW brand.
Today’s AutoHunter Spotlight is one of these amazing cars, a 1974 BMW 2002 tii located in Gladstone, Oregon.
The selling dealer describes this 2002 tii as being powered by its correct fuel-injected 1,990cc inline-four mated to a four-speed manual transmission. The car is finished in Polaris Silver over a blue leather interior and offered by the dealer with a clear title.
Polaris Silver is the original color for this car, as shown by the factory color sticker. The car is nicely equipped with a manual sunroof and factory alloy wheels. I can see no evidence of any damage or issues with the body in the photos, but I recommend having any car you want to buy online inspected, no matter where it is coming from.
The interior seems to be in great shape, with factory-correct seats covered in blue leather. The only two changes from stock are the aftermarket steering wheel and the Ungo Box alarm keypad mounted on the center console. I doubt that the alarm still works, but it is a cool piece from the era when the car was new. I also love that the dash does not appear to be cracked and that all the gauges and such are correct for the car.
Under the hood is the 1,990cc SOHC fuel-injected inline-four engine, which is backed by a four-speed manual gearbox. It looks to me as if the owner got a little crazy polishing things, but that really just shows enthusiasm for the car. If you don’t like it, just wait a few months and most of the shine will fade away.
Here is a bit of an insider’s fact: This is a second-series 2002 tii, meaning it has bigger bumpers and square taillights. Many people prefer the earlier round-taillight, small-bumper cars, but the fact is that those feel exactly the same from behind the wheel. In addition, those larger bumpers actually protect the car from people who park by touch much more than the small bumpers do on the early cars. All this means that these later 2002 tii models often cost less than the early ones despite being, in essence, the same. Does that sound like a potential bargain? I have always thought so.
If this 1974 BMW 2002 tii is of interest to you, bid on it. Do that soon because the auction for this icon ends on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 12:45 p.m. (PDT).
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