There are few BMWs that ooze as much cool as a 2002 Turbo. Heck, there are few cars from any maker that can compete with its taut, squat stance, emphasised by those riveted on arch extensions and accentuated by that cheeky boot spoiler. The 2002 Turbo looked the business and, with 170hp to shift just 1,060kg, went like it as well.
That output is, of course, 30hp more than the already pretty-pokey-for-its-day 2002 Tii thanks to the fitment of a KKK turbocharger which, with 0.55 of overpressure, enabled 181lb ft of torque. This gave the achingly cool two-door the pace to hit 60mph in 6.9 seconds - a number that puts it in line with similarly sized hot metal from today, most of which now admittedly hails from hatchdom.
But none of those present models can match the dinky Beemer for style, presence and, if we're honest, savageness. The car's force-fed 2.0-litre four-cylinder used a lower compression ratio of 6.9:1 (versus the Tii's 10:1) in order to compensate for the arrival of its boost, so it was sluggish at low revs. But this gave the hottest 2002 the sort of on-off turbo lag engineers have since spent countless hours doing their best to iron out of anything they put their name to.
With such little mass to shift and 185-width tyres wrapped around 13-inch wheels, to describe the 2002 Turbo as a handful would be an understatement. Both this saloon and the similarly desirable Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS - that had an even healthier 210hp, remember? - were prone to catching out drivers not expecting such a surge in grunt. This was a time when a performance car demanded respect.
Keep that motor on the boil, though, and the 2002 was lairy but manageable, with a firm but never overly hard ride, weighty steering and a limited slip differential to enhance traction. With such small contact patches, however, willing drivers could still very much steer it on the throttle; the 2002 was and remains a popular choice for rallying, after all.
Today's Spotted doesn't look to have been anywhere near a rally stage, because it's fair to describe it as an absolute minter. Its 57,000 miles have come as part of a cherished existence, including time kept in storage in a private collection and ownership by a classic car specialist. It's got all the desirable 2002 Turbo features: those motorsport-esque body additions, motorsport stripes and a red instrument cluster with a turbo gauge.
You know how we said it's a minter? Yeah, it also costs just shy of £110,000, which is, to be frank, a bloody lot. But the seller promises it's in "excellent condition" and comes with 15 MOTs, as well as bills to prove it was restored in 1991 - since when it has barely been used. Expensive? Yes. Best example in the UK? Quite possibly so. If you've got the cash...
SPECIFICATIONS - BMW 2002 TURBO
Engine: 1,991cc, four-cyl, turbocharged
Transmission: Four-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Torque (lb ft): 181@4,000rpm
See the original advert here.
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