How the oil crisis killed the BMW 2002 Turbo

Cars are not people, but we make them people. We talk to them, we consider them part of the family. We, car journalists in particular, attribute quasi-human qualities to them. We call them aggressive or delicate. However, cars are and remain objects. That’s a fact. However, there are indeed a few models that imitate human characteristics better than Alexa and Siri combined. One of those characters is already blowing out fifty candles this year: the BMW 2002 Turbo. He is just like those boys who always and everywhere cause trouble: flashily dressed, always thirsty, without any regard for the weak, for the environment or for the spirit of the times. That was already the case in 1973, and it is the case again now. In 1973, the oil crisis caused stress for people. Many are also concerned about high accident rates and acid rain. Today, fuel prices are very high again. Some are concerned about NOx, while climate change is a headache for many people. And in the middle of all this, the BMW 2002 Turbo roars with joy. He fills his tank with gasoline and demands that his driver press the gas pedal hard, as if nothing is wrong in the world. He’s a hooligan on wheels.

‘obrut’, turbo in mirror writing on front bumper 2002

In that respect, he really resembles his spiritual father, because that is the now 91-year-old Bob Lutz, the car manager with the biggest cigars, the sharpest statements and the jet fighter hobby. Lutz did not develop the car (the 2002 Turbo has several fathers), but he did initiate its development and he was also the one who marketed it as sales director in the 1970s. The aggressive appearance with three-color stripes (together with the 3.0 CSL, it is one of the first BMWs to get these stripes) and the ‘obruT’ lettering are probably his brainchild. “At the time, I insisted that the word ‘turbo’ be written in mirror writing on the front bumper of the 2002 Turbo so that people could read the word in the rearview mirror. And that in the year of the energy crisis!”

In the meantime, BMW boss Eberhard von Kuenheim is not too concerned about the subject. He lets the young, wild Lutz have his way in what today we would call a shitstorm.

But let’s get in. The sidewalls of the seats are clearly tailored to narrow hips – as if the Turbo wants to emphasize that it is a man’s car. A macho. We are curious about the legendary turbo lag and the sudden boost. At first we wonder what everyone was making such a fuss about. The turbo initially comes in very subtly, whistling civilly from 2,000 rpm. Now the power of the engine increases exponentially. But then a storm arises. Around 3,400 rpm it starts to hiss dangerously, at 3,500 rpm the maximum charge pressure of 0.55 bar is reached and from that moment on a force is poured over you that pulls the corners of your mouth back. Out of fear for the passenger, out of pleasure for the driver. And vice-versa. The turbo whistles, the exhaust roars. After taking off the gas above 4,000 rpm, you must quickly press the accelerator pedal again to let the turbo build up pressure again. On circuits and on wet roads it requires you to be alert. But on a dry provincial road it is a lot of fun. For example during fast overtaking actions. If the somewhat dull-sounding horn is not enough: there is a button for the fog horn in the footwell of the example we drove. The factory promised a time of 6.9 seconds from 0 to 100 in 1973. That was possible if you released the clutch from a standstill at 4,000 rpm. We don’t dare to do that with this test.

2002 Turbo first European production car with turbo

The BMW is the first production car of European origin with a turbo. It appears after the American Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair Spyder, but before the famous Porsche 911 Turbo (930) and Saab 99 Turbo. BMW engine designer Alexander von Falkenhausen is ‘not very proud’ of the 2002 Turbo in 1973. “It was a basic mistake that we did not have a blow-off valve on the exhaust side, as is usually the case today,” he writes. “We were offered one from America, but we didn’t have room for it, so we sent all the gas through the turbocharger and the excess air was blown out. As a result, not only did the turbo compressor become too hot, but the compressed air was also blown away again.”

The exhaust manifolds of the early examples crack under the extreme temperatures of up to 900 degrees, a higher nickel content solves that problem. Is there no other way to get more power in the 1970s than installing a turbo? That’s a difficult story. The cylinders of the two-liter four-cylinder can hardly be drilled out further, and the brand’s 2.5-liter six-cylinder inline engine does not fit in the engine compartment of the 02. The turbo solution also had advantages. The engine hardly needs to be changed compared to the 2002 tii, the crankshaft remains the same. Spherical combustion chambers, pistons with recesses, a larger radiator, an extra oil cooler: not many adjustments are needed.

Today we drive a copy with a four-speed gearbox. It is characterized by short and narrow switching paths, it feels a bit stiff. ZF’s worm gear steering is precise, even around the center position, although not particularly direct. You have to work hard on roundabouts or in hairpin bends, as befits a man’s car, but otherwise you don’t miss power steering while driving. The handlebars offer a good grip and are placed high. Furthermore, the ergonomics are excellent and the all-round visibility is perfect. The dampers are more strongly adjusted than in the 2002 tii (Boge dampers can be found behind them, Bilstein gas pressure dampers were available at an additional cost in 1973). It also has stiffer anti-roll bars, a wider track and wider wheels. Nevertheless, there is nothing to criticize about the suspension comfort of the Turbo, even by today’s standards.

Appearance 2002 Turbo is sensitive

But the model does look aggressive and also encourages you to press the accelerator pedal (too) deeply. The outrage in 1973 certainly did not come out of the blue. BMW legend Paul G. Hahnemann disparagingly called the turbo a ‘Rocker Car’ at the time. Anyway, Hahnemann should have just packed up because of his dirty dealings at BMW, Bob Lutz is his successor as head of the sales department. The night before the opening of the IAA trade fair in 1973, as Stefan Schrahe describes in his book, Lutz had the mirror lettering on the Turbo on display removed.

We have now reached our destination. We let the engine run for another minute, as the turbo has expanded considerably due to the heat and should not cool down too quickly. It’s just like with people: those who present themselves to the outside world with a lot of fanfare ultimately turn out to be very sensitive.

The bizarre thing about this old rebel is that today’s cars have become more economical partly because of him. Turbo technology has taken over, making almost all engines smaller and more economical. If the 2002 Turbo were human, he’d shake his head, laugh his head off, and have another drink.

Technical data
BMW 2002 Turbo
Engine 4 cyl. in line, turbo (KKK BLD), overhead camshaft, chain driven, mech. fuel injection (Kugelfischer)
Cylinder capacity 1,990 cc
Max. assets 125 kW/170 hp at 5,800 rpm
Max. couple 240 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Number of gears 4, manual (at extra cost: 5-speed)
Drive rear wheels
Dimensions (lxwxh) 4.22 x 1.62 x 1.41 m
Empty weight 1,107 kg
0-100 km/h 7.0 sec
Top speed 211 km/h
Avg. consumption 10.5 l/100 km (1:9.5)