1975 BMW 2002 tii

Today, we’ve come to know and love BMW for delivering the ultimate driving machines, even if they sometimes have an abnormal grille-to-car ratio. But in the early 1960s, they were still finding their feet in postwar Germany.

The success of the Neue Klasse saloon led to the introduction of the 02 series. A smaller, lighter, and more economical alternative that would broaden BMW’s potential customer base. But, when two senior BMW executives discovered that they had independently had a larger 2.0-litre engine fitted to their personal 1602s, a plan was hatched to pitch the idea to the board.

Their shared decision, and the successful pitch, would result in the 2002 Ti and later the Tii. A pair of cars that would become the foundations of the legendary BMW M3.

This car is a factory RHD, 1975 BMW 2002 Tii. Finished in Polaris Silver over a Navy Blue interior. The car sits on a set of multi-spoke 13” alloys that have been expertly refinished. In fact, the entire car has undergone a comprehensive restoration.

Throughout 2019, over £15,000 was spent on a full restoration. The work was completed by Justin’s Restoration in Berkshire and included not just visual work, but also structural welding and reinforcement to make this 2002, better than new.

The interior is equally spectacular, the seats are appropriately 70s, with navy blue velour and corduroy setting the overall theme. The carpets and door cards wear the same shade, whilst the dash is finished with small selections of wood veneer, the car retains an original Decker Europa radio. The odometer and service history show the car has covered just 105,209 miles. 

What sets the Tii apart from the rest of the range is its powerplant. Under the bonnet, you’ll find a 2.0-litre, fuel-injected M10 4-cylinder engine that produces 130bhp and is mated to a manual gearbox. The engine runs excellently. In 2015, it was subjected to a top-end rebuild that involved the cylinder head being removed and fully renovated. 

With the car comes an extensive history file that not only includes records of the restoration undertaken in 2019, but also a restoration that was undertaken back in the early 1990s. All this paperwork backs up what is abundantly clear, that this car has been loved, cherished and enjoyed.