BMW promised a new concept car at the 2016 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este—and delivered. Like many of BMW's previous homage cars, this one is supposed to pay tribute to a classic BMW automobile. Many of us would say that the inspiration for this new concept is not just a classic BMW, but the classic BMW. Judge for yourself as BMW presents the BMW 2002 Hommage.
There was a time when BMW was struggling financially and without a clear design strategy. The BMW Neue Klasse (New Class) made BMW solvent and established its dominance in the sports sedan market segment. New Class sedans led to two-door versions, the epitome of which was the BMW 2002. The most advanced 2002 was BMW’s first turbocharged production car—the 2002 Turbo.
As Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design explains, “Exactly 50 years ago, the 02 range kick-started an era of success for BMW. This compact coupe is one of the vehicles which made the brand what it is today. The 2002 sat at the top of the range and was the first series-produced car anywhere in Europe to come with turbo technology. That set the seal on the coupe as a genuine sports car. At the same time, the 2002 turbo was at the technological vanguard of engine development at BMW. The BMW 2002 Hommage is our way of raising a glass to all these achievements.”
BMW’s design chief, Karim Habib, adds, “The eye-catching design of the BMW 2002 Hommage employs a very dynamic, striking use of forms for its own take on what is, for me, one of the most iconic vehicles in BMW history. At the same time, it encapsulates BMW’s major motor sport triumphs, which were made possible by turbo technology. As such, the Hommage car brings together the past and future of BMW into a confident statement of unadulterated driving joy.”
Some BMW concept cars have led to production cars that look very much like the concept—think BMW i8. That the BMW 2002 Hommage appears to take some design cues from the current 2 Series—especially the BMW M2 Coupe—is not surprising. BMW claimed that the M2 is a direct descendant of the BMW 2002 Turbo, and speculation has already started about whether or not the BMW 2002 Hommage is a preview of a possible M2 CSL variant.
Designers of the original 2002 Turbo added wider fender flares to accommodate a wider track and larger tires. The wheel arches, the huge front air dam, and rear trunk spoiler were the defining visual elements of the 2002 Turbo. The new BMW 2002 Hommage uses massive wheel arches in much the same way to enclose the car’s 20-inch wheels. The large lower valence with dominant air scoop evokes the original 2002 Turbo, but makes an even greater statement that the car relies on significant aerodynamics for better handling and more power.
Following the BMW 3.0 CSL race cars, the BMW 2002 was one of the first BMWs adorned with BMW Motorsport colors. The front of the 2002 Hommage presents a massive air intake complete with a modern reverse-lettered “turbo” graphic in BMW Motorsport colors—an obvious throwback to the original 2002 Turbo’s front apron. The Motorsport-colored driver side mirror cap and "turbo" side graphics also make the connection to the original 2002 Turbo.
Instead of an added-on rear spoiler, the 2002 Hommage contains an integrated upswept edge on the trunk lid that gives a similar impression. Gold highlights signify the 50th—or "golden"—anniversary of the 02 range. The brake calipers are gold colored, as are the reflectors in the front headlights.
By the time the 2002 Turbo came into production, BMW had replaced round 2002 taillights with square ones. The 2002 Hommage concept car's rear lights are almost rectangular and provide a stylistic border for the back end. Its quad tailpipes make us suspect that its connection to the current M2 Coupe may be more than just a styling exercise.
If you weren’t sure that BMW’s introduction of the new M2 Coupe proved that the company had not forgotten its roots and was still in the business of building smaller, great-handling and high-performance sports sedans and coupes, the BMW 2002 Hommage should convince you.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG. Video courtesy of BMW AG via DPCCars.]
