BMW 2002 E10

About the BMW 2002 E10

The E10 chassis underpinned every BMW 2002 variant and created the sports sedan formula in the process. A compact two-door body, front-engine rear-drive layout, MacPherson struts up front, and semi-trailing arms in the rear — simple, light, and effective. The base 2002 made 100 hp from a 2.0-liter single-cam four and could reach 170 km/h — fast for a compact sedan in 1968. The tii added Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection and 130 hp, transforming the car from quick to genuinely fast. The suspension was firm without being harsh, the steering communicated everything the front tires were doing, and the whole car weighed just over 1,000 kg. Max Hoffman, the legendary US importer who also brought the 507 and the 300SL to America, insisted BMW build a two-door version. He was right. The 2002 became BMW's best-selling model and funded the development of everything that followed. This is where the Ultimate Driving Machine started.