LAST OF THE LINE – THE BMW 1502

On the 9th of March 1966, BMW unveiled a crucial new model in front of the Munich Opera House. The 1600-2 was nearly 300lbs lighter, 9 ½ inches shorter, 5 ½ inches narrower and 1 ½ inches lower than the four-door Neue Klasse saloon; two-door transport for the young lawyer or architect. When the replacement E21 3-Series debuted in July 1975, the 02-range was a byword for understated quality. 

But that was not quite the end of the story. Exports of the 2002 to the USA continued, as did the 1502, an entry-level model launched in January 1975 at the Brussels Motor Show. In essence, it was the 1602 with a lower compression ratio, which allowed it to use 2-star fuel. To further save costs, the 1502 lacked opening front quarter lights, a chrome stripe, and an intermittent wiper, which meant it cost 1,000 DM less than the 1602.  

BMW initially had no plans to sell the 1502 in the UK, but they displayed it at that year’s London Motor Show.

The following year, it retailed for £2,759 when a Ford Granada 2000L was £2,712, a Triumph Dolomite 1500HL was £2,656, and a Lancia Beta 1600 was £2,785. However, your friendly local BMW dealer might tell you that the 1502 was far cheaper than a 316 at £3,429, had a 96-mph top speed and was capable of 0-60 in 13.8 seconds. 

The company informed the press that they were “inundated with orders” for the 1502, and Autocar thought “There is little that is ‘aged’ about its behaviour on the road”. While a 1502 may not have been as elaborately appointed as a 3.3 Li, it was still made to the same standards. It was “a car with the supreme standards of quality we have come to expect from BMW”, at a time when vehicles with the roundel badge were a comparatively rare sight in the UK. 

By 1976, BMW ended US sales of the 2002, leaving the 1502 as the last surviving version. Production ended in July 1977 after 71,564 units. The orange example sold by The Garrison Garage - https://www.garrisongarage.co.uk/ - is a reminder of the car that, for many motorists, was their first BMW.  

As one advertisement put it, the 1502 was “Every inch a BMW – but compact”. 

With Thanks to Garrison Garage for their time. 

With thanks to Garrison Garage for their permission to use the pictures in this blog.