Taking a break from muscle cars and chopped lowriders, Jay Leno embarks the game-changing BMW 2002
The BMW 2002 was born out of the bright minds of Alexander von Flakenhausen and Helmut Werner Bönsch. The former was the engineer credited with BMW's revival while the latter was, at that time, product planning director at BMW.
Coincidence or not, each of them had his own 1600-2 fitted with a 2.0-liter engine as an aftermarket solution to the car's original 1.6-liter engine and forwarded a joint proposal to the BMW board, asking them to produce the 2002.
The request was granted, and the 2002 got two engine outputs: the single-carburated version also considered the entry-level choice had 110 hp, while the double-carburetor 2002 ti made 119 hp.
Later in 1973, BMW introduced its first turbocharged model – the 2002 Turbo. It delivered 170 hp at 5,800 rpm and 240 Nm (180 lb-ft) of torque.
Now, the car Jey Leno drives is (tastefully) modified by Marc Norris, founder of the Bavarian Workshop and we're sure you can spot the trademark BMW turbo wheel flares, and the spoked rims, but under the hood hides BMW's S14 motorsport engine found inside the iconic E30 M3.
Yes, that engine. And you can totally enjoy it in the video below.