BMW has brought its 2002 Hommage concept to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to celebrate the birth the history of the turbocharged car, which the company had a significant role with the 2002 turbo (from 1973) became the first production car to have a turbocharged engine.
Ten years after popularising turbocharging in passenger cars, the first Formula 1 World Championship winning car powered by a turbocharged engine was a title that BMW gained with the Brambham BT52’s BMW-developed 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo producing roughly 596kW.
The car itself, the still stunning 2002 Hommage, is mostly left the way it was when it debuted back in May at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este besides the ostentatiously orange and black paint treatment it’s been given with the words ‘Turbomeister’ present on every side of the car.
The pronounced front apron, unique ‘shark nose’ and widened body recall the homologated version of the BMW 2002 that it was created to pay tribute to using current M2 coupe underpinnings.
As far as concepts go, the BMW 2002 Hommage is one of the most beautiful and, technically, tantalisingly close to a production reality. Yes, BMW intends to have the car stay a concept but there are many elements and design cues that could easily find their way into future production cars from the now 100-year old marque.
The 2002 turbo’s legacy is strong since its birth in 1973 as nearly every car BMW currently makes utilises a turbocharged engine. Indeed, the entire automotive industry has embraced it as a way to downsize engines, lower fuel economy and reduce exhaust emissions.
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