1975 BMW 2002 - 2002 Baur Cabriolet

One of only 2,290 Baur Cabriolets built

Part of the consignor’s collection since 2013

Restored by a BMW employee

A Targa proven on numerous classic rallies

With the 1973 facelift, the successful 02 Series received a fresh face. Rectangular rear lights, a black plastic kidney grille and revised bumpers gave the BMW a more modern appearance – and, of course, open-air motoring remained on the menu. The Baur Cabriolet kept pace with the production saloons and received all the same updates.

The 2002, with its two-litre four-cylinder engine producing 100 hp, continued to serve as the sole basis. That was quite enough to give the open car suitably brisk performance and live up to its sporting aspirations. Only 2,290 examples were built by 1975. Today, the Baur Cabriolet ranks among the rarest variants of the 02 Series – distinctive, practical and unmistakably Seventies.

This late 2002 Targa was first registered on 21 May 1975 and then simply used as intended. In 2005, it moved from Hamburg to Saarbrücken, where it was registered with historic plates until being taken off the road in November. It appears to have subsequently made its way to Lower Bavaria. Invoices indicate that the Targa was extensively restored there by a BMW employee from Dingolfing. The work was rounded off with a fresh roadworthiness inspection in February 2010 at 36,496 kilometres.

The consignor acquired the Targa in May 2013, when its odometer showed around 36,800 kilometres. Over the following years, the 2002 was used primarily on classic-car rallies, covering almost 8,000 kilometres in the consignor’s hands. It became a much-used classic: rare and therefore a welcome sight wherever it went, brisk enough with its 100 hp and, above all, absolutely reliable. The regular servicing and maintenance carried out since 2014 have undoubtedly played their part.

The advantages of the Targa hardly need explaining: the pleasures of open-air motoring combined with rarity and enough power to make proper use of it. It is precisely these qualities that make the 2002 Baur Cabriolet one of the most popular variants of the series. But how often does one find a solid 2002 Targa like this, particularly in Fjord Blue Metallic and complemented by original alloy wheels and a sports steering wheel?