Maybe, Just Maybe.

Just prior to 2002, Bimmer enthusiasts the world over prayed that maybe, just maybe BMW would honor the year by re-releasing the legendary 2002. There were even rumors that the original casts for the body of the 2002 were found, and that BMW was seriously considering re-releasing the identical car with an updated engine and interior. Fans of the 2002 were going ballistic.

As 2002 arrived, two things happened and one big thing didn’t. Much to the chagrin of true Bimmerphiles, BMW was deeply focused on the launch of the new MINI—which obviously turned out to be a good thing. Then BMW released a concept car called the CS1, it was touted as the spiritual successor to the 2002. However, everyone was much more focused on designer Chris Bangle’s controversial “flame-surface” approach to BMW’s new lines. Bottom line, the year 2002 came and went without the re-release of any like unto a 2002.

Now 40 years after the original US release of the 2002, BMW is finally claiming that the successor has arrived to North American shores. This successor has come in the form of the new 1 Series.
The 1 Series hatch has been a fixture in BMW’s European line up for a few years now, but the combination of this car and the 335i’s amazing new bi-turbo engine here in the States is something worth noting. When I saw the pics of the new 135i, I actually felt like maybe they were telling the truth—maybe, just maybe the re-release of the 2002 has finally arrived.

Visually, this car looks like the muscular, little offspring of an M3 and a 2002. In fact, as I was cropping the pic for this post, my daughter saw it and said, “Hey, it’s Tessa’s car!” Which is what she calls our red 2002 for some reason. Performance- wise, this thing is gonna be a WRX-killer. The tuner crowd isn’t gonna know what hit them. The current 335i is already faster than the previous M3 CSL; one can only imagine that this engine in a lighter body will pack an even more powerful punch.

So yes, I want to drive it. It looks amazing in red—it’d be even more awesome if BMW released the thing in orange. I guess the next question is, do they dare come out with an M1 version of this car? Doubt it. Now if they’d just called the thing a 2 Series, I don’t think there’d be any question.