Following its September 1973 facelift, BMW’s 1602 and 2002 got a new option package to sustain sales and interest. An initiative of American automotive executive Bob Lutz, the new “L” variant was offered from April 1974, and it brought unprecedented luxury to the small two-doors.

The “L” variant was noteworthy for its interior appointments. The four-spoke steering wheel was borrowed from the E12 5 Series, the carpeting was a deep velour, and the door panels got storage pockets and wood veneer trim, echoed in real maple on the dashboard, at the insistence of Lutz.

The “L” model also got more supportive seats with upgraded velour; the rear parcel shelf got the same, while the trunk was carpeted. The rear bench seat got a center armrest, and the front seats were equipped with automatic three-point seat belts. A rear-window defroster was standard, along with intermittent windshield wipers, headlamp wipers, and a lockable gas cap.

It’s estimated that 1,200 were built for the European market only. The exact number is unknown.

To enthusiasts like owner Mike Ura, the “Lux” has high appeal. He’s owned the car you see here for 24 years, having bought it to commemorate his 40th birthday, and the start of his BMW journey some 20 years before that. In 1994, Ura found 2002 tii L #2735488 for sale in Houston. The car had been imported by Bruce McMaken, returning from service in Germany with the US military. It was mechanically perfect, needing only two new fenders and a fresh coat of Fjord paint to be in similar cosmetic condition. “Otherwise, the car is completely original and has only required normal maintenance,” Ura says. He drove #2735488 regularly for the next 20 years, taking it to BMW CCA Oktoberfests from Keystone 2002 to Beaver Creek 2015. After that, Ura delivered it to the BMW CCA Foundation, and in 2021 he donated it to the permanent collection.

This car was on display at the Foundation up until we started our exhibitions. We brought it back for the ICON exhibition in 2018.

This car is currently housed at Thunder Bunny Racing in Greenville, South Carolina.