BMW launched the 2002 back in 1968, and it stayed in production until 1976. During its short life span, the 2002 saw three different “generations” and enjoyed great success. Of course, the Turbo version was the best you could get, but even the base version enjoyed a lot of attention. People were instantly in love with the tiny sports coupe and, even now, the 2002 is still considered one of the best and most iconic BMW models ever built. So, you shouldn'y be surprised that when someone buys a 2002, they typically never let it go. Tony, the owner of this specific 2002, has own his for more than 20 years. Of course, the car he drives now has pretty much nothing in common with the car BMW launched in the 1970s, but all the changes he made improved the car's look and performance a lot.

At launch, the 2002 was offered with a M10 engine that delivered a total of 125 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. Tony decided he wants something more powerful, so he replaced the standard M10 with the more powerful M20 borrowed from a 325i E30. The engine itself received a few improvements, including the addition of a new turbocharger, and with 19 pounds of boost, it is able to deliver a total of 420 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. However, for safety reasons, the car runs at seven pounds of boost and delivers a little under 300 horsepower – which is still a lot more than the standard output. When you consider the 2002 only weighs 2,100 pounds, the power-to-weight ratio is more than impressive: 0.315 hp/kg. The gearbox was also borrowed from the E30 3 Series.

It's not only the engine that was updated. The entire body has been reinforced and the standard paint was replaced with a Marlboro livery. The car rides on 15-inch BBS wheels finished in gold and combined with new, more powerful brakes - required to stop all that power. The owner also opted for updated suspension with coilovers and Bilstein shocks for both front and rear. The interior was also updated with sportier Recaro seats borrowed from the same E30 model, while the entire cabin is trimmed in a very cool Tobacco leather.

With all the changes, and even with just 300 horsepower under the hood, this updated 2002 – which has now become the 2002 Turbo - acts like a little beast and catches a lot of attention when taken out on the road.