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Journal: What Do You Think Of The BMW 2002 Hommage Concept?

What Do You Think Of The BMW 2002 Hommage Concept?

By Michael Banovsky
May 20, 2016
32 comments

Photography courtesy of BMW

The small BMW is back, finally. (Sort of.) It’s been some 50 years since BMW lifted the veil on its ‘02’ series of sporting, practical, and groundbreaking cars. Just unveiled at Italy’s Concours Villa d’Este—we’ll have more from the event soon—BMW used the venue to present its homage to its historic range of cars. This is the 2002 Hommage Concept, so naturally, your first question should be: when can I drive it?

Answer: not for a while. Sadly, at the moment it’s a non-running prototype, at least insofar as having the latest and greatest engine technology despite BMW mentioning the car was inspired by its history with turbocharged engines.

As with all of its Hommage concepts, BMW’s styling, design, and engineering teams are somehow able to intelligently reinterpret many older details in new and exciting ways. For instance, the paintwork on the top of the car is matte (reducing driver glare) while the bulging, sculpted fenders are treated to a metallic finish; both are the same shade of light blue paint.

Since it’s all about styling, what’s your favorite part? Can you spot all of the details that pay homage to BMW’s early 2002 models—and race cars? (Personally, I think BMW spent a lot of time reimagining Radu Muntean’s 2002…)

Tags BMW/ BMW 2002/ German
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Utkarsh Shetty
Utkarsh Shetty
6 years ago

Look at the original one, it looks tough… It can be taken to a rally straight… not this one, this is to sit in a garage.

0
A Dias
A Dias
7 years ago

The original is a classic. This new model is a caricature.

2
Joseph stepancic
Joseph stepancic
7 years ago

If this is intended to be a modern interpretation of the the 2002 Turbo, then what is the M2 supposed to be?
What I like:
-the rear end is nice. I know its supposed to be a turbo homage, but I’d like to see it as a roundie. I like when front and tail lights share the same overall shape.

-front fenders. I like how the designers incorporated that vent on top of the fender to mimic originals amber reflector.

-belt line. follow that vent all the way to the tails and you’ve got a trademark BMW high belt line.

What I don’t like:

-Chrome. Would have loved to seen that belt line and grills in chrome.

-Chin. They really need to do a little nip/tuck on this one.

-Vents in doors. we know the handles are back there, but you’re making some think its mid engine and needs extra cooling.

-Color- Fjord blue is classic, but it should have been colorado orange.

But the best part of all are the lights- I know we’ve had double projectors on each side now for generations, but It’s nice to see single headlights on either side come back. would love to see more.

A couple of weeks and we could be looking at a next gen 2 series….

0
Carrera5
Carrera5
7 years ago

BMW tried too hard and it looks like it got out of hand. If anything, it has more in common with the E30 M3 rather than to 2002. I’ve owned many BMWs back in the years but outside of the new M2, it’s just sales and lease volume for BMW.
I8 OK. is cool. too. That’s it.

0
Jared
Jared
7 years ago

When will the “angry car” phase come to an end? Gandini’s wedge suffers so much when taken to the extremes that modern designers have been paid to produce. Designers try to insert these aggressive angles into every feature of the car and their products begin to all look the same. I’d like to see more cars that have simple themes with nuance. Shock-and-awe loses its impact when it’s attached to something trying to be “relevant”.

4
JB21
JB21
7 years ago

Most of all, like everything else today, it’s totally a wrong size.

1
Joshua Seidenberg
Joshua Seidenberg
7 years ago

It looks like they threw something together, hoping to charge more an “homage”. I don’t like it at all. Are we sure it’s not a bite size transformer??

0
JimC
JimC
7 years ago

Without a doubt, that is the worst homage to a classic I have ever had the misfortune to observe. Looks like a really, really cheap fibreglass chop job. I see very few lines that are traceable back to the original 2002. BMW does have some artists on their staff – I have seen some of their work!

0
karmacoma
karmacoma
7 years ago

I think it looks dope. I agree that it doesn’t resemble the original very much, and that’s fine. The original was a beautiful car, no doubt.

I do like the futuristic look BMW has taken lately though. I applaud them for going in a more modern direction than most car manufacturers who seem to all be stuck in the 90s.

0
Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago
Reply to  karmacoma

No insult intended but the fact you used the idiom ‘ dope ‘ in your comment says everything at least I need to know when it comes to your overall artistic and aesthetic sense .

PS; Get a grip … the overall design ethos of this so called homage comes straight out of the dreaded mega buck tuner car 80’s …. so errr … so much for ‘ modern ‘ . FYI the only Bimmers today that can be considered more ‘ modern ‘ than their competition are the i3 and the i8 . Everything else being the same old same old rehashed and repackaged

-1
karmacoma
karmacoma
7 years ago
Reply to  karmacoma

No offense intended, but the fact that you chose to focus on the use of a single word tells me everything I need to know about your single-mindedness.

And yes, I am a huge fan of the i8. This is a great step in that direction.

0
Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago

You know … the more I look at this and the previous travesties posing as a BMW ‘ homage ‘ concept … the more convinced I am BMW’s designers are trying look more like a Lexus [ as in the LF-A and the other ‘ F’ series ] than a BMW .

Hmmm … pardon me BMW but in light of both you and Mercedes outselling Lexus left and right … and especially Lexus’s ‘ F ‘ cars .. isn’t this more than a bit counterproductive ?

Seriously Mien Herr’s … leave the Manga School of Automotive Design aesthetics to the Japanese and stick with what you do best … which isn’t by the way .. this . Also take a page from the Motorrad division and start using outside designers/builders as well .. Trust me … y’all need the help !

0
Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago
Reply to  Guitar Slinger

Sigh …. it just hit me … BMW and Toyota/Lexus are teaming up on the new Supra / 6 series …

… this no doubt being one of the results of that matchup made within the bowls of Hades . Here’s hoping this mess does not signify a complete change of aesthetics over the entire BMW range of the future …. sigh ……

0
Brompty
Brompty
7 years ago

In what way a ‘hommage’? It looks like a fugly aftermarket body-kitted M2 with the word turbo written across the front splitter. Then again I am not that keen on the original 2002, but it was lightweight and agile rather than floor-scrapingly lowered.

1
Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago
Reply to  Brompty

” It looks like a fugly aftermarket body-kitted M2 with the word turbo written across the front splitter ”

Couldn’t of said it better myself !

0
De Dion
De Dion
7 years ago
Reply to  Brompty

Wasn’t the original 2002 Turbo a body-kitted 02 with the word turbo written across the front splitter? Fitting homage if you think about it

0
Martin Philippo
Martin Philippo
7 years ago

The car pays hommage to the 2002, which is not the same as saying that the small BMW is back.

0
Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago

It never ceases to amaze me that when it comes to BMW’s motorcycle homages they can come up with an absolute gem like this ;

http://www.bikeexif.com/bmw-r5-hommage

While when it come to their automotive homages they manage to create such vulgar , overweight and overly designed travesties such as this car in question .

Hmm … kind of say something about where the best designers are going these days … doesn’t it ?

1
Christopher Gay
Christopher Gay
7 years ago
Reply to  Guitar Slinger

The bike and the car are resultant of totally different processes from design though inception. It’s a shame, because they didn’t have to be.

0
Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago
Reply to  Guitar Slinger

Agreed Mr Gay . the biggest difference being BMW Motorrad has the sense to use outside help both designing and building their homage M/C’s [ in this case Sweden’s Unique Custom Cycles ] allowing a level of independence and creativity unavailable within the corporate structure .. [ a reality BMW Motorrad’s chief Ola Stenegard understands all too well ] …… whereas BMW Automotive insists on keeping it all in house … and dare I say it … a bit incestuous …. thereby leading to both this and the previous CSL Manga homages that in fact aren’t homages at all . More like cheaply done ill-conceived body kits for existing models

0
Terry Burke
Terry Burke
7 years ago

The Hommage bears no relation to the beautifully balanced design of the 1600/2002. Like all the new cars it is adorned with creases and indentations which deprive it of a coordinated design that pleases the eye! Unfortunately the video game design approach is prevailing in our day and age! TEB

1
HitTheApex
HitTheApex
7 years ago

The matte-painted portion looks like any new BMW, while the bottom looks like a tribute, albeit one that I don’t particularly care for. The paint should be matte or metallic throughout, to begin with. Something with the shape of the rear seems incongruent with the front to me, but I can’t quite place why. Those tail lights don’t seem fitting.

0
Dennis Spencer
Dennis Spencer
7 years ago

I personally think it suffers from the same issues all of the hommage cars suffer from. It’s too big, too wide to enjoy a narrow road, too much technology to be a driver’s car. 2002’s, Mini Coopers, Beetles, and Z’s, were small lightweight, simplistic cars of their era. This is just another trip down nostalgia lane using the 2002 as a hook to attract customers. There is nothing about this car that makes me think of a 2002 when I look at it. Not saying is isn’t beautiful and desirable, it’s just not a 2002.

0
Harrison Wade
Harrison Wade
7 years ago

I personally think that it looks absolutely stunning! I was a bit skeptical on last year’s CSL Hommage because of how the kidney grill and lights didn’t go together for me at least, but this 2002 Hommage has to be one of the best looking concepts I have seen and that’s saying a lot. I’m looking forward to seeing a moving version.

0
Mark St Clair
Mark St Clair
7 years ago

Clearly aimed to please 20 year olds. A bad mash up of contemporary style without enough nods to the original. So many other manufacturers have got it right. Mini, Nissan 250z, Fiat 500 Ford Mustang, Camaro etc. etc. BMW just don’t seem to get it and that is coming from a 2002 owner and life long BMW fan… me.

0
Ollie Ball
Ollie Ball
7 years ago
Reply to  Mark St Clair

As a 15 year old (A BMW, Porsche and classic car enthusiast), I too can say that this looks terrible.

1
John Carder
John Carder
7 years ago

I am very glad that they did a “shark nose”. Even if the grille is much shorter (top to bottom), at least it has a forward lean.

0
Bruno Lovrinov
Bruno Lovrinov
7 years ago

Oh god. Paying tribute to the car beautiful because of its simplicity with an overdesigned pile of futuristic elements. The only thing I like about it is the colour and the tail lights. And maybe, the fact that it’s still better looking than the csl hommage last year. This could have been such a beautiful car.

1
e30for30
e30for30
7 years ago

This what happens when you you get too cute with something like this:

http://www.highlightpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/image-4.jpg

I’ll pass.

0
Ethan Lance
Ethan Lance
7 years ago

I love it.

1
Leroy Brown
Leroy Brown
7 years ago

So. Much. WANT.

0
maartenp
maartenp
7 years ago

Terrible, just as bad as the CSL one last year.

0

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