1973 BMW 2002 Touring

In production for just four years between 1971 and 1974, BMW's 2002 Touring was an interesting - if ultimately unsuccessful - experiment by the Munich company to market a more practical variation on the traditional saloon. Based on the highly regarded '02 series, an exceptionally well engineered compact sporting saloon boasting an overhead camshaft 2-litre engine to give willing performance while a traditional front engine/rear drive layout with MacPherson struts at the front and semi-trailing arms at the rear provided surefooted handling. The original Wilhelm Hofmeister styling was adapted by Italian coachbuilder Michelotti to provide the Touring model's three-door hatchback shape, with the rear seats folding flat to provide impressive load carrying capacity. Although the 2002 Touring fell short of expectations in terms of sales figures, it was the forerunner of the hatchback versions of the Three-Series that sold well in the 1990s and its rarity has virtually guaranteed interest from collectors today.