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The half-strengths - BMW 2002, Audi 80 GT, Escort RS 2000 and Ascona 19 SR in a (historical) comparison test

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Created in 1973

Text:

Jürgen Rapp

Photos:

sport auto

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The half-strengths - BMW 2002, Audi 80 GT, Escort RS 2000 and Ascona 19 SR in a (historical) comparison test

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BMW 2002 ti (1971) - A powerful engine with 120 hp

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BMW 2002 (1974) - The windshield wiper arms are painted black to prevent glare

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BMW 2002 (1974) - The trapezoidal recesses in the rims allow optimum cooling of the brakes

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BMW 2002 (1974) - Bumper strip protects the sheet metal

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BMW 2002 tii (1972) - with fuel injection 130 hp

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BMW 2002 tii (1972) - 130 hp thanks to Kugelfischer injection, 190 km/h and 9.4 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h

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BMW 2002 tii (1972) - handling of a real sports car and comfort of a family sedan

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BMW 2000 tii Touring (1971) - Cockpit

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BMW 2000 tii Touring (1971) - Engine compartment

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BMW 2000 tii (1971) - The engine produced 130 hp from two liters

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BMW 2002 (1971) - Transparent drawing

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - at full speed

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - sporty rounding off of the 80 series

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - to continue an old tradition

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - with black rally stripe

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - with alloy wheels

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - View of the checkered seat covers

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - sporty perforated spoke steering wheel

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1973

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Audi 80 GT (1973) - new top model with 100 hp and a top speed of 175 km/h - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1973

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Audi 80 GT - 100 hp from a displacement of 1.5 liters - at the 1974 Geneva Motor Show

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1973) - lies like a board on the road

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1973) - probably from German production

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1973) - with two-liter engine and specific livery

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1972) - racing on the road

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1974) - grippy steering wheel and complete dashboard

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1974) - Gearshift seats with plenty of lateral support

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1973) - Advertising - not only built for rally drivers

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Ford Escort RS 2000 (1974) - in advertising - an alternative to the ordinary

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Opel Ascona SR (1971) - the 19 SR variant with 1.9-liter engine

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Opel Ascona SR (1971) - available with 1.6 and 1.9 liter engines

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Opel Ascona 16 SR (1971) - The trunk holds 560 liters

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Opel Ascona 19 SR (1971) - Sporty family car

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Opel Ascona 19 SR (1971) - sports car feeling in an everyday car

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Opel Ascona Voyage SR (1971) - Station wagon on sporty alloy wheels

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Opel Ascona 19 (1973) - As a two-door model

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Opel Ascona 19 SR (1975) - Here with headrests

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Opel Ascona (1971) - Cockpit

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Summary

The era of sporty saloons began with the BMW 2002. Opel launched its first attacks on the Munich-based domain with its Ascona 19 SR, followed belatedly by Ford with the Escort RS 2000. Audi was the last to push for a place in the 100 hp society with the 80 GT. In 1973 a comparison test checked whether the newcomer from Ingolstadt could catch up with or even overtake its earlier competitors.

This article contains the following chapters

Up to 170 hp as standard in the BMW 2002
Little space in the Escort for rear-seat passengers
Little lateral support on the seats of the Audi 80 GT
Laminated glass only standard for the Escort
The BMW has the most to drag
The Escort drove away from everyone else
Conclusion of the engine evaluation:
German-Amis with a simple chassis
Conclusion of the road tests

Estimated reading time: 14min

Preview (beginning of the article)

It was market strategists at BMW, "niche Paul" Hahnemann in particular, who discovered and exploited a gap in the market for compact and powerful family saloons. Purebred sports cars are suitable for convinced bachelors and emancipation-hungry ladies, but only vehicles with several seats satisfy both sporting ambitions and the space requirements of a family father - see BMW 2002: the 4.25 meter long and 100 hp two-door model also offers children freedom of movement in the rear. A good-sized trunk is available for vacation trips. Compact and handy as it is, the small BMW is also suitable as a practical city car, which is particularly appreciated by young-at-heart family mothers. With its modern chassis (McPherson struts at the front, semi-trailing arm suspension at the rear) and the lively yet powerful two-liter engine, the 2002 was also able to satisfy all those men who had given up their bachelorhood but still wanted to enjoy the feeling of a sports car from time to time. For those for whom 100 hp was not enough, BMW initially offered 120 and later even 130 hp in the ti and tii versions.

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