BMW turbo anniversary victory at the start of a new era
05/07/2019
Last Saturday in Hockenheim, BMWgot the new turbo era and the "50 years of BMW Turbo Power" anniversary off to the perfect start in the DTM.
After Dieter Quester won the European Touring Car Championship in 2002 Ti exactly half a century ago, Marco Wittmann was able to build directly on the glory days of yesteryear with victory in the DTM season opener at Hockenheim. The happy driver commented: "This victory feels great. First the pole position and then the first triumph in the new turbo era: what a great start to the season!"
Naturally, BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt was also satisfied: "Today we have once again written DTM history with BMW Motorsport and clinched the first victory in the new turbo era."
BMW Classic had also brought along the civilian "turbo mother" from the museum and displayed it not only in the paddock but also on the grid. The fastest BMW in the 02 series, the legendary 2002 turbo, was presented to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1973.
An exhaust gas turbocharger, the first in a European production car, breathed an additional 40 hp (170 hp at 5800 rpm) into the already powerful fuel-injected engine of the 02 tii.
However, the turbo, which reached speeds of over 210 km/h and weighed in at 1080 kg, came onto the market during the oil crisis and therefore had to be content with being an outsider. All but eight of the 1672 vehicles produced were painted in Chamonix (white) or Polaris (silver).
The vehicle shown in the picture (above) was built in 1974 and cost exactly DM 18,720 at the time.
