Winter is coming! So far it’s been an abnormally mild fall here in Colorado, with only a few light dustings of snow foreshadowing the cold and darkness that is to come. For auto enthusiasts short on garage space, this is an ominous time, as heated storage space becomes worth its square footage in gold.
Such a necessity put a fellow CCA member named Ben in touch with me. He was looking for a place to store his 1972 2000 Touring. I happened to have a few extra parking spots in my side-business hangar, and could use the extra rent money, so it worked out for both of us.
As I got to know Ben and his car, the story of both became quite captivating. I had seen Ben’s 1972 Inka Orange 2000 Touring over the years at BMW events and as a regular at Cars and Coffee, but I never knew how he acquired it. The 02 series was the shorter, lighter, two-door spin-off of the Neue Klasse sedans that cemented the BMW brand for a generation of American enthusiasts; the Touring was a hatchback version, and sold in relatively smaller numbers than the neat and tidy three-box sedans.
Ben’s Touring was originally purchased at Pieler in Munich by an American service member in Germany, and then imported when he returned to the States. According to Ben’s research, it was likely one of the first five Tourings to be imported. Ben’s father, Denis (who had a two-digit CCA member number and was a founding member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter), first saw it in 1975 while driving his own Malaga 2002tii. He followed it for miles until the original owner finally pulled over and a friendship was made. Two years later, in 1977, Denis purchased it and used it as his daily driver for the next decade and a half. The five-digit kilometer odometer turned over several times in that time.
Ripping around in the 2000 Touring with his father was a defining element of Ben’s childhood. In February of 1980 it even made the cover of Roundel.
The Touring shortly after Denis purchased it in 1977
Then, in 1991, due to a divorce, Denis stashed it with another BMW club member named Steve. A few years later, Denis passed away—along with the secret location of the Touring!
Fast-forward to 2012, when a chance phone call changed everything. Ben’s sister was working as an events coordinator at Winter Park Resort when Steve happened to call to inquire about hosting a BMW Club autocross there. When his sister mentioned that her dad was active in the BMW CCA, dots were connected, and Steve replied, “Hey, I have his car. Would you like it back?”
Shortly after that, Ben made the trip to Steve’s, and there was the Touring—as it had been sitting for twenty years. Ben changed all of the fluids, installed a new fuel pump and battery, and turned the key. It started! After two decades, Ben and the Touring were reunited.
Ben has driven the car and maintained it regularly since then, sharing the experience with his kids. When the head needed rebuilding, a custom 292 camshaft was installed, along with dual Weber DCOE carburetors. An E21 limited-slip differential and rear brakes followed, along with H&R springs and Bilstein sport shocks. Inside, it has a 2002 Turbo instrument cluster and Recaro seats from a MKII Volkswagen Jetta GLI.
At present, the Touring has a few thousand kilometers over 300,000 and is still going strong; I was shocked when I heard the actual number!
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time admiring Ben’s Touring since it has been in my hangar. I appreciated it most when it was parked next to a 1972 Verona Red 2002tii. The hatchback form suits the 02 series very well. In fact, I think I prefer it to the sedan—but that opinion is from an E30 Touring and M coupe owner. Thin bumpers, “roundie” taillights, and other rare bits that those well-versed in 02 nuance will notice certainly help the overall impression of the car—but that’s not what makes Ben’s Touring special. What makes it special is its story.
Old-school Motorsport roundel
Old-school Rocky Mountain Chapter sticker
My dad’s MG Midget followed a similar story arc. He bought it new in 1972 and drove it daily for several decades. Like Ben’s, my childhood is filled with memories of ripping around with Dad in that Midget. When my parents got divorced in the late ’80s, the Midget was tucked away and remained dormant for several decades. Then, when my dad passed away, the Midget came to me, and I resurrected it. When I drive it, I experience a tactile connection with those memories—and with my father.
I have no doubt that Ben has the same experience. The difference is that in every way my Midget is terrible, Ben’s Touring is fantastic. The difference between both cars is staggering. Both will leave a faint odor of gasoline and old-car smell on your clothes after a long drive, but whereas my Midget is largely a novelty, Ben’s Touring is a car that you can drive every day in the modern world and not hate. It’s fast, athletic, comfortable, and honest. With the perspective of today, it’s clearly evident why BMW became so successful.—Alex McCulloch
Ben in 1976
Ben’s Touring today
