Chassis no. 1558366 | First registered 22 April 1970

Highlights
-The Prototype, very first 2002 cabriolet built
-Only 200 produced
-Fully restored in Germany

The very first example of a model that would become one of the most elusive open BMWs ever produced.This BMW 2002 Cabriolet is not merely rare — it is the prototype, the original car from which all subsequent 2002 Cabriolets were derived. Confirmed by factory records and period coachbuilder documentation, it represents a cornerstone in BMW open-top history.

Model & Historical Significance

The BMW 2002 occupies a foundational place in the brand’s history, widely regarded as the car that established BMW’s reputation for compact, sporting saloons. Far less known — and exponentially rarer — is the 2002 Cabriolet, a model never mass-produced by BMW itself.

Instead, open versions of the 2002 were executed in period by Carrosserie Baur, BMW’s long-standing coachbuilding partner. Built in extremely limited numbers in the early 1970s (approximately 200 examples in total), these cars were effectively hand-crafted conversions, combining factory engineering with bespoke coachbuilt craftsmanship.

Among this already microscopic production, this car stands alone: it is the very first BMW 2002 Cabriolet ever constructed.

The Prototype – Why This Example Is Unique

The first BMW 2002 Cabriolet built
Prototype status confirmed
Chassis number: 1558366
Production date: April 1970
First registration: 22 April 1970

Above: No opening quarter lights on this model (correct as steeper front windscreen), also needs earlier elipsoid style mirror.

This car is supported by exceptional documentation, including:
Period correspondence from Carrosserie Baur, confirming its status as the first cabriolet.

Written confirmation from BMW Classic (December 2016), explicitly identifying chassis 1558366 as the very first BMW 2002 CabrioletIts original Kraftfahrzeugbrief (German registration document), dating from 1970, documenting successive ownership from new.

The Kraftfahrzeugbrief lists four recorded owners, the final being Frank Wingenhoff, who owned the car from 1980 until the commencement of its restoration in 2015 — a remarkably long-term custodianship that speaks to the car’s significance.

Restoration & Condition

Between 2015 and 2016, the car underwent a no-compromise, nut-and-bolt restoration by Holucar Oldtimer Restoration, a highly regarded German specialist.

The restoration was executed with a clear emphasis on correctness, quality, and long-term preservation:
Complete body restoration with fully renewed paintwork
All chrome elements restored
Interior comprehensively retrimmed:
Seats
Door panels
Convertible hood
Hood cover
Retention of original components wherever possible

Crucially, the car retains:
Original radio
Original instrumentation
Original dashboard
Original steering wheel

Presented today in red with a black leather interior and black convertible hood, the car offers a timeless and period-correct specification.

Mileage & Mechanical Status

Odometer reading: 37,676 km
Approximately 1,000 km driven since restoration
The car has seen extremely limited use post-restoration and remains in excellent, near-as-new condition

Prior to delivery, the car will be fully serviced, ensuring it is ready for careful use or immediate inclusion in a collection.

Documentation & Provenance:

Few classic BMWs — and almost no coachbuilt prototypes — are accompanied by documentation of this depth and clarity:
Original 1970 Kraftfahrzeugbrief
Continuous ownership trace
BMW Classic written confirmation
Period coachbuilder correspondence
Restoration documentation

This level of provenance elevates the car far beyond even the rarest standard 2002 Cabriolets.

Collectability & Market Position

Prototype cars with factory and coachbuilder confirmation almost never surface on the open market. As awareness grows around early BMW coachbuilt models, and as historically significant examples disappear into long-term collections, opportunities to acquire a car of this stature are becoming increasingly rare.

This BMW 2002 Cabriolet Prototype is:
A museum-grade reference car
A cornerstone piece for a serious BMW or coachbuilt collection
Eligible for top-tier concours, exhibitions, and marque-focused events

A once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire the very first BMW 2002 Cabriolet ever built.Combining unmatched historical importance, exceptional documentation, and a world-class restoration, this prototype stands as one of the most significant BMW 2002s in existence.

For Sale here (April 2026); 1970 BMW 2002 – Cabriolet – The Prototype | Classic Driver Market

Above: My 2002 Tii and George’s 2002

Above: E21 with E30 2.0L sounded good

Above: Lambo – a pig to start when cold, so the owner told me

Above: Under it’s own steam

Above: 1 of 2 Tigers there

Extremely rare; Alpina E28 B10 3.5 (Yes please)

Above: The Graduate?

Above: Rolls Royce Boat-tail, stunning

Above: A brace of rare Escort RS1600i, fore runner for the XR3i

Above: Lovely modified TR6

Above: Nice Patina

Above: Never seen one, Rover P4 Convertible

Above: Twin Cam Escort MK1

Above: A brace of Lambos

BMW 2002 sits lower than the normal M10 four-cylinder BMW engined car

Key Facts – Porsche EA425 (Projekt 425)

• Developed in the mid-1970s
• Based on the BMW 2002
• Powered by a Volkswagen-derived inline-four
• Initially carried out without BMW’s knowledge
• Known internally as “Projekt 425”

At the time, Porsche was working closely with Volkswagen on what was internally known as Projekt 425. The aim was to replace the ageing Porsche 914, but rather than evolve the existing formula, Porsche made a bold decision move away from its traditional rear-engined layout and develop a front-engined sports car for the first time.

Development didn’t progress smoothly. The 1973 fuel crisis hit just as the project was gaining momentum, significantly impacting demand for sports cars. As a result, Projekt 425 was temporarily shelved before being revived roughly a year later.

When work resumed, Porsche and Volkswagen faced a new challenge: secrecy. A front-engined Porsche represented a major shift in philosophy, and they were keen to keep it under wraps. Their solution was clever hide the new mechanical package inside the body of a completely different car.

A BMW 2002 was purchased and stripped of its original engine and drivetrain. In its place, Porsche installed a 2.0-litre, water-cooled Volkswagen engine along with its own transmission setup. Beyond the obvious benefit of camouflage, the 2002 also provided a practical solution Porsche simply didn’t have an existing front-engined platform suitable for testing, and converting an existing car was far quicker than developing a bespoke mule.

Alongside the BMW, an Opel Manta was also used in a similar capacity.

Internally, the disguised BMW became known as EA425. The “EA” designation marked its transition into an officially recognised development programme, and by all accounts, the setup worked remarkably well. Testing continued for around a year, running in parallel with the design and engineering of what would ultimately become the Porsche 924.

Not the Only BMW Porsche Experimented With

Interestingly, this wasn’t the only time Porsche used a BMW as a test platform.

In the late 1990s, Ferdinand Piëch one of the most influential figures in both Porsche and Volkswagen history pushed forward development of the W-configuration engine. This unusual layout effectively combines two narrow-angle V engines on a single crankshaft, allowing for a more compact package and greater displacement within a smaller engine bay.

To test a W10 prototype, Piëch had it installed in an BMW M5 (E39), which he reportedly used as a daily driver for a period.

The result was a seriously quick “Frankenstein” BMW, producing around 500 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. While no official 0–60 mph time was ever recorded, it was widely believed to be significantly quicker than the standard E39 M5, which managed the sprint in approximately 4.8 seconds.

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Please note that, because these are original Weber exploded diagrams, they are predominantly in English. However, a number are in Italian, French or German and will need to be translated.

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This car is visually a homage to the Gr2 Jägermeister 02´s back in the -70´s, but with a twist… It has a BMW S36b36 engine from a E34 M5 squeezed in, and rear wings from a 3.0 CSL Batmobile. Only built for fun, and not actual racing, since no regulation would allow it i any class.

The car has gone through many phases over the years. Back in 2002 when I first saw it at a local 02-meet here in Sweden, it was red, had Turbo arches and a M106 engine with a Bi-Turbo setup and 600 Hp!

Before that it had an M20b23 engine and then a M30b35.

I totally fell in love, because it was exactly how I imagined a 02 build I wanted to do already back in -91 when I had my first 2002Tii… I then over the years followed the guy who had built it, saw the changes he did, asked him now and then if I could buy it, but always with the answer ”I´ll never sell this one”…

But finally in Sept -24, he called me! ”I´m thinking of selling the Jägermeister 02, are you still interested?” The next day it was mine! ;D

Since I bought it, I have done some small changes here and there to make it more ”mine”. Cleaning out the trunk of old cables and shit not in use, painted the trunk black, installed window wiper washer and license plate lights, and got it through the Swedish tests to get it road legal again!

Recipe, to my understanding: (since I didn´t build it myself, and the guy who built it didn´t remember everything he´s done…)

Tii struts modified to Bilstein coil overs with 5 bolt hubs and brakes from e28 535 (324 mm discs)

BMW e21 steering rack

Rear trailing arms from e34

Rear hubs and brakes from e34 535 (298 mm discs)

210 LSD diff and drive shafts from e34 M5

All bushings in aluminium

Getrag 265/6

Slightly tuned S38b36 engine with carbon intake and redline raised to 9000 rpm

Engine moved back approx 13 cm

Radiator and battery moved to the rear

Electrical fans for the radiator

BBS 16 by 8” wheels with Khumo R tyres 225/45/16 front, 245/45/16 rear

Exhaust tunnel in the floor to get the muffler higher for some more clearance under the car

Electric valve to change the exhausts to a side pipe. Then i bypasses the last muffler and exits just in front of the rear wheel on the passenger side…

Recaro LX seats

Ace Well 7659 Dash

Cooler Worx shifter

Original pedal box

Roll cage

No back seat, dampening or carpet

Fiber glass hood

Fiber glass trunk with 3.0 CSL Batmobile wing

3.0 CSL Batmobile roof spoiler to direct air down to the intake on trunk lid for cooling

Fiber glass passenger door

Weight 1090 Kg

Weight balance 52/48 (better than an original 02 which has 54/46)

Homemade 25 mm sway bars

It´s extremely analogue to drive, brutal acceleration and just pure fun! Nothing for the purist though… 😉

I´m also renovating/building my own 02 since a couple of years back, even more customized. Also with a big 6, 265/6, 210 LSD, big brakes, carbon fibre doors, hood and trunk, and all kinds of shit on it. But that could maybe be for another story later… 😉

Instagram @bmw02m30b35