BMW 1602L review

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BMW 1602L 1.6 Road Test

Test date 19 April 1975 Price as tested £2,428

For Handling and ride, equipment levels, fit and finish, large boot

Against Price, cramped in the rear, noisy, moderate performance

It is now nine years since the smallest BMW, the 1600, was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show. Autocar tested the 1600 as long ago as 1967 and since that time the car has changed surprisingly little, except that it has grown through a succession of more powerful derivatives, culminating in the 2002 Turbo.

The basic 1600, however, still develops 85bhp, just as it always has. One would not, on paper, expect to find much has changed, yet BMW is not a company to let things rest. Many detail alterations have been made in recent years.

The 1600 was removed from the British market some time ago when it became clear that the bulk of the orders fell to the more powerful 2002. Its return was spurred by the energy crisis, which stimulated demand for more economical cars and lifted the British price of the 2002 enough to justify bringing back the cheaper 1600 (re-christened 1602) at the bottom end of the range.

Indeed, to keep the entry-level BMW as cheap as possible the 1602 has been given the minimum specification commensurate with the BMW image. Those who want a more complete standard of equipment must spend the extra on the 1602L which features cloth upholstery, better interior trim and a heated rear window.