BMW 2002s regularly receive all the love from gearheads these days, but there are more models of that era that deserve some attention, like this 1600 which is essentially the model that saved BMW.

The BMW 1600 ‘Neue Classe’, which stands for New Class, was among the models the company launched in order to save the brand from its financial woes.

This little four-door sedan not only saved BMW, but also led the company into the successful path they’re still on to this day leading the way to the creation of the 5-Series saloon.

Petrolicious features a tastefully modded 1966 BMW 1600, owned by Jim Huff. “I was seeking knowledge, and trying to find one,” he said.

“This car gets used in several ways. It does highway runs, it gets driven on the backroads of California quite a bit,” he says. “In my own right, with a group of friends that drive Alfas, Porsches, you name it—we drive the backroads alone, once or twice a month. This car’s geared to hang.”

It may not be original nor stayed true to the executive sportiness of the original but this BMW is still being used as its creators intended.

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