Golf Yellow and No Sunroof: A 1973 BMW 2002 Emerges for Sale

Among enthusiasts of BMW’s original sports sedan, few details carry as much weight as the shape of the tail lights. This 1973 BMW 2002 wears the earlier “roundie” rear lamps, and it pairs that sought-after feature with a factory sunroof delete — a slicktop example finished in the vivid shade known as Golf Yellow. According to the listing, the car has been offered on eBay with an asking price of $7,500 or best offer, though the seller also describes that figure as firm in the description, a small contradiction that does little to change the sense that the money being asked is reasonable for today’s market.

Long before the term “sports sedan” became a marketing staple, the 2002 helped establish the idea that a practical four-seater could still be genuinely entertaining to drive. Its standard engine was rated at 99 brake horsepower and 116 lb-ft of torque, modest numbers even by the standards of its era, but the car’s appeal came from balance and chassis feel rather than outright output. Buyers who wanted more could step up to the fuel-injected Tii, and there remains a healthy aftermarket of ways to coax extra life out of the base powerplant.

The car is said to still run and drive, and the listing acknowledges rust in places — a familiar reality for machines of this age, though the visible corrosion is presented as repairable rather than terminal. The interior looks better than many survivors of the period, and it retains original touches that frequently disappear over five decades of ownership, including the steering wheel. The presence of a five-speed manual rather than an automatic is a point in the car’s favor among purists. The car is located in North Carolina, home to The Vintage, an annual gathering that draws hundreds of BMW loyalists — the sort of event where a brightly colored 2002 would fit right in.

Values for these classics have eased somewhat from their peaks, but enthusiasm for the model has not faded. Round tail light cars in particular have long been the favorites of the 2002 faithful, and early examples also benefit from the slimmer bumpers fitted before later regulations changed the car’s face. For a buyer who has been waiting for a roundie in an appealing color, this one sits high on the desirability scale for a non-Tii car. The combination of Golf Yellow paint, no sunroof, and what appears to be an honest, mostly intact example makes it the sort of find that tends to move quickly.