BMW 2002 Hommage Concept: Turbomeister Edition

It was in 1972 that Jägermeister, maker of one of Germany's most popular alcoholic drinks, started sponsoring motorsports in a major way in an effort that continued through the year 2000. Set apart by their characteristic orange color, Jägermeister-liveried race cars often dominated the international racing circuits, and today they’re sought-after collectibles. So you can understand why BMW decided to show off its recent 2002 Hommage concept in the classic theme. Meet the Turbomeister.

The 2002 Hommage originally debuted a few months ago at the Concorso d'Eleganza in Villa d'Este near Como, Italy; essentially a rebodied M2 coupe, it evokes the spirit and style of the 2002 Turbo, the most extreme member of the 2002 species. That historical precursor of the M2 sold in low numbers and offered a somewhat discordant driving experience, but in its time, it underscored BMW's willingness to experiment with new technologies. Remarkably, it also triggered a debate in Germany's parliament, where many bemoaned the aggression signaled by the "Turbo" inscription on the front spoiler: The word was applied backward so it could be read in the rearview mirror of the vehicle blocking the lane ahead. The message was clear: “Get out of the way.”

The inverted letters made it to the first 2002 Hommage and now reappear on the Turbomeister, but the Jägermeister logo and name are nowhere to be found. Munich says there is no immediate historic precedent for a 2002 Turbo Jägermeister, and that is true: The Jägermeister livery was applied to other BMWs, such as early 3-series models, and the 2011 M3 GTS was internally referred to as “Jägermeister.” But there indeed was no Jägermeister-liveried 2002 Turbo.

The car nevertheless looks awesome. Beyond the new paint job, the 2002 Hommage carries over without changes from the Villa d'Este concept. And that's perfect: From the "negative" front kidneys to the Corvair-inspired beltline to the asymmetrically located logo in the rear, this styling study is an inspired and fascinating extrapolation of the 2002 Turbo theme. The taillights are rectangular and horizontal, as BMW resisted the urge to re-create the cutesy round taillights of early '02 models.

BMW has used Pebble Beach to preview actual production cars before. We suspect the Turbomeister isn’t one such case, and that's a real pity. Regardless, we'll drink to BMW for an outstanding effort.