The BMW 1502 occupies a specific and often overlooked corner of BMW history: the last derivative of the E6 02-series, conceived under the shadow of the 1973 oil embargo and introduced at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. KK Scale's die-cast 1:18 model in green gives this austerity-era saloon the shelf presence it rarely receives.
The Final Member of BMW's 02 Family
The 02-series — BMW's internal designation E6 — ran from 1966 to 1977 and established the template for affordable, driver-focused compact saloons from Munich. The 1502 arrived at the Paris Motor Show in late 1974 as the most accessible and fuel-efficient model in the range, equipped with a 1499 cc M10 inline-four and a single Solex carburettor producing 75 PS (55 kW). The 0–100 km/h sprint took approximately 13 seconds — modest by sporting standards, but that was precisely the point. Production ran from 1975 until the 02-series line closed in 1977.
Built for a World Running Low on Fuel
The 1502's origins are inseparable from the 1973 oil crisis, which forced European manufacturers to recalibrate their ranges almost overnight. BMW's answer was to fit the familiar two-door 02 body — 4220 mm long, 1590 mm wide, riding a 2500 mm wheelbase — with the smallest available M10 unit. The result was visually indistinguishable from its more powerful siblings, including the 2002 ti and tii. Unlike those performance variants, the 1502 was never campaigned in motorsport; it remained a pure road car throughout its production life, which gives it a quieter, more domestic character within the 02 lineage.
KK Scale's Die-Cast Interpretation in 1:18
KK Scale produces this model in die-cast metal at 1:18, a format that suits the clean, uncluttered lines of the 02-series body particularly well. The green finish references the period colour palette available to 02-series buyers in the mid-1970s, when factory greens were a common choice on European saloons. The combination of a well-proportioned body shell and a purposeful, understated colour makes this a model that reads clearly on a shelf without competing for attention through exaggerated detail or livery complexity.
Placing It in the Collection
This 1:18 BMW 1502 pairs naturally with other 02-series die-cast models — the 1602, 1802 and 2002 variants share the same body architecture and make a coherent generational group. It also sits comfortably alongside contemporary BMW road cars of the early-to-mid 1970s, such as the E9 coupés, creating a snapshot of the Munich range at the moment the oil crisis reshaped it. For collectors building a narrative around European austerity-era motoring or the full arc of BMW compact history, the 1502 provides a bookend that no other current 1:18 maker has yet addressed.
