In 1966, after two years of the introduction of the “New Class Sedan” in the BMW lineup, a more affordable version was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show: the 1600-2 coupe.
While it was known mostly as 1600, the -2 characters meant that the car featured two doors. Even if the general design concept was similar to the bigger brother 1600, it featured a different style. The lead designer was Wilhelm Hofmeister, the man responsible for that particular shape of the C-pillars in all the BMW vehicles since the mid-’60s. A Baur cabriolet version was offered to the market and in 1971 a so-called Touring version in the form of a three-door hatchback was on the sales list. The Touring was produced only a year due to its very low sales.

With a low height, a balanced design, and a tall greenhouse, the 1600 coupe was light, nimble and affordable. Its two round headlights were standard but some versions were offered with four round headlights. The interior was cramped for four occupants but offered enough room for two in the front.

The engine was taken from the 1600 model with four doors, but with a different carburetor. It was mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox. It offered only 96 hp. A year later, a new version was introduced: the 1600 TI that offered 110 hp. It was a revelation for the light, 960 kg (2,116 lbs) car. A 3-speed automatic was offered as an option. For some markets, the little 1600 received a 2.0-liter engine since 1971