ExteriorTurkis
InteriorBlack Scheel
Motor3,153 cc fuel-injected inline 6
Gearbox4-speed manual
Odometer132,400 km (~82,300 mi.)
Exterior ConditionGood (4)
Interior ConditionVery Good (3+)
DrivetrainGood (4+)
BrakesVery Good (3)
Suspension/TiresExcellent (2)
BMW M. The mere utterance of the ‘M’ which follows ‘BMW’ elevates the pulse of automotive enthusiasts. But before there was an M on any BMW nameplate there was M-Technik, a division within BMW that was dedicated to BMW’s racing program. The first of these cars was the BMW 3.0 CSL. In the hands of drivers like Sam Posey and Hans-Joachim Stuck, the CSL quickly established itself as dominant force in motorsport, winning the European Touring Car Championship and its class at Le Mans in 1973. A total of 765 CSLs were homologated, or built as street-legal road cars, in order to compete in the touring car classes. The CSL road cars differed from their CS and CSi counterparts by using thinner metal, less soundproofing, and some aluminum body parts (the parts—bonnet, boot, doors—varied according to how the car was specified by the importer). Combined with a larger motor displacement, the lighter weight CSLs took the sublime looks and modest luxury of the CS and turned it into an Autobahn beast. While they’ll never have the value of a sports-car-turned-race-car-turned-road-car (the Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS, for example), there have been examples of CSLs that have eclipsed the six-figure mark. Their racing heritage and low production numbers make them highly collectible and year-to-year increases in sale prices reflect that. Buy now and hold or enjoy on the occasional track day or club drive.

OVERALL CONDITION
This is  one of only five CSLs in the factory turkis color worldwide and one of only two known in the US. This one is the fuel-injected model with the larger 3.2 litre motor. The car underwent a total restoration by the previous owner in the mid-80s. At that time, the car was repainted and while the finish still shows very well, there are some signs of cracking and peeling up close (most notably under the door handles as pictured). There are minor chips and scratches, but no rust on the body whatsoever. It does have some corrosion underneath including a small (very small) hole in the drivers side floor pan. The right longitudinal is also getting a little soft just in front of the rear wheel. None of these are critical, but will need to be addressed down the road if you want to make this is concours car (which it definitely could be). The ‘80s restoration included a dying disco-era Recaro interior, but it was replaced by an original and correct Scheel interior in 2001. The upholstery remains as new. The wood is very good and while it shows a bit of dryness, it is still rich and warm. The dash has no cracks or warping, but tends to pop up in the passenger side corner occasionally. The motor has just received a fresh $11K rebuild and is only now completing its break-in period. Very strong obviously. The transmission was rebuilt in 2003. Many E9s have been converted to 5-speed transmissions and although the linkages are long and wide comparatively, the integrity of the original 4-speed was preserved. The proper 16″ Alpinas are shod with brand new Michelin Pilots. It is an excellent driver.

 

The car is a “Stadtpaket” (town car), so it was equipped with AC, however it’s been disconnected as it was never very effective and diminished performance. The aforementioned 80s restoration also included a top-of-the-line (for that time anyway) sound system which unfortunately placed speakers in the doors and parcel shelf. It’s not obnoxious, but certainly not correct. The toolkit is about 90% complete, but the latch cracked off so the tools have been removed from the compartment.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
This car is a lot of fun to drive. The motor is very strong and smooth, the shifting relatively crisp for 1973. The most impressive thing, to me anyway, is the handling. It’s tight, incredibly balanced and has excellent mechanical grip combined with the sticky Michelins. It’s racing provenance really shows through. The ride is about what you’d expect: let’s call it very communicative (communicating through your backside and up your spine). Yeah, it’s stiff. Nevertheless, it’s not so punishing that you can’t enjoy a long Sunday drive or even do some grand touring with it. This is the kind of car you drive to an event (like a club race or autocross), drive the tires off on the track, wash it up and take it to the picnic after and park it on the lawn. There truly aren’t many cars like a 3.0 CSL and this is a good one.