While the 3.0 CSL did not wear an M badge, it was conceived by BMW Motorsport GMBH (later renamed BMW M GMBH), so the CSL is widely considered to be the first M-car. The last of the CSLs were offered with the iconic tricolor M stripes.
By Tim Suddard
Feb 12, 2024
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BMW,
3.0,
E9
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| From the Sept. 2020 issue
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Photography by Tim Suddard unless otherwise credited
Whether they’ll admit it or not, everyone has a favorite car. But to what lengths would they go to get it? For longtime collector Jay Proops, his dream car turned out to be a bit of a needle in a haystack.
The object of his desire? A BMW 3.0 CSL, the lightweight, race homologation version of the E9 coupe not officially imported stateside. BMW only produced 1265 copies total during the model’s 1972-’75 run.
But Jay wanted a fuel-injected, left-hand-drive example, narrowing the list to just 429 of those cars. And then he wanted one fitted with the more comfortable City Package. Most of the 3.0 CSL coupes sold in the U.K. had this option, but Jay figures only about 50 left-hand-drive cars came so equipped.
One more wish: He also wanted a car with a fall build date–more on that later.
And then add in the fact that these cars were built more than 45 years ago. It was a hunt for the ages.
The 3.0 CSL was the top model for BMW’s E9 chassis. Call it the company’s idea for a fast touring coupe.
BMW introduced the line in 1968 with power from a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. Soon, though, the nose was lengthened. Looks improved–some say dramatically–while providing space for a 2.8-liter inline-six. By 1971, the engine had been enlarged to 3.0 liters, and the E9 was becoming a true world-class GT machine for the day.
At the 1971 Geneva Auto Show, BMW turned that GT into a race car, unveiling the CSL. The L stood for light, or “leicht” in German.
In an effort to create a homologation special for German Touring Car competition, BMW built a lightweight version of the 3.0 CS. How light? A non-optioned CSL is said to weigh 2568 pounds, which is 440 pounds lighter than the standard model.
BMW accomplished this weight reduction via some radical procedures. First, the unibody itself was formed in thinner sheet metal. Then the doors, hood and trunk lid were constructed from lightweight aluminum–not steel as found on the standard cars. Next, the side windows were made from lightweight Perspex. The windshield was lighter than the standard piece.
The car was also de-contented: less sound deadening, no power options, and a lightweight rear bumper. Even the trunk lock and tool kit were removed.
The 3.0 CSL served as the basis for BMW’s touring car contender of the ’70s. Thinner sheet metal, aluminum panels and plastic windows helped dropped weight.
Mechanically, the brakes, engine and transmission were all carried over from the 3.0 CS model–meaning just the 180-horsepower, 3.0-liter engine at first. However, the steering ratio was slowed slightly–from 18.0:1 to 18.9:1–while stiffer, progressive-rate springs lowered the car about three-quarters of an inch and added more negative camber front and rear. Then Bilstein dampers were installed.
Visual cues included the now-legendary 14x7-inch Alpina wheels, along with subtle black side stripes, chrome fender lip extensions and hood pins. Inside, the creation received well-bolstered Scheel seats and a unique three-spoke steering wheel.
That formula evolved a bit during the production run. Bosch fuel injection replaced the twin Zenith carburetors in 1972, boosting horsepower to an even 200. That was supercar territory, especially for something that didn’t have an American V8. A displacement bump from 3003cc to 3153cc halfway through 1973 gave the car another 6 horsepower.
An aggressive aero package was also added for 1973, featuring a deep front spoiler, a roof spoiler, and fins attached to the tops of the front fenders. Also included was a giant rear wing that wasn’t legal for road use in Germany, so it was shipped in the trunk for installation by the new owner. (The wing found on the 1995 BMW M3 Lightweight was also delivered in the trunk.)
A City Package was also offered during the 3.0 CSL run. This package–fitted to nearly all of the U.K.-market cars and optional elsewhere–added back some of what had been removed in creating the 3.0 CSL. This version was slightly tamer.
Most City Package cars received steel body panels, not aluminum ones. Standard glass, not plastic, was fitted. Sound deadening was added to the spec sheet, as were power windows front and rear. The rear window defroster and even a tool kit also found in the standard cars were fitted. Heavier velour carpeting was installed as well.
In the end, these City Package cars received the upgraded suspension plus the visual cues. At 2865 pounds, a City Package car weighed 297 pounds more than the stripped-out CSL but was still lighter than a standard CS model.
Jay Proops entered this odyssey looking for a rare model: an injected, left-hand-drive 3.0 CSL fitted with the City Package.
But why the fall build date? As he explains, Karmann built the bodies for BMW, storing them outside sans paint or primer until the factory was ready to send the next batch of CSL coupes down the production line.
As a result, a car built early in the calendar year likely spent the winter outside, further increasing the odds for rust–and this is on top of the rust issues these BMW coupes are already known for. But if, like Jay, you were patient and did your research and chose a car with an autumn build date, chances are good that the body hadn't sat outside all winter.
While the 3.0 CSL was cast as a lightweight special, the optional City Package, shown here, turned the model into a civilized touring car by adding back just enough equipment: front bumper, steel doors, real glass and some interior trimmings. Despite these changes, a car fitted with the City Package car still weighs nearly 300 pounds less than the standard E9 coupe.
He found that particular car three years ago via Canepa, the well-known classic car dealer and restoration center. It ticked all the boxes: fuel injected, left-hand drive, City Package and correct build date. This one, like so many other examples of the 3.0 CSL, was delivered in Polaris Silver.
According to Canepa’s website, this car was originally sold in Italy. In 1994, that original owner sold it to an American, with the car landing in Los Angeles that year. The last owner, Glenn Mueller of Encinitas, California, obtained the CSL in 2004. The car received a mechanical and cosmetic refurbishment before Jay and Kay Proops took ownership. In addition to our own Orange Blossom Tour, which the couple has run twice, they have taken the BMW on the Going to The Sun Rally more than once.
“Once I got some of the bugs sorted out, it has been trouble-free and very easy to maintain,” Jay reports. “That six-cylinder engine has been around for quite a long time and is easy to work on.”
And does the ownership experience live up to the hunt? “The seats are extremely comfortable,” he continues, “the gearbox shifts effortlessly, and the acceleration is very good all the way to redline at 6700 rpm.
“The view out in all directions is superb. While it is relatively a small coupe, two adults can sit in the rear seats in reasonable comfort. The handling is superb and rivals my Porsche 911 in terms of fun to drive. It truly is a grand tourer.”
While the 3.0 CSL did not wear an M badge, it was conceived by BMW Motorsport GMBH (later renamed BMW M GMBH), so the CSL is widely considered to be the first M-car. The last of the CSLs were offered with the iconic tricolor M stripes.
The BMW CSL offers its own take on motoring. It doesn’t drive like its little brother, the BMW 2002, or at all like the Porsche 911, its big competition in the marketplace.
Upon opening the door, you’re greeted with a sense of quality that isn’t bathed in needless luxury. But there are hints that this is no longer a stripped-out race car–like the walnut interior panels, for example.
At the owner’s behest, the original seats have been replaced with period-correct rally seats. If you’re plus-sized, they’ll hug tightly.
When it’s time to go, push in the moderately firm clutch and turn the key. The CSL starts instantly thanks to its early Bosch electronic fuel injection.
The car recalls a well-made clock rather than a fire-breathing monster. No drama, just the hum of a finely tuned machine.
The steering is rather heavy, especially when maneuvering from a parking spot, but once you’re out on the road, it feels taut and well connected. While not truly light, the gear shift is easy to use, and the easy-to-read gauges confirm that this well-restored car is ready for the road.
The CSL moves with purpose but is no rocket ship. The 3.0-liter six feels smooth and the car has no trouble coming up to highway speed. Punch it and the car scoots forward, but you won’t mistake this for a Shelby Mustang or Corvette.
The handling feels taut and predictable, and the car tackles twisty roads without complaint or question. Still, this is a sports sedan and not a Spitfire or Miata. Nobody could confuse that fact. The brakes are also up to the task, with good initial bite and no hint of fade with fast road use.
What the CSL does best is eat up miles. This car is a highway and fast-back-road cruiser. It produces relatively little wind noise, remains very comfortable at 70-80 mph, and turns triple digits with ease. This might be the perfect classic tour or rally car thanks to its combination of reliability, safety, weatherproofing, handling and straight-line performance.
The only thing that lets down this particular car is the peculiarly long gap between third and fourth gears. We have driven other CSLs and don’t remember this being a problem. With most cars, it’s a joy to drop down a gear and then motor through a corner or make a pass; with this CSL, you need to be going less than 50 mph for this move to feel comfortable.
Still, the CSL is arguably one of the coolest BMWs ever made. It drives wonderfully and would be a trophy in anyone’s collection.
BMW created the 3.0 CSL as a homologation model for the more extreme racing version, which sported massively flared fenders, individual throttle bodies and even less weight. Where the bare-bones 3.0 CSL street car checked in at 2568 pounds, the race cars–full cages and all–weighed less than 2400 pounds.
Once introduced, the 3.0 CSL vanquished the once all-conquering Ford Capris, dominating the European Touring Car Championship from 1973 all the way through 1979, four years after the model run ended. The 3.0 CSL also won races in the German Touring Car Championship as well as the World Championship of Makes. Stateside it found success in IMSA, with Peter Gregg and Brian Redman winning in one at Daytona in 1976–a race red-flagged for nearly 4 hours due to a contaminated fuel delivery.
The real goal of the 3.0 CSL project: Give BMW a touring car champion on the world stage. While production ended after the 1975 model year, the 3.0 CSL continued to dominate the motorsports scene through the end of the decade. Photography Courtesy BMW
Great article - I so regret selling my 3.0 CS to my then-young aunt (before I was posted overseas) who was not a car nut, and when a mechanic told her there was some rust in the chassis, she gave it away. Now they are so scarce (nearly as rare as the CSL). Just one thing in your article which says:
A City Package was also offered during the 3.0 CSL run. This package–fitted to nearly all of the U.K.-market cars and optional elsewhere–added back some of what had been removed in creating the 3.0 CSL. This version was slightly tamer.
I wonder if you meant the CSi was created ?
Nah, Nah, Nah..... big time wrong history on the sidebar.
The actual CSL story should note how BMW's Neerpasch and the FIA rulesmakers slicked Ford by homologating the aero kit mid-season. The Ford Capris were leading BMW up until then during the 1973 season.
BMW lawyering ruined any chance of a straight-up dogfight. Instead you had BMW aero cars versus non-aero Ford coupes, but both with the same engine rules.
The "fault" was with the FIA in allowing late jinking with the rules in so dramatic a fashion. They should have denied the CSL aero mods on many valid grounds. They chose not to do so.
The final twist of the sword is that BMW was supposed to kit out a minimum of 500 CSLs with the aero package to the public. It is now known that only a small fraction of that number were actually produced in time for the 1973 season.
That ain't racing, and that is what the CSL should be remembered for: a one year "cheater special". And not a very successful one at that, barely winning in 1973, even with all its claptrappery.
In 1974, the Capri won the DTM over the CSL, and that was the last year of the German Ford touring car program. The CSL stunt was good for 1 year (1973). So much for "vanquishing" the Capris!!!!
The Ford Racing manager at that time, Michael Kranefuss, who was inducted into the Ford Capri Hall Of Fame, said the games with the FIA and BMW were "his fault" because he never believed they would approve aero devices in Grp 2 sedan racing. It was an unprecedented rules change to "Touring Car" FIA rules.
A fair rules change of something that radical would have extended all competitors a window to respond to such a sweeping change, or at least policed the proof of minimum production numbers to satisfy legal homolgation. The FIA did neither.
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