1973 BMW 3.0 CSL (E9)

The 3.0 CSL is a lightweight, performance-oriented version of the standard 3.0 CS/3.0 CSi coupé. Utilising the E9 platform, the 3.0 CSL was unveiled at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show and was introduced in May 1972 as an homologation model for the German Touring Car Championship developed by a separate division within BMW AG, a division that would later become BMW Motorsport GmbH.The CSL achieved some great results, with wins at Le Mans in the touring car class in 1973 and 1974, the IMSA GT Championship in 1975, and winning the European Touring Car Championships every year from 1973 to 1979 (apart from a minor blip in 1974).The 'L' in the designation meant leicht (light), unlike in other BMW designations, where it meant lang (long).

A total of 1,096 CSLs were built, with just 500 of these being imported into the UK. The great majority of UK cars had the 'City Package' option fitted, designed to make the 3.0 CSL more usable as a daily driver. These versions retained the standard interior trim, negating the total weight saving somewhat, but the other benefits were retained, including aero kit, thinner gauge steel and aluminium parts. Early CSLs, produced in late 1971 and early 1972, utilised the standard 2,985cc M30 inline-six engine with twin carburettors and were only offered in left-hand drive. They were replaced by a fuel-injected model displacing 3,003cc available in right-hand drive during late 1972 and early 1973. Fuel-injected CSLs with the 3-litre motor have VINs that run from 2275001 through 2275429 (left-hand drive version) and 2285-001 through 2285-500 (right-hand drive UK cars).

The fabulous CSL on offer here, finished in Taiga Green with a black interior, is #2285-469, indicating that it was built right at the end of the UK-allocated cars. Much of the early servicing was carried out by BMW dealer, Fairfield Garage of Leigh on Sea, at the instruction of of Mr. Hudson of the Facet Group. Multiple invoices show he used the CSL up to a mileage of 47,000. It then resided in Hertfordshire for nearly 21 years with its new lady owner, who obviously used it lightly as she covered less than 12,000 miles during that period. There is a record of some renovation work taking place in the mid-1980s prior to it being sold in 2003 at a mileage of 61,900, corroborated by past MOTs. In 2005, it was purchased by our vendor who has used and maintained it, with a full account of his expenditure on repairs and maintenance fastidiously kept in the comprehensive history file. The majority of the servicing from 2006 was conducted by our vendor's hometown garage, J.J. Griffiths of Lllandrindod Wells, with any bodywork attention by King of Cool Classic Cars and the front seats were retrimmed by West Country Trimmers in 2017. Most recent mechanical work was carried out by Munich Legends in 2021 and there is an invoice for an oil change in September 2023.

This lovely, stylish, low-owner BMW 3.0 CSL coupé enjoys an impressive history file and service record and represents a fine example of the car that defined Touring Cars in the 1970s and, 50 years later, still has a presence that few cars can match.