One to Buy: ex-Racing Corporation Vienna ETCC race-winning 1980 BMW E24 635 CSi Gr.2
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To replace the long-running E9 CSL which had soldiered on well beyond its expected lifespan, BMW homologated the E24 635 CSi for the 1980 Group 2 Touring Car category.
That season, Racing Corporation Vienna backed by BMW Italia campaigned a wide-bodied 635 CSi with nigh on 400bhp in the premier Division 5 category of the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC). Austrian drivers Harald Neger and Heribert Werginz were joined in the car by Italian Umberto Grano.
Chief opposition would sporadically come from an AMG Mercedes 450 SLC and a second RCV 635 that arrived towards the end of the year.
In a clear demonstration that the 635 was the fastest car on the grid, Neger, Werginz and Grano started from pole at six of the nine races that made up the 1980 ETCC. They went on to win the opening two rounds (the Monza 4 Hours and Vallelunga 500km), however, a trio of failures at the next three events dented the team’s title challenge.
At Brands Hatch Neger stormed through the field after a troubled qualifying session but then over-revved the engine which prompted an early retirement. A crankshaft failure then ruled the car out of the Salzburg Trophy and a late coming together while lapping a slower car forced the BMW out of the Brno Grand Prix having led nearly the entire race.
The last four races of the year yielded two wins (at the Pergusa 500km and Silverstone Tourist Trophy), one retirement (the result of a rear axle failure at the Nurburgring) and a disappointing sixth place finish at the season-ending Zolder Trophy after a rocker arm broke in practice and the car had to run the majority of the race on five cylinders owing to a lack of spare parts.
Today, this multiple race-wining car is on offer at the Springbok Sportwagen showroom in Isernhagen. Completely rebuilt and presented in race ready condition, chassis 635180 is arguably one of the most important E24 6-series ever and would make a superb addition to any BMW collection or historic racing fleet.
