One to Buy: Golf Yellow 1972 BMW E9 3.0 CSL Series 1
Having been created with the sole intention of toppling Ford from its position atop the premier Division 1 class in Touring Car racing, the BMW Motorsport-developed E9-based 3.0 CSL did just that during a famous inaugural campaign in 1973.
Despite making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1971, CSL production didn’t actually start until December 1971. It was then temporarily halted the following July after only 169 first generation cars had been completed, all of which ran a carb-fed 2985cc 178bhp straight six imported from the 3.0 CS.
Production subsequently got underway again in September 1972 (this time with a fuel-injected 3003cc motor) and the all-important 1000th CSL as required for Group 2 homologation was completed in November.
In total, BMW had constructed a combined 1098 examples of the CSL in the aforementioned Series 1 and 2 specifications by the time the model was discontinued in January 1973. Of these, just 169 were to the original 2985cc carb-fed trim, all of which were left-hand drive.
Today, one of these ultra rare first series Coupe Sport Leichts is currently on offer at the Legendary Motorcar Company showroom in Halton Hills, Ontario.
Following completion on April 27th 1972, the car was delivered to its first owner in Italy where it resided until 1982. At this point, the Golf Yellow CSL (one of 55 first series examples completed as such) was exported to the United States where it has resided ever since.
The matching numbers car remains an extremely unmolested example of the scarce CSL in its original form.
Reprinted below is the Legendary Motorcar Company’s description:
Ultra Rare 1st Series Factory Lightweight Carbureted Example
One Of Only 169 Carbureted Lightweight Examples Produced
One Of 55 Painted Golf Yellow With Black Interior
Numbers Matching Carbureted 3.0 Liter Inline Six Cylinder Engine
Four Speed Manual Transmission
Documented Ownership And Service History
Delivered New to Italy And Imported To California in 1982
Highly Original Example Of BMW's Legendary Homologation Special
Selected As An Exemplar Of CSLs By BMW CCA at Monterey Historic Races, 1996.
Complete With BMW Classic Certificate
LMC is very proud to offer for sale this 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL
Visually indistinguishable from its more run-of-the-mill relations, the CS and CSi, the 3.0 CSL (Coupe Sport Leicht) was the very first model designed and developed by BMW's Motorsport division.
The BMW engineers’ solution to the marketing department’s requirements was to develop a limited-production-run homologation special to meet the constrictive framework of the Group 2 racing class regulations.
Homologated initially with a fractionally over-bored 3,003-cc engine enabled it to compete in the over 3-liter class. By removing the trim; using thinner steel for the main body shell; aluminum alloy for the doors, bonnet and boot lid; and Perspex for the side windows, a valuable 300 pounds (136 kg) in weight was saved.
This early-production Series 1 CSL Lightweight is one of the first 169 cars equipped with twin Zenith 35/40INAT downdraught carburettors before the switch to fuel injection.
Completed at the Munich-based Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) plant on April 27th, 1972 this rare, homologation-special CSL was one of only 55 finished in Golf Yellow over a black interior and delivered new to its first owner in Verona, Italy. Since the 3.0 CSL was never offered here in North America, this example was imported into the USA by a California resident in 1982.
From there it remained in California for most of its life, remaining in extremely original condition.
This highly original BMW 3.0 CSL retains its matching numbers carbureted 3.0L six cylinder engine. In 1996, it was selected to be displayed as exemplar of CSLs by BMW CCA at Monterey Historic Races.
Today, this sporting BMW coupe displays a wonderful, light patina throughout, and has the feeling of a car that has never been taken apart.
Offered with the official BMW Classic Certificate documenting the car's origin and specification, as well as import documentation, ownership history, service history and more this rare carbureted CSL is among the most collectible BMW's ever produced.
