One to Buy: Spa 24 Hour winning 1976 BMW E9 CSL Gr.2
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Even though an oil crisis caused by a 1973-1974 war in the Middle East massively curtailed its works career, BMW’s E9 CSL remained the best top flight Group 2 racing car throughout the remainder of the 1970s.
For 1976, BMW switched attention to racing the CSL against the Porsche 935 in Group 5. However, the firm was still happy to supply satellite teams and privateers with bare bodyshells and nearly all the parts required to build their own Group 2 CSL.
Completed cars were able to contest various series, the most notable of which was the European Touring Car Championship.
One CSL that did exactly that is to go under the hammer at Broad Arrow Auctions’ Zoute Concours d’Elegance auction on October 10th.
This particular machine started life as a bare un-numbered E9 CSL bodyshell supplied by BMW to Brussels auto dealer and privateer, Jean-Marie Detrin. The car was built up by Emilio Alonso in Braine l'Alleud against whose Alfa Romeos Detrin had raced his 2002.
In six outings during the 1976 season, Detrin picked up a couple of quite remarkable results with his custom-built CSL. Having bagged an entry for the Le Mans 24 Hours where his BMW was the only Group 2 vehicle in attendance, the Detrin car (co-driven that weekend by Ravanel brothers Jean and Jean-Louis) finished 24th overall and took an inevitable class victory.
Six weeks later came something even more impressive. Despite having had to switch to a well-used ex-Le Mans engine in practice, Detrin along with fellow drivers Charles Van Stalle, “Chavan” and Nico Demuth, captured outright victory at the Spa 24 Hours!
At the end of 1976, Detrin sold the car to Richard Lorenian who campaigned it in the French Hill Climb Championship, winning his class in both 1977 and 1978. The third owner then retained it until 2005.
In light of its un-numbered bodyshell, this spectacular BMW importantly comes with a written declaration from the man who built it, Emilio Alonso, stating:
“I, the undersigned Mr. Emilio Alonso, retired preparer... declare, without the slightest doubt, the authenticity of this car because, after observing and examining it, I was able to find certain construction details that had been carried out by me at the time, when I personally prepared this BMW. This coupé brought me my first victory in the 24 Hours of Spa as a young preparer.”
