Leichtschönheit

During the early years of my automotive career, working from 1971 for the UK BMW importer, the three models that most fired my enthusiasm for the Marque were the 2002 Tii, the 3.0 Si and the 3.0 CSL. For the times these were quick cars with lots of style and dynamic character/capability. The CSL was truly iconic and emblematic of the swagger that the factory community in Munich had adopted as the Marque had emerged with its innovative models as the new top dog in the rivalry between Daimler-Benz AG and the Bayerische Motorenwerke AG.

The ’big’ coupe had come a long way in just 7 years. It’s grandaddy, the 2000C/CS, had been launched as an additional model to the Neue Klasse line-up in 1965. At that time the UK market and the peculiarity of its right hand drive configuration was of very little concern to the management on Lerchenauer Straße. As a result, there was no question of a right hand drive line for the model in the factory. But in England there was a confidence that a niche market could be built for such a car, and, consequently, a project was established to convert cars to RHD on importation to the UK. This was carried out in a relatively primitive facility in Brighton – which we referred to as ‘The Shed.’ Unfortunately, the cavalier approach to marketing which was characteristic of BMW Concessionaires GB Ltd in the ‘60s/’70s – and which led to the very marked success of the business – also characterised the engineering/administration aspects of the process. Thus, a few years later, we found ourselves in some difficulty trying to resolve braking issues which stemmed from the conversion’s relocation of the brake servo, because the drawings which defined components, locations and dimensions had either been lost, or possibly, never put into safe keeping.

Most owners of those 2000 cc cars were very fond of them, appreciating the relative rarity, the nice looks, courtesy of Wilhelm Hofmeister, (the body built at Karmann), and the relaxing semi-GT dynamics. Though they were not so keen on discovering that in some circumstances their car possessed very little braking capability, we often found that their threats of legal action and media exposure could be assuaged by the provision with a ‘special discount’ of a new 2800 CS, this model becoming available from 1968. (Though for some it might have been ‘out of the frying pan, into the fire,’ since all the six cylinder models of the late ‘60s/early ‘70s had what we called ‘morning sickness,’ – notably impaired retardation when the pads/discs were cold).

But though the early six cylinder coupes were not at their best at the start of the day – the braking issue being partnered by a tricky automatic choke set-up, (which also affected the servo efficiency since stumbling engine running led to a reduction in vacuum provision) - the cars were otherwise much improved. Designated as ‘E9’ models, with a longer chassis, the 2800 cc version (1968) and 3000 cc version (1971) were instrumental in building the stylish/dynamic image which established the Marque so effectively in the UK market. Especially welcome was the 3.0 CSi with its Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection putting an end to cold start woes. Equally gratifying was the fact that the 3 litre versions were built as Right Hand Drives in the Munich plant.

The 3.0 CSi was elegant both in looks and its road manners. Only around 200 were built as RHDs, Their relative scarcity added to the model’s appeal to high net worth buyers looking for style and performance. Amongst the cars traded in part exchange at our Park Lane showroom in the early Seventies were such as Lamborghini Miura, Maserati Bora and Dino 246 GT – no hardship for me as it was one of my early-career jobs to drive these out from Central London to Chiswick for appraisal of mechanical condition/resale preparation.

Many 3.0 CSis were delivered in silver (Polaris) or light blue (Fjord) metallic, colours which suited the car’s ‘classy’ image. However, the model could also look good in some of the more ‘exotic’ hues such as Ceylon (metallic gold), Inka (orange), Golf (yellow) and Taiga (metallic green). With value today generally in the region £50,000 - £75,000, most of the 120-or-so extant are in nice condition.

Good as the CSi was, it retreated to the shadows as soon as the first CSL arrived at Chiswick. That was some months after the May 1972 launch in Munich. This was the first outcome from the creation of BMW’s Motorsport GmbH division, a concept made into a reality by Jochen Neerspasch, recently poached from Ford Europe’s racing arm. Initial production of 169 cars utilised the CSi’s 2,986 cc version of the M60 straight six engine. However, within a few months, as the intention was to build and sell 1000 units in order to homologate the model for the 3 litre class of the Group 2 European Touring Car Championship, a 3003 cc variant was substituted. Such was the impact made by the CSL’s specification and looks, customer demand outstripped the factory’s expectations, resulting in the homologation target being easily exceeded, 1265 cars having been built when production was finally halted in 1975. Of these, and as a sign of the factory’s confidence in the marketing/sales expertise of BMW Concessionaires GB, 500 cars were built in RHD and shipped to the UK. That expertise was further reflected by our insistence that UK customers would be deterred by too spartan a specification, and thus these cars were delivered with electric windows, bumpers and full soundproofing, (these items being removed in the interests of constrained vehicle weight for LHD markets).

In mid-1973 the model was subject to some further upgrades. The engine capacity went to 3,153 cc, with a small increase in power/torque. Most noticeable were the aerodynamic additions – the infamous boot-mounted ‘batwing,’ roof-spoiler, deep front spoiler and front wing-top fences.

It was at that time, with the rapid increase in sales, that the company began to add to the staff headcount. Several ‘new’ people joined and they tended to be young and possibly overenthusiastic. Inexperience coupled with the speed capability of the cars – and the fact that they didn’t handle especially forgivingly – led to a series of accidents involving company cars. The violence of some of these was of a scale to cause fatalities. Management responded by calling a meeting of all staff at Chiswick Town Hall, where the riot act was read and we were all compelled to sign a ‘pledge’ that we would not exceed the speed limit or drink alcohol within 24 hours prior to driving a company-owned BMW. The serious and sober tone was somewhat undermined when we noted as we filed out of the building that the directors’ cars parked outside at a jaunty angle, (rather Le Mans-start style), were all CSLs!

For 1974 a new twin-cam, 24 valve, 3498cc, 440 bhp version of the engine, designated M49/2/3, was developed and this ‘3.5’ was the basis for the successful Group 5 CSLs campaigned in 1976. In following seasons power was further increased with twin turbochargers, eventually to around 750 bhp.

There were many points of detail that contributed to the CSL’s very distinctive aura, including the supply of the ‘batwing’ in the boot of the car, (German road regulations forbidding the fitment of such a device), the ‘outrageous’ price of £32 for the side stripes as spare parts and the need to close the boot only by gentle pressure on the rear badge, (the panel skin in alloy being very easily dented by a hand slam).

On track, the CSL clearly fulfilled the aspirations of BMW Motorsport. Run in Groups 2, 4 and 5/in the European Touring Car Championship, the World Championship for Makes and in numerous national series, the CSL won many races and championships. It was especially dominant in the ETCC throughout the 1970s, taking the title in no less than six seasons. And this was against the tough competition of the Ford Capri RS.

And, aesthetically, the CSL was supreme too. With the underlying CS styling and the elements added to optimise its aerodynamic characteristics, the model became the epitome of elegance coupled with purposefulness. The ‘look’ of these cars was further enhanced by their wearing of some of the most charismatic liveries of all time, for example:

1973

The original, primarily white’ ’Motorsport stripes’ livery: