Showing posts with label Stuck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stuck. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Team Schnitzer

The motorsport team bearing their family name was founded in the early Sixties by Josef and Herbert Schnitzer.  It began as a development of the car sales/workshop business of their stepfather, Karl Lamm, in Freilassing, Germany, north-west of Salzburg.  This had been started by Herbert Schnitzer Snr. before WWII, developing over time into a dealership which represented both Ford and Opel, (and much later, Fiat).  Lamm took it over when Schnitzer died in the late Forties.  Of his stepsons, it was initially Josef who led the way on the track, in a Fiat Abarth 1000 Bialbero, competing in hill-climbing events during the ’63 season.   That included a victory at the OMK Junioren Pokal event at Freiburg, thus earning for Carlo Abarth one of the numerous win bonus payments from Fiat which were vital to Abarth throughout the Sixties – see https://davidbuckdenlooksback.blogspot.com/2026/04/one-last-fabulous-zagato-abarth-750.html   Already a BMW fan – he had briefly worked at the Munich factory in a vehicle proving role – Josef opted for a 1800 Ti in ’64.  Success with that encouraged the brothers to incorporate the BMW franchise into their business in ’65, while at the same time, running in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft, (DRM), he finished sixth in its championship.  In ’66, with a 2000 Ti, he attained his career peak by becoming joint champion, (with Herbert Schultze), driving an Alfa Romeo 1600 GTA.  He then did what can be a racing driver’s toughest challenge – he retired while ‘on top,’ turning his full attention to co-management, with Herbert, of Schnitzer Motorsport, the team’s name formally adopted in ’67.  This post refers only to the Freilassing-based team – the Aachen-located enterprise, AC Schnitzer, focused on automotive tuning and founded by Herbert Schnitzer and Willi Kohl in ’87, is not covered.
 
Schnitzer Motorsport swiftly confirmed its potential by running Ernst Furtmayr in the European Hillclimb Championship with such expertise that he took the championship in ’68 and ’69 with a 2002 Ti, switching to a 2800 CS for ’70 to clinch the title for the third year in a row. And for ’71, Walter Brun took over and also became the year’s champion in a Schnitzer 2800 CS.

Ernst Furtmayr, BMW 2002Ti  EHC, ’69  Courtesy Artur Fenzlau/Erwin Jelinek


Indeed, ’71 truly became a significant season for Schnitzer Motorsport, with increased competitiveness in the European Touring Car Championship, (ETCC), resulting from the teams’ adoption of and effective modification of the Group 2 BMW E9 coupe in compliance with the regulations for the championship’s Division 3, (utilising a 2,996 cc version of the 6 cylinder M52 engine, which developed around 15 bhp more than that extracted from Alpina’s version). The other upgraded competitiveness factor was the quality of the drivers eager to drive for Schnitzer having perceived the potential of the car – Dieter Quester, Rauno Aaltonen, Helmut Kelleners and Gerrard Larrousse, in addition to Ernst Furtmayr. Quester scored a landmark international victory for the team by taking the Zandvoort Trophy, defeating the Ford factory’s potent Capri RS 2600 squad.

Quester leads the Capris of Glemser and Marko, Zandvoort, August ’71  Courtesy Paul Rutten

As the decade progressed, Karl Lamm’s son, known as Charly, was appointed as Team Manager. Under his leadership Schnitzer continued to build expertise and its reputation as a leading team in the Touring Car domain.  However, its ambition had also developed, and by ’75 embraced a desire to succeed in the different realm of single-seater racing. Initially, this saw the team focused on the preparation of BMW engines for the Formula 2 category. This was facilitated by good synergies between the DRM cars programme and Schnitzer’s engine supplier role, both utilising the 2.0 litre BMW engine. This 4 cylinder powerplant, originally designated M10 and credited to Alex von Falkenhausen, started out with a 1.5 litre capacity in ’59, and it had gone into production in ’62. It was an integral part of the Neue Klasse models programme, commonly held to have ‘saved’ BMW. The M10 was updated by Paul Rosche, becoming an even more key feature for BMW as in its M12 guise it was capable to delivering exceptional power outputs, culminating in the turbocharged version which powered Nelson Piquet’s Brabham BT52 to the ’83 drivers F1 World Championship. Its M12/13 engine was said to be giving over 800 bhp in qualifying that season – and, subsequently, in ’86, around 1,450 bhp! For Formula 2, Schnitzer designed and made its own twin-cam, 16 valve cylinder head, creating the 20-4 engine. With Kugelfischer fuel injection, the 20-4 ran with a compression ratio of 11.3:1, making 285 bhp at 9,200 rpm and 353 Nm torque at 6,200 rpm. The engine was in ’75 highly successful in chassis made by Martini, Elf and March. French driver, Jacques Laffite won 7 of the 14 rounds in a Martini Mk.16, taking the title and confirming the dominance of the Schnitzer engine.

F2 Martini-Schnitzer of Jacques Laffite, ‘75  Courtesy Benoit Flandre

The following year, Schnitzer secured an agreement with Toyota to prepare engines for the Japanese manufacturer’s rally activities in Europe. With both parties satisfied with the results, Toyota committed to a programme geared to a European sales promotional objective – participation in the high profile German DRM series with a Schnitzer-developed, turbocharged Celica Liftback. Built by Schnitzer to Group 5 specification to race in the DRM’s 1st Division, its 2.0 litre engine was based on the 18R-G unit, though with modifications as well proven on the BMW-based 20-4, i.e. 16 valves and Kugelfischer injection. It was however the addition of a KKK turbocharger which gave rise to eager anticipation of on-track success, as this endowed the car with 560 bhp of propulsive power, while body/chassis modifications enabled a significantly lowered kerb weight of just 860 Kg.

Toyota Celica Liftback Turbo  Courtesy Fastestlaps.com

The ’77 DRM season was however over halfway through before the Celica was ready, making its debut at Hockenheim, with Harald Ertl at the wheel, in July.  That fact alone probably confirmed that the whole development/preparation process had been far too hurried, so it was not surprising that the car was clearly outpaced by the several Porsche 935s with which it was competing.  Equally, an early retirement, on lap 5, was not unexpected.  At the next round, at Zolder, Ertl was again an early race retirement.  Subsequently, at the Nurburgring, he was at least able to record the car’s first finish, but only in fourth place, again unable to match the speed of the 935 contingent.  

Undaunted, Schnitzer wheeled the Celica out for a second season in the DRM.  By the end of ’78, however, it could be concluded that it had been a half-hearted effort.  Of eleven rounds, the Toyota took part in only five.  Driver, Rolf Stommelen, got the car to the finish in only one – at Mainz-Finthen – taking 8th place.  Meanwhile, Ertl, who had endured a similarly miserable time the year before, won five rounds in a Schnitzer 320 Turbo, enough to see him clinch the championship.

Toyota Celica Liftback Turbo, ‘78


Harald Ertl, BMW 320 Turbo, ’78 DRM champion  Courtesy Bonhams Cars


The 320 remained a competitive proposition as the new decade began.  Hans Joachim Stuck demonstrated this at the ’80 Macau Guia Race.  Schnitzer provided the car run the previous year for Manfred Winkelhock, but with a normally aspirated engine in place of the turbo unit.  It had been driven at some ’80 events by Harald Grohs while still turbocharged.  Stuck took over around mid-season and was entered for the Asian event in November.  He took pole and then, the day previous to the Guia race, experienced a major engine blow-up.  After replacement, however, the car ran well enough for victory in the race.

Hans Joachim Stuck, Macau, ‘80
 
As the Eighties progressed however, Schnitzer’s focus switched to the BMW 6 Series Coupe.  The team’s reworking of the 635 CSi as a Group A Touring Car proved highly successful.  By ’82 the TWR Jaguar was seen as the car to beat, so BMW set to work to get the E24 635 homologated with a build programme of 5,000 cars, (5,118 in the event).  The regulations allowed for substantial modifications, including to the engine, which in normal road trim generated around 215 bhp.  To compete in Group A an output of near 300 bhp was seen as necessary.  To meet this objective, BMW turned to Alpina for a pure race version of the M30, (while other road-orientated 635 CSis utilised M90 and M88/3 variants).  The Buchloe-based tuner responded with modifications which took power up to over 290 bhp.  As with the M1 programme, BMW managed the creation and running of the works cars by complementing the work assigned to M Sport Division (transmission/running gear).  This took the form of a co-ordination of contributory development and manufacturing work by ‘outside’ specialists: Alpina (engine), Karmann (chassis/body), and Schnitzer, (assembly, preparation, race running).

Seen below is chassis #RA1-07. As described by ultimatecarpage.com, it ‘debuted with an outright victory in the Monza 500 km in the hands of Carlo Rossi and Dieter Quester. A regular podium finisher, it won again at the Nürburgring round of the European Touring Car Championship with Quester and Manfred Winkelhock behind the wheel. Schnitzer ended the year as European Champions and this chassis was retired from contemporary racing.'

#RA-07, Monza, ’83, Quester/Rossi  Courtesy BMW  Courtesy BMW

Fielded for the factory in Original Teile livery by Schnitzer Motorsport, this 635 CSi became a regular podium finisher and it won again at the Nürburgring round of the European Touring Car Championship with Quester and Manfred Winkelhock behind the wheel. Schnitzer ended the year as European Champions and this chassis was retired from contemporary racing. Retained by BMW, it is today part of the BMW Classic collection and regularly shown and demonstrated at events all over Europe.  Schnitzer fielded a second 635 CSi for Stuck and Walter Brun, finishing the season in 5th place.  For ’84 the Schnitzer driver pairings were Stuck/Quester and Roberto Ravaglia/Gerhard Berger.  Despite such a strong driver line-up, the previous season’s success was not repeated.  However, it was one of the team who would soon come to personify the 1980s strength and competitiveness of the Schnitzer name – Ravaglia.  It was his victory, (in partnership with Berger and Surer), in ’85 at Spa, that saw a further elevation in the team’s standing, it being its first in a 24 hour event.  Adding to the kudos, a second Schnitzer 635 CSi crewed by Quester, Cecotto and Markus Oestreich was second, albeit 4 laps behind.

Winner, Spa 24 Hours, ‘85  Courtesy BMW
 
’86 saw a robust bounce back in the ETCC, Ravaglia taking the title by a margin of 8 points from Win Percy, who with Tom Walkinshaw was highly competitive throughout the season in the Bastos Texaco Racing Team’s Rover Vitesse.  Meanwhile, Quester, Altfrid Heger and Thierry Tassin won a second successive Spa 24 Hours for Schnitzer.

'86 Spa 24 Hours – winner, Dieter Quester

’86 ETC champion, Ravaglia (with Emanuele Pirro)  Courtesy Forza Forums


With many excellent performances in both individual races and championships, there could be no complaints at Freilassing about the suitability of the E24 as a basis for a good performing/handling race car. However, there was a need for a further competitiveness upgrade for ’87, given the anticipated speed of the M3 model adopted by Linder Motorsport and the Ford Sierra RS Cosworths of both Eggenberger Motorsport and Jolly Club. Thus, Schnitzer also prepared BMW M3s for the new season. With one of these, Jean-Michel Martin, Didier Theys and Eric van de Poele gave Schnitzer its third successive Spa 24 Hours triumph, while Ravaglia and the team became Division 2 World Touring Car champions. The WTCC proved to be just a one-off in the era, mainly because of poor organisation which itself resulted in an unexpectedly small (15) field of entered cars, the main contenders being BMW, Ford and Alfa Romeo. The following year, focus reverted to the ETCC, and, again, Ravaglia was on top in the championship in a Schnitzer M3, and with Quester and Heger, chalked up yet another 24 Hours victory at Spa.

’87 WTCC – champion, Ravaglia, M3, at the Nurburgring  Courtesy BMW


’88 Ravaglia, M3 at Silverstone  Courtesy BMW

Schnitzer finished up the decade impressively. Ravaglia steered an M3 Evo to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, (DTM), championship and contributed to a 24 Hours of Nurburgring victory, while Johnny Cecotto became ‘89’s Italian Touring Car champion. There had been 11 rounds in the DTM and throughout Ravaglia had been in a close battle with the Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth of Klaus Niedzwiedz, eventually outscoring the Team Eggenberger star by just 11 points, with fellow Team Schnitzer driver, Fabien Giroix, in third place.

89 Ravaglia, BMW M3 Evo, DTM champion  Courtesy BMW

That year BMW made 480 Johnny Cecotto Edition M3s.  These had some race car-like features including a 200 + bhp version of the S14 engine, front and rear spoilers and lightweight glass.

Johnny Cecotto Edition M3, ’89  Courtesy Stance Works

If Schnitzer had been pleased with its on-track exploits in the Eighties, they may well have moved on to being ecstatic about the following decade’s achievements.  Especially satisfying were the 24 Hour race victories at Spa in ’90 and ’95, at the Nurburgring in ’91 and ’98, and, most of all, Le Mans in ’99, (BMW V12 LMR, driven by Winkelhock, Yannick Dalmas and Pierluigi Martini).  As to Touring Car championships, Schnitzer took the Italian in ’90 and ‘91, (Ravaglia), Asia-Pacific ’94, (Winkelhock), Japan ’95, (Steve Soper), German Super ’95, (Winkelhock) and ’98, (Cecotto).  Also notable was a 1-2-3 at the ‘92 Macau Guia, (Pirro, Winkelhock, Ravaglia), and victory at the ‘99 12 Hours of Sebring, (Jörg Müller, JJ Lehto, Tom Kristensen).



’90 Spa 24 Hours  Courtesy Glyn Parham



'91 Nurburgring – M3 Evo 2  Courtesy © 2023 dailysportscar.com

’92 Macau – M3 Evo – 1-2-3

’99 Le Mans. The winning BMW V12 LMR #  Courtesy BimmerLife

 

Showing how the business had grown, this view of the team in ’99 speaks for itself

That ’99 triumph at Circuit de la Sarthe was attributed to ‘BMW Motorsport.’  This had become the Schnitzer team’s name on race entries and would remain in use intermittently for the rest of its active existence.  As the full-blown factory team, BMW Motorsport switched some of its focus to GT class racing in the U.S. and this resulted in its securing of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in 2001.

Subsequently, the team was once again seen competing as ‘BMW Team Germany’ in the WTCC from ’05-’09.  This proved to be a highly rewarding programme, with many race victories recorded by drivers, Jörg Müller, Dirk Müller, and Augusto Farfus.  In ’05 both Jörg and Dirk Müller won 3 races each, with Dirk 2nd and Jörg 5th in the championship at year end.  Champion in ’05 was the UK BMW team and it repeated this achievement in both ’06 and ’07.  However, BMW Team Germany chalked up 5 wins in both ’06 and ’07, 3 in ’08 and 6 in ’09. 

From ’12-’16 focus moved to the DTM. Schnitzer driver Bruno Spengler secured the series title for himself and the Team and Manufacturer’s titles for Schnitzer and BMW respectively. Subsequently, Schnitzer ran the factory entries in the International GT Challenge, continuing to perform strongly and consistently, with, for example, a highlight Farfus win in the FIA GT World Cup, Macau, in ‘18, in a Schnitzer BMW M6 GT3.

’18 Schnitzer BMW M6 GT3, Macau  Courtesy BMW

Following the Macau win, Herbert Schnitzer Jnr. took over the teams’ management from Charly Lamm.  In ’20, success seemed likely to be ongoing, evidenced, for example, by a third place finish in the Nurburgring 24 Hours with a BMW M6 GT3 in the hands of Farfus, Jens Klingmann, Sheldon van der Linde and Martin Tomczyk.  However, in December of that year it was announced that BMW’s association with Schnitzer was at an end.  At the same time, a similar decision was made in regard to Team RBM.  With immediate effect, the development of a new BMW M4 GT3 and its running as from ’21 would be undertaken by BMW Team RMG, founded by Stefan Reinhold in 2010 and based at Niederzissen.  For Schnitzer it was the end.  Through its long standing dedication to a single ‘client,’ it had left itself vulnerable in the event that the client should decide ‘to go elsewhere.’  Equally, nonetheless, that focus/dedication had made for a highly successful collaboration and had enabled BMW to bask in the glory of a great many race and championship victories – the Munich giant had certainly had value for money!

Soon after the forgoing account was finalised, it was announced on 7th June 2026 that, sadly, Herbert had died.



Monday, September 12, 2022

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:

Monza 4 Hours, March 1973 – Toine Hezemans (BMW Motorsport). 

The distinctive orange Jagermeister livery in first use by the Alpina team:


Salzburg 4 Hours, May 1973 – Toine Hezemans  (Alpina/Jagermeister). 
1974

BMW Motorsport-entered cars continued to carry the three colour stripes, but now on black:

Salzburg 4 Hours, April 1974 – Ickx/Stuck (BMW Motorsport)  ©Attila Gergasz.
1975

The BMW Motorsport livery reverted to a white background:

Sebring 12 Hours-winning CSL of Redman/Moffat/Stuck/Posey.

 At Le Mans the first ‘Art Car’ (by Alexander Calder) was run by Herve Poulain:

Driven by Posey/Poulain/Guichet, the car qualified 11thbut failed to finish.
Courtesy Peter Aylward/Petrolicious.
1976

The Belgian Luigi team established itself as front-running, initially with this livery:

Pole-sitting CSL of Hans Stuck at the Touring Car GP, Nurburgring. 
Courtesy Lothar Spurzem.

 

As seen at Kyalami, the BMW Motorsport cars were in black once again:

This car was driven to victory in the 1000 kms at the South African circuit 
by Grohs/Schecter/Nilsson  Courtesy of Johan Pretorius.
 
The Schnitzer team cars (this season with the 3.5 twin-cam engine) appeared in 1976 in the green livery of Austrian beer brewer, Gösser:

Quester/Krebs/Peltier were running in 8th when forced to retire in
 the Le Mans 24 Hours.  The car was built and prepared for Group 5. 
1977

The Luigi team adopted a new striped livery, as seen here at Le Mans:

Dieudonné/Dini /Xhenceval took the IMSA GT class win in this 3.2 CSL.

A number of CSLs are currently run in Historic events and rich photographic detail is to be found in the following sites: