BMW 3.0 CSL – Willi Martini's

The BMW 3.0 CSL was a very handsome coupe from the early 1970s.  It was the car which first got BMW involved as a manufacturer in racing.  All of the BMW "M" cars of today derive from the Motorsports division of the company which was created to contest the Group 2 category of the FIA World Manufacturers' Championship with the 3.0 CSL.

The distinctive roof hoop and rear wing were early aerodynamic aids which greatly improved high speed stability of the race cars.  They gave rise to the nickname "Batmobile" by which the race cars all became known.  The later versions of the street 3.0 CSLs were also known as Batmobiles. 

This car was raced by the team of Willi Martini which had its base at the very famous Nürburgring race track in the Bavarian forest.  The "Ring" was the longest and most difficult track of its day and the Nürburgring 24 Hour World Manufacturers' Championship race was second in importance only to Le Mans.

Restoration of the car began in earnest in early 2016, and the car was (barely) completed in time for the Monterey Reunion in August – of which the BMW Centennial was the featured event. The car has been shown several times since, and has been accepted to the Quail Motorsports Gathering this summer. It's also been featured in several magazine articles: BMW Car June 2017, Bimmer December 2016, and Automobilsport #11. Read on:

Specs:

  • 1979
  • FIA Group 2
  • 3,196 cc, naturally aspirated
  • 350 HP
  • 2,300 lb.
  • 170 MPH

Period photos, courtesy of Wolfgang Thierack: