Lot details Registration No: TVD387M Chassis No: 2285497 Mot Expiry: None
The 3.0CSL (E9) was the rock on which BMW's reputation for superlative drivers' cars was largely founded. It was the homologation special created to gain the company entry into the European Touring Car Championship. In this context the 'L' stood for 'Leicht' (German for lightness), which was achieved by the use of thinner steel for the monocoque body and aluminium for the doors, bonnet and boot lid. The straight-six engine was primarily that of the 3.0CS but increased in capacity by just 17cc from 2986cc to 3003cc so the factory could contest the over 3.0-litre class. The recipe could barely have been more successful, and CSLs won the ETCC in 1973, and every year from 1975 to 1979 inclusive; not to mention many other races and classes on both sides of the Atlantic. A total of 765 left-hand drive 3.0CSLs were produced between 1971 and 1975, but with right-hand drive examples only manufactured in 1972 and 1973, the total output was limited to just 500 vehicles - models that are keenly sought today.
The right-hand drive 'barn find' 3.0CSL on offer was manufactured in September 1973 and is equipped with a manual gearbox. It is finished in Fjord Blue Metallic and has a Blue leather/cloth interior complete with the original Scheel sports seats and headrests, plus a Black head-lining. The original three-spoke leather-covered steering wheel remains in place and the BMW rests on a set of 7x14 Alpina alloy wheels. 'TVD 387M' has apparently been in the same ownership for the last 26 years and stored to the point of now needing a full restoration. Evidently the engine turns over freely and, unlike most CSLs that have already been restored to one degree or another, this delightfully unmolested example provides a rare opportunity for the discerning collector to create an as-new motorcar - an appealing prospect.
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