1972/81 BMW 3.0 CSi / 'Batmobile' CSL FIA Gp4 Race Car
Sold for £135,000
(including buyers premium)
Lot details Registration No: Un-Reg Chassis No: 2331066 Mot Expiry: None
There have been many titanic duels fought on the world's race tracks - Prost versus Senna was one of the best among drivers and that of BMW against Ford in the European Touring Car Championship was a memorable manufacturer one that lasted throughout the '70s. BMW's weapon of choice was its big Coupe, while Ford parried first with the Capri and then the Escort. Sadly for Ford, the record books show victory for BMW in 1973 and from 1975 to 1979 inclusive, with 1974 the only year the Blue Oval prevailed.
Munich initially campaigned the 2800CS, switching to the 3.0CSi in 1971. In August 1972 the company created the 3.0CSL homologation special, to allow the Coupe to compete in the over 3-litre class the following year. In its final form the model could be had with a comprehensive aero package of large air dam, fins for the front wings, a spoiler that fixed above and behind the trailing edge of the roof, and a monster rear wing that gave rise to the car's nickname of 'Batmobile'.
With hindsight, enthusiasts recall all the successful racers as being genuine CSLs. The truth is that many were either 2800CSs or 3.0CSis fitted with alloy panels - a cheaper route to the grid that only resulted in a weight penalty of around 7 kilos. BMW itself apparently created 139 prototype CSLs by fitting alloy panels to lightened 3.0CS shells - examples of which are by all accounts now exceedingly rare. The precedent was therefore set many years ago and a number of similar cars have subsequently been created for historic racing, of which the sale Batmobile is a case in point. It was constructed in 1981 around a 3.0CSi shell by BMW racing guru Chris Randall (Zaprace) for his own use. For a while it then passed into the hands of Tim Busby who, among other things, switched it from right to left-hand drive and campaigned it in the iconic Luigi racing colours. Following Busby's death, Randall bought the car back and re-engineered it before selling the BMW to Nick Whale.
Nick Whale is known to have invested a lot of money in the car with Techspeed Motorsport, who equipped it with all the correct brake and suspension components, plus air jacks, centre-lock wheels and a reliable Lester Owen engine that produced some 350bhp running on Kugelfischer fuel injection. He and Ian Guest successfully campaigned the car throughout Europe for 10 years, running it in both Patrick Peter's Endurance Series and the Masters championship for Post-Historic Touring Cars. They also finished 1st in Plateau B of the 2006 Le Mans Classic.
In 2010 the car was acquired by the vendor who ran it last year in the Masters and Legends Series, paired with Chris Conoley of MASS racing. Their results were:
- Masters at Donington - 4th overall and 1st in class
- Legends at Donington - 3rd overall and 1st in class
- Legends at Portimao - 5th overall and class winners
- JD Classics Challenge - overall winners
The seller currently regards the car's 3498cc straight-six engine and five-speed manual gearbox as "excellent", and the bodywork, Works BMW liveried paintwork and racing interior as "good". The BMW is being sold complete with FIA HTP papers and numerous spares, and is eligible for the 2012 Le Mans Classic as well as the Legends, Masters and Youngtimers series.
These days it would need a very considerable investment to build a 'Batmobile' of this quality and a fair bit more again to sort it into a competitive car. This example has been winning races for 30 years and is ready to continue the habit this season. A rare opportunity.
All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.
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