Lot 341: 1972 BMW 3.0 CS, CSL Specification Race Car- FIA papers

In the early 1970s one of the most exciting categories of racing was the European Touring Car Championship and the two principle contestants were Ford (Cologne) and BMW. The battle between these two giants was one of the most memorable in motor racing history. First one had the upper hand, then the other, but it was the end of an era. Never again would we see Touring Cars driven by names such as Stewart, Bell, Peterson, Lauda, Fittipaldi, Mass, Stuck, Ickx and Scheckter. BMW's main weapon was the 3.0 CSL (Coupe Sport Leichtmetal), a lightweight version of the 3.0 CS, and this was often run with a slightly oversized, 3,153cc engine to qualify for the largest engine class. In 1971 and '72 the factory was officially in retirement although it gave assistance to Alpina, Schnitzer and Broadspeed but after Ford took the Championship in 1972 with the Capri RS 2600 the BMW factory returned to the fray. The aggressive styling and performance of the BMW CSL made it a popular and successful choice for drivers of the '70s European Touring Car Championships. Its success in this event and the publicity it brought gave BMW the material to promote this new road going lightweight version of the 3.0 litre CS that was already in production. With aluminium bonnet, boot and doors, the homologation special offered a weight saving of 300lbs over the standard steel constructed CS. Manufactured in 1972 this CS benefited from a comprehensive restoration in 2004/05 and as one would expect it is thus in very good condition. The car boasts CSL bodywork including aluminium door skins, bonnet and boot lid as well as CSL style wings and spoiler. Described as being in excellent order, the straight-six engine's power is fed through a five speed Getrag gearbox and ZF limited slip differential; the competition suspension is fully adjustable and includes anti-roll bars, while the braking system incorporates 332mm discs at the front and 272mm discs at the rear. Well prepared and supplied with FIA papers, this BMW is eligible for many historic race events throughout Europe for which it would be an excellent choice.Dieser BMW 3.0 CS verlie? das Werk 1972 und wurde in den Jahren 2004 und 2005 umfassend restauriert. Er wurde zum CSL umgebaut, mit den korrekten Aluminium-Tren und -Hauben sowie den CSL Kotflgeln und Spoilern. Die FIA-Papiere besttigen die korrekte Motoren - und Getriebe Konfiguration, ebenso entsprechen das Sperrdifferential, Federung und Bremsen dem Original. Einsatzfertig fr zahlreiche historische Rennen.