'LET'S MAKE THE 3.0 CSL THE BEST M-CAR EVER BUT LIMIT IT TO 50 UNITS SO NO ONE CAN ARGUE' - BMW

Back in the 70s there was a BMW in competition motorsport that had the nickname Batmobile thanks to the outrageous aero fitted to the car. It was the 3.0 CSL that was created to compete in the European Touring Car Championship, and thanks to the homologation requirements of the time the automaker needed to manufacture more than 1 000 units for it to be allowed to legally compete in the series. There was a total of 1 265 cars created, and as you can imagine in today’s collector’s market the cars are worth serious money. In some markets the CSL had no trim, no sound deadening, Perspex windows and aluminium body parts on a thinner steel shell, other markets retained the soundproofing and electric windows. The car is legendary, and BMW have capitalised on this before with the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage R a few years back, and there seems to have been enough interest to put a limited production run of a 3.0 CSL in the works, and the results have finally been revealed as the 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL. It’s already been called the best M Car ever but there will only be 50 of them and so it’ll be hard to back up that statement unless you’re a collector who actually drives the cars from the collection.

That ’73 CSL featured a normally aspirated inline 6 with 152 kW and 286 Nm of torque, a rather powerful setup for the time. This new version features the same capacity in the form of the proven S58 engine and the dual turbochargers see power rated at 412 kW with 550 Nm. That’s 100 Nm less than a new BMW M4, but this limited torque is in play because there’s only a 6-speed manual transmission available. There’s massive 400mm carbon ceramic brake discs behind staggered fitment 20 and 21-inch forged wheels centre-locks, which is a first for the automaker. The tyres are quite special, the usual choice of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, except these are customised to have the 50 Jahre logo on the sidewalls. Bodywork is all carbon fibre as expected and all the aero is oversized as per the OG Batmobile. Every one of the cars destined for are to be hand-built, and the human touch extends to the iconic BMW race livery, there will be no stickers on this car. Pricing hasn’t been released but even though the BWM 3.0 CSL will likely be one of the most expensive M-cars ever they’re likely all spoken for already.

Take a look at the YouTube video that showcases all the special bits and features seen on this limited edition homage to the original early 70s Batmobile that competed in the European Touring Car Championship: THE 3.0 CSL (2023). THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF M LEGACY. | BMW M

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