As the anniversary year comes to a close, BMW M GmbH is presenting one of the most exclusive models the company has ever created, a masterpiece of engineering embodying the essence of 50 years of racing passion and expressing its historic roots in a legendary model designation. The BMW 3.0 CSL combines a bespoke design with a puristic performance experience.
The new Batmobile applies racetrack technology designed for sheer driving pleasure on the road, as its antecedent did in the 1970s. The new model is produced in a strictly limited edition to mark the 50 Jahre anniversary and as such, exactly 50 consecutively numbered units of the special model will go on sale. Right from the start, this gives the BMW 3.0 CSL the status of a rarity that will find its place in the vehicle collections of particularly loyal and enthusiastic fans of the BMW M brand.
This new BMW 3.0 CSL shares nothing but its name with the 1970s classic, The new and improved BMW 3.0 CSL features the most powerful straight six-cylinder engine ever used in a road-legal BMW M automobile. This is also a tradition, in its final stage of development, the predecessor of the same name marked a new record with an engine output of 151 kW, not only for six-cylinder models but for all BMW production vehicles produced up to that point.
Since then, the straight six-cylinder engine with M Power has undergone impressive development. The straight six-cylinder engine of the BMW 3.0 CSL possesses the same technological roots as the power unit of the current DTM-winning car. The 3,0-litre power unit offers spontaneous high revving thanks to the typical M high-revving concept. The new-age Batmobile has a maximum output of 412 kW of power and 550 N.m of torque, which is a new record for straight six-cylinder models from BMW M GmbH with road approval underpinning the special status of the vehicle. The CSL also features a 6-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels for intense driving pleasure.
The body of the 3.0 CSL is almost entirely made from lightweight material. Almost every single body panel is made from Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic and goes through a meticulous painting process. A specific process was conceived for the paintwork of the BMW CSL, in which craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology complement each other to provide each individual part with its characteristic colour design.
In addition, a team of 30 specially qualified and experienced technicians is responsible for the configuration and assembly of the vehicles. Due to the complexity of the manufacturing processes, each BMW 3.0 CSL passes through eight assembly cycles at just as many production stations, a procedure that takes up to six days in total.
To honour its ancestor, the new 3.0 CSL only comes in Alpine White with the BMW M stripe livery, both applied largely by hand. A total of 22 individual parts are painted during the process. Centre locking forged light-alloy wheels are standard and come sized as 20-inch in the front and 21-inch in the rear. Look closely and you’ll also notice the bespoke Michelin tyres that bear the number 50 embossed on the sidewalls.
The BMW 3.0 CSL wraps up the excellent year BMW fans have had with releases such as the long-awaited M3 Touring, M4 CSL and the new M2. It will come at a cost though, €750 000 for European buyers or roughly R13 million before taxes. This puts it on the list for most expensive road-going BMWs ever produced!
