The legendary BMW CSL ‘Batmobiles’ were featured at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, held March 9th on the fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island next to the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island, Florida.
The BMW 3.0 CSL Group 4 race car that won the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring won Best in Class at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours, while the BMW 3.0 CSL Group 2 racer that won the 1973 European Sedan Championship took second place at the 19th annual event. The highlight of the class of BMW 3.0 CSL race and road cars was the Alexander Calder BMW Art Car from 1975 — the first in the well-known series of BMW Art Cars.
The 3.0 CSL race cars were the first cars to be developed under the then-new BMW Motorsport GmbH subsidiary, established in 1972 and led by Jochen Neerpasch. They were also the first to sport the new official colors of BMW Motorsport — red, purple and blue. Based on the production 3.0 CS coupe, the aluminum skinned CSL (L = lightweight) homologation special, nicknamed the ‘Batmobile’ by its fans, formed the basis for an assault on Group 2 through Group 5 European touring car racing that would make it one of the most successful production race cars of all time.
The BMW CSL ‘Batmobile’ racers arrived from Europe wearing a frosting of giant wings, huge fender boxes and big spoilers, all powered by a 430 hp straight-six engine that made a glorious noise and propelled BMW’s coupe to over 180 mph. American road racing fans took one look and fell in love.
“BMW’s ‘Batmobiles’ introduced American road racing fans to a new and different style of driving,” said Bill Warner, Founder and Chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “BMW factory driver Hans Stuck led the charge with wild exhibitions of flat-out, wheel lifting, sideways, ‘eleven-tenths’ ‘Batmobile’ racing that had nothing to do with the traditional smooth techniques of the grand masters of the ‘50s and ‘60s. It was wild and mad, but it was frantic, fast and fun to watch.”
The ‘Batmobiles’ debut came at the 1973 Six Hours of the Nurburgring in a corporate war between the be-winged BMW 3.0 CSLs and Ford’s Capri. Ford brought Grand Prix stars Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi, plus the Amelia’s 2014 honoree Jochen Mass. They led the blue-oval’s fight against BMW’s F1 stars Chris Amon, Hans Stuck and future World Formula 1 Champion Niki Lauda. The BMWs won the most important race on the European Championship calendar that weekend and the ‘Batmobile’ legend was born.
The Amelia Island Concours class-winning 3.0 CSL was one of a group of five chassis campaigned by BMW of North America in the 1975 and 1976 IMSA Camel GT Series in Group 4 specifications. Campaigned under the racing numbers #24 and #25, the CSL enjoyed considerable success winning at Sebring, Riverside, Laguna Seca, Daytona and Talladega in 1975. Several iconic drivers were involved in the American success of the CSLs, including Brian Redman, Hans Stuck, Sam Posey, Ronnie Peterson, Dieter Quester, Benny Parsons, Peter Gregg and David Hobbs. This car, sporting race number 25, is part of the BMW of North America Classic collection and is configured as it raced and won at the 1975 running of the 12 Hours of Sebring with drivers Brian Redman, Hans Stuck, Sam Posey and Alan Moffat.
The BMW 3.0 CSL race car that took runner-up honors was built in 1972 to compete in FIA Group 2. This particular car brought the 1973 European Sedan Championship to Dieter Quester and Toine Hezemans and is owned and vintage raced by BMW collectors Scott and Fran Hughes of Sunset, South Carolina.
The BMW 3.0 CSL class also included the car that won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1976 driven by Brian Redman, Peter Gregg and John Fitzpatrick.
A limited number of BMW 3.0 CSL models were produced and sold for street use in order to homologate the car for racing. The road-going BMW 3.0 CSLs featured in the class at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance included a car entered by Indy 500 winner and BMW Team RLL team principal, Bobby Rahal.
Amelia Island Concours 2014 – BMW CSL Class Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)
[nggallery id=653 images=15]
[Source: BMW; Amelia Island Concours; photos: Sports Car Digest, BMW]
Finally the BMW 3.0 CSL was talking recognition it deserves. I have always thought it as being one of the greatest cars ever built. I have owned over 10 3.0cs,s finally I landed at the European 1973 3.0 CSI. I’ve been in love with these cars for over 30 years. The first one I saw was in about 1980, it was a 1973 3.0csi Tiaga green with cognac leather with polished injection. I said at the time I would love to own one these cars it took me 10 years but every dime I had to buy my first one. It was a 1971 2800 cs Sahara tan with black leather, I wheeled and dealed 9 other coupes until my black on black euro 1973 3.0csi with alpina wheels and a Nardi steering wheel. Fortunately I live in California where a lot of 3.0 cs,s were sold and I was able to parley to a really great one. P.S. I also own a European 1980 635 csi with 75,000 original miles anthracite grey with cognac leather. Long live the legend!!!
Look,s like I should proof read my comments better, but I think everyone should get my drift.