Which was the first BMW M car? Ask around, and you’ll probably get several answers. Some say the M1, while others would argue it’s the 1976 530 MLE, launched two years before the mid-engined supercar.
Take the license plate out of the equation, and you end up with an even older model. Yes, the one and only 3.0 CSL. The racing version of the achingly beautiful E9 emerged in 1973, a year after BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded. 21 cars were initially built, but only 11 were actually raced by the factory-backed team. Chassis E9/R1 was the first vehicle completed, and now it’s up for sale.
Offered by UK-based Dylan Miles Ltd, the development car is listed on Classic Driver with an undisclosed asking price. It was assembled between late 1972 and early 1973 as a test and development vehicle for the works team. During those cold winter months, Hans Stuck and Harald Menzel took turns behind the wheel.
The origins of the iconic “Batmobile” body kit can be traced back to this very 3.0 CSL. However, the car initially raced without its signature aerodynamic package due to strict homologation rules. Once BMW Motorsport received the FIA’s stamp of approval, engineers rushed to upgrade the race car to its now-legendary Batmobile specification.
The inaugural M car later changed hands between racing teams a couple of times being retired from competition. It eventually passed through several BMW collectors before reappearing at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed following a thorough restoration that returned it to pre-Batmobile spec. A few months ago, it made waves at the Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance at Blenheim Palace in the UK wearing the full Batmobile look.
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of this car and what the 3.0 CSL represents for the M division. BMW itself celebrated the Batmobile when the “world’s most powerful letter” turned 50 in 2022 with an ultra-exclusive 3.0 CSL. Based on the M4 and limited to 50 units, the special edition features the most powerful inline-six engine ever installed in a road-going BMW.
The modern-day 3.0 CSL is essentially an M4 CSL with 552 hp, a manual gearbox, and a coachbuilt body designed to evoke the original Batmobile. Although pricing was never officially announced, BMW allegedly charged €750,000, making it the most expensive new car ever sold by Munich.
We wouldn’t be surprised if chassis E9/R1 transacts for even more, given its immense heritage.
Images of the actual car are available at the link below.
Source: Classic Driver
