What was the first BMW M car? If you ask around, you’ll probably get several answers. Some say it’s the M1, while others claim it’s the 1976 530 MLE, which came out two years before the mid-engine supercar.
If you ignore the license plate, you get an even older model. Yes, the only 3.0 CSL. The racing version of the breathtakingly beautiful E9 appeared in 1973, a year after BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded. Originally 21 cars were built, but only 11 were actually driven by the factory-backed team. Chassis E9/R1 was the first completed vehicle and is now for sale.
The development car is offered by UK-based Dylan Miles Ltd and is listed on Classic driver with an undisclosed price. It was assembled between late 1972 and early 1973 as a test and development vehicle for the factory team. During these cold winter months, Hans Stuck and Harald Menzel took turns at the wheel.
The origins of the legendary “Batmobile” body kit can be traced back to this very 3.0 CSL. However, due to strict homologation rules, the car initially ran without its signature aerodynamic package. After BMW Motorsport received the FIA’s seal of approval, engineers rushed to convert the race car to the now legendary Batmobile specification.
The first M car later changed hands several times between racing teams and was eliminated from competition. It eventually passed through several BMW collectors before resurfacing at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed after a thorough restoration that brought it back to its pre-Batmobile condition. A few months ago it caused a stir in its Batmobile look at the Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance at Blenheim Palace in Great Britain.
One cannot overstate the importance of this car and the importance of the 3.0 CSL to the M-Class. BMW itself celebrated the Batmobile as the “strongest letter in the world” turned 50 in 2022 with an ultra-exclusive 3.0 CSL. Based on the M4 and limited to 50 examples, the special edition features the most powerful in-line six-cylinder engine ever installed in a road-going BMW.
The modern 3.0 CSL is essentially a 552 horsepower M4 CSL with a manual transmission and bodywork meant to evoke the original Batmobile. Although the price was never officially announced, BMW was reportedly asking 750,000 euros, making it the most expensive new car ever sold in Munich.
We wouldn’t be surprised if the E9/R1 chassis demands even more given its immense heritage.
Pictures of the actual car can be found at the link below.
Source: Classic Driver
