BMW car is giving enthusiasts something to be very grateful for Thanksgiving. The company’s M division has unveiled a heritage-inspired limited edition model called the 3.0 CSL, designed as a tribute to the original 3.0 CSL, one of the iconic models. BMW’s most iconic.
Introduced in early 1972 for similarity E9 During the European Touring Car Championship, the CSL designation stands for “coupe sport leichtbau”, which means “light sport coupe” in German. Fast-forward 50 years and the reborn CSL stays true to tradition: It’s a coupe, definitely sporty, and we promise it’s light thanks to extensive use. carbon fiber. bmw m emphasizes that it has developed 3.0 CSL in-house on its own, this is not merely an M4 with one tightsand it ensures the coupe is street-legal in European markets.
Visually, the 3.0 CSL looks more like modern BMW coupes than its predecessor; this is not a full-fledged classic car with round headlights. However, there are some clear visual links between the two CSLs including flared fenders and quarter panels, a roof-mounted spoiler made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, and a rear spoiler shaped like Parts fitted to the original car. As an additional note, the wing of the 1972 3.0 CSL was nicknamed “Batmobile” and was not allowed on the road (the vandals were A novelty at the time) so BMW could not deliver the vehicle with it. Instead, the company placed the spoiler in the trunk and asked owners to install it themselves.
Back to the present: Most of the 3.0 CSL’s body panels (including the roof panels, trunk lid, and door sills) are made of carbon fiber, and the coupe uses 20-inch front and 21-inch rear central locking wheels. The back is covered with tires michelin developed specifically for it. The Alpine Blue, Red, and White paintwork is reminiscent of the 1970s and it doesn’t look like BMW will make other paint colors. color combinations available.
The cabin looks familiar if you’ve spent any time using recent BMW models, but there are some cool features scattered throughout. One is the gear lever, finished in white and engraved with the gear lever pattern as well as the number 50. The carbon fiber trim reminds the driver and a passenger of the car’s lightweight construction. We say “single-passenger” because there are no rear seats. Instead, space behind the front row of the M carbon tank is reserved for a storage compartment designed for racing helmets. And while BMW has stripped away a lot of the soundproofing material to save weight, the 3.0 CSL offers features like air conditioning and a touchscreen-based infotainment system.
Power for the 3.0 CSL comes from a 3.0-liter inline-six built with forged lightweight crankshafts and competitor-sourced cooling and oil delivery systems. The twin turbocharger is related to the unit found in Current generation M3 and M4, but it’s been tuned to develop 560 horsepower and 404 pound-feet of torque; BMW proudly notes that this is the most powerful inline-six it has ever put in a street-legal vehicle. The engine spins the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, and you’re out of luck if you want four-wheel drive, automatic or both.
For context, the stock 3.0 CSL (shown above) used a 3.2-liter inline-six, naturally aspirated, 206 hp, and is considered the engine. BMW M’s most powerful six-cylinder to date. That was a lot of power in that era; a base 2002 that ships with a 100 hp engine.
BMW hasn’t released performance numbers yet, but the 3.0 CSL should be as fast as it sounds. It will also offer the handling that fans expect from an M-branded coupe thanks in part to the Adaptive M suspension and variable-ratio electromechanical steering. Standard carbon ceramic brake system includes six-piston calipers up front and a larger rotor than the wheel of the stock 3.0 CSL.
Production of the 3.0 CSL is limited to 50 units, some chosen because the BMW M turns 50 in 2022, but none will go on sale officially in the United States. Each example will be identified by a serial number engraved on a carbon fiber trim on the passenger side of the instrument panel and will take approximately three months to fabricate; The many carbon fiber parts scattered throughout the cabin are remarkably handcrafted.
Have we been here before?
BMW has used the CSL nameplate several times over the past five decades, but never on a vehicle with heritage-inspired design; at least not a limit for production. It tested the idea of modern CSL 3.0 in 2015 when it introduced a pair of concepts named 3.0 CSL Regards and 3.0 CSL Hommage CHEAP, corresponding. In terms of design, both are said to be closer to the original car than the 2022 model.
