BMW Group Classic Revisits the Iconic 3.0 CSL Batmobile
BMW Group Classic’s recent video explores every aspect of the legendary 3.0 CSL Batmobile. We join Benjamin Voss and BMW Group Classic Museum Employee, Mark on a trip down memory lane.
The Bavarian car manufacturer introduced a Batmobile long before Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, and Matt Reeves could. Beamer fans will be familiar with the model, and for the uninitiated; the automaker recently uploaded a video on the YouTube channel BMW Group Classic. The video explores every aspect of the 3.0 CSL Batmobile and is hosted by Benjamin Voss, who is joined by a BMW Group Classic Museum Employee, Mark. We join the duo as they take a deep dive into the history of this automotive icon.
The BMW 3.0 CSL and CSI turn half a century old this year. The 3.0 CSL was a product of homologation, and only a handful of examples were built so that the automaker can participate in the European Touring Car Championship. BMW manufactured 1000 units of the 3.0 CSL to meet the homologation requirements for Group 2 racing. The E9 3.0 CSL was designed as a racing model from the ground up. The high-performance coupe became the first BMW model to sport the now-iconic M stripes.
“The BMW M stripes were created back in 1973. The red stands for racing, the blue stands for BMW, the purple In between is the combination,” said Mark. It has also been said that the red streak in the BMW M-stripe was incorporated to Indicate and highlight BMW’s partnership with Texaco as a sponsor in 1973.
“There have been negotiations with Texaco being a sponsor in 1973. These negotiations failed. In the end, I would say, Um, the red is inspirited by Texaco, but I cannot confirm it is the Texaco red,” explained Mark.
During its first racing season, the 3.0 CSL won the European Touring car championship. In its most capable spec, the car’s 3.2-liter engine produced 206 HP of maximum power. It is worth noting that the car featured in the video is a replica that is currently being prepped so that it can race in the next season. The CSI was one of the first cars to sport some of the most recognizable BMW styling cues of all time.
“At the front, you see the double lights, the so-called four eye face. The famous sickle line at the side of the car, and of course in the C-pillar, the famous Hoffmeister Kink, and as a whole this coupe silhouette is nowadays still modern and was founded back then,” said Mark.
Image Source: BMW Group Classic