The 1971 BMW Motorsport 3.0 CSL
Why It's Special:
In the early seventies, BMW got serious about racing. Very serious. The now legendary M division was founded and out of the factory rolled the first M-badged contender, the 1971 BMW Motorsport 3.0 CSL. European Touring Car Competition had revealed that the BMW 3.0CS had plenty of grunt, but was far too heavy to be beat the nimble Ford Capri’s. These issues were fully addressed with the debut of the 3.0 CSL (Coupe, Sport, Lightweight).
Group 2 rules stated that 1,000 homologation models must be constructed, so beginning in 1971 BMW customers had the opportunity to purchase a very special car. The feature list reads more like a purpose built racecar than a street car. For starters, the chassis was constructed of thinner steel while aluminum was used for the doors, hood and trunk lid. Creature comforts were removed from the interior and so was the power steering pump. The net result was a curb weight of 2,570 pounds, a modest 562 pounds lighter than the standard 3.0CS!
Under The Hood:
Impressive as it was in its weight class, BMW wasn’t completely satisfied with the 3.0CS’ handling or lateral stability. So the engineers headed to the Stuttgart wind tunnel and designed the now famous “Batmobile” race kit. It consisted of a massive front air-dam, longitudinal hood fins, a roof mounted air-guide and a expansive rear spoiler. Now the 3.0 CSL had lateral stability and instead of massive amounts of lift, the wing was giving 77 pounds of downforce. These changes allowed Hans Stuck to lap the Nordschleife over 15 seconds faster than his previous best time -- a remarkable achievement, to be sure.
The first production models came equipped with BMW’s rock-solid M30 3.0-liter SOHC inline-6. To give you an idea of how robust this engine was, the final evolution for Group 5 competition was turbocharged and produced upwards of 750hp! Fitted with twin Zenith carburetors, the street engine produced 180hp @ 6,000rpm and 192 lb-ft of torque @ 3,700rpm. To complete the drivetrain, BMW used a Getrag 4-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential. Specially tuned dampers from Bilstein combined with light alloy Alpina wheels and Michelin XWX tires provided confident and predictable handling.
The Verdict:
All told, BMW produced somewhere between 1,000 and 1,250 3.0 CSL’s over the car’s four year production run. Unfortunately far less remain today, mainly due to the CSL’s vulnerability to rust and their widespread use in many forms of motorsport. Perhaps most complimentary is the legacy of the 3.0 CSL. As mentioned before, it is considered the first BMW Motorsport car and its astounding success made the M3 and all the other fabulous M cars not only possible, but a commercial reality.
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