By Otsile Kadiege

As the anniversary year comes to a close, BMW M GmbH is presenting the most exclusive special model the company has ever produced – the highly anticipated 3.0 CSL. According to BMW, the new 3.0 CSL was developed with the intention of combining the best of five decades of racing expertise from BMW M GmbH.  All facets of its character – dynamic exterior elegance, a classic sportscar cockpit, intelligent lightweight construction, a straight six-cylinder engine, manual transmission and rear-wheel drive – are based on traditional principles of a BMW M automobile.

 Classic coupe proportions

The design of the newcomer pays tribute to the original BMW 3.0 CSL and boasts a bunch of styling cues of the 3.0 CSL concept car unveiled years ago. Up front, the new 3.0 CSL is dominated by an upright,  distinctive BMW kidney grille  finished in satin aluminium with a lattice-shaped insert in a diamond structure. The grille is flanked by BMW Laser Light headlights which shine in yellow both during the welcome scenario after unlocking the doors and when the low and high beams are activated.

Other noteworthy features include sculpturally shaped air fins on the bonnet two recesses in the front apron, reminiscent of the air intakes on the 1970s model. Viewed from the side, the new 3.0 CSL boasts muscular wheel arches, gold-coloured forged light-alloy wheels in a Y-spoke design ( 20 inches on the front axle and 21 inches at the rear) wrapped with Michelin tyres developed exclusively for the BMW 3.0 CSL, which also bear the number 50 embossed on the tyre sidewalls.

At the rear, the new 3.0 CSL’s most striking feature is the rear wing, which is enclosed at the side and translates the characteristic appearance of the “Batmobile” into a modern design language. Other highlights include arrow shaped quad exhaustsin the centre of the rear apron and feature a particularly lightweight titanium rear silencer and rear laser lights.

Lastly, the new BMW 3.0 CSL is coated with an Alpine White uni paint finish with  an elaborately applied stripe decor in the BMW M GmbH colours.

Modern racing-inspired cabin

The motorsport theme is continued inside the puristic and exclusive yet familiar-looking interior of the new 3.0 CSL. Highlights include Black Alcantara seat surfaces, M seat belts, an M Alcantara steering wheel with red M buttons, an anthracite roof liner, black Alcantara, white contrast stitching, matt carbon surfaces, a red start/stop button and a white gearshift knob.

The interior of the BMW 3.0 CSL makes use of carbon and other lightweight construction measures. Instead of additional seats, the rear offers a storage compartment with two integrated helmet compartments.

Classic BMW characteristic fused with modern gizmos

A straight-six engine paired to a six-speed manual transmission, sending all its power to the rear wheels is classic BMW M characteristics which have been carried over to the new 3.0 CSL. The most powerful straight-six engine from BMW, which was further developed exclusively for the BMW 3.0 CSL,  develops 412 kW and 550 Nm. BMW M are yet to share official 0-100 km/h sprint times.

The BMW 3.0 CSL features CFRP components on virtually all bodywork sections. In addition to the roof, bonnet and boot lid, the front and rear aprons are made entirely of carbon. The front and rear side panel attachments, the side sills, the rear diffuser, the rear wing and rear spoiler are also made of the high-tech material. All carbon components are manufactured in small series, mostly by hand and exclusively for the BMW 3.0 CSL.

In addition, the roof spoiler of the BMW 3.0 CSL is made of glass fibre reinforced plastic, the titanium rear silencer of the BMW 3.0 CSL is around 4.3 kg lighter than a conventional steel component and the cast aluminium precision struts in the engine compartment, which connect the suspension strut domes to each other and to the front end, have a geometry that has been precisely matched to the forces acting in different driving situations.

In closing, all 50 units (world wide) will take about three months to build at the external location of the BMW Group Dingolfing plant in Moosthenning, Lower Bavaria. The exclusive interior carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) components are produced by hand both in Munich and at the BMW Group component factory in Landshut by specially assigned bodywork specialists.