Here are a couple of BMWs you are unlikely to meet curbside, classic though they may be. We’re at the same Tokyo showroom where Jim Klein and I saw a lovely pair of Isettas and a 2002 Tii. Not far from the latter, in a small fenced-off area, were four BMWs that were obviously deemed more equal than others. Two of those were recent (a Z8 and an M3 CSL), but the other two exhibits were definitely post-worthy.
BMW made three world-class sports cars in the ‘70s. The 2002 Turbo is one, and the other two are here. The 1972-75 3.0 CSL was made for BMW to compete in the European Touring Car Championship, which it won in 1973 and every year from 1975 to 1979. These initially came with a 200 PS 3-litre 6-cyl., upped to 3.2 litres and 206 PS in 1973. The “L” stands for leicht (light), as these were made from thinner steel and aluminium panels, and had perspex windows, among other weight-saving features. A lean, mean Bavarian machine.
But to really take it to the next level, BMW had to start from scratch and develop their first mid-engined sports car. The M1 was created with Lamborghini’s help, though the Italian carmaker was going through a troubled period and couldn’t come through with chassis production as planned. The project went ahead regardless, with the chassis and GRP body panels made in Italy, hand-assembled and finished by Baur in Stuttgart, with the M88/1 engines (3.5 litre DOHC, 265 hp) coming from Munich. The Giugiaro design was radical and awe-inspiring, and the performance matched the looks.
The Lambo connection is one of those random “Wait, what?” moments, like the Maserati-built Chrysler coupes or the prototype Porsche made for Studebaker. The M1 was a total vanity project – and I’m guessing it cost BMW a packet. Between 1978 and 1981, they sold 400 M1s and made another 50-odd for racing, and then closed the chapter on mid-engined cars for decades. By comparison, they sold three times as many 3.0 CSLs, which must have cost far less to develop. The automotive world would be a lot poorer without the M1, but BMW would have been a little richer. Good that they could afford it.
It’s rare that a color scheme from the seventies still looks fresh and contemporary today but BMW absolutely nailed it with the white base and tri-color graphic.
And the M1 itself still looks fresh, albeit with some concessions such as the wheel size etc, not like a 40yr old design. The 3.0 looks like it’s forty older than the M1…
In any case a spectacular pairing and great examples of BMW’s heritage.
When you are in Munich, you should make the pilgrimage not only to Hofbräuhaus but to BMW Welt and BMW Museum as well. At the weekends, the staff at BMW Welt sometimes let the visitors ride Isetta round the vortex tower.
The only vehicle the museum hasn’t displayed yet is Goldfisch, the E32 7-Series with prototype V16 engine and five-speed manual gearbox.
The “Batmobile” is my favorite BMW car and the base E9 is one of the best looking BMWs. The Motorsport strips were an inspired design that worked on several generations of cars as well as motorcycles. An R100RS in white or silver with Motorsport stripes would nicely match the CSL and M1. Unfortunately combined BMW dealerships are very rare, I only know of one, the now closed Westchester BMW which was a company owned location in White Plains NY.
The M1 never caught my interest like the CSL or the later M3 and M5. I guess the car felt too exotic and un BMW.
This dealership (Tokyo Bay) also sold the full line of motorcycles and scooters in a section of the showroom and also had a (very small) test track on the premises. Overall the dealership was about the size of a large US brand mega-dealer with about 30(?) cars inside the showroom and many more outside. By far the largest BMW dealer I’ve ever been in.
Wow, that dealer sounds like a must-see destination. There should be more of those, especially in the U.S.
I remember seeing the 3.0 CSL appear in California right after the more boxy 2002. I was impressed by the looks of the car especially compared against a contemporary Mercedes. Of course they haven’t hung around as long as their contemporary Mercedes have. It was from back then that I started saying that BMWs live fast and die young.
Interesting side note to the M1… The name itself is held in such high esteem that when BMW decided to create an M-level package for the 1-series, they ignored the nomenclature of the existing M-level cars (M3, M5, etc) and called the M-level 1-series the “1M” rather than sully the name of the “real” M1.