A 1974 BMW 3.0 CSL 'Batmobile' is up for sale through Kidston Motorcars with a unique history. Not only is it an iconic road car used to homologate the original race car, but this one was driven daily by Hans Stuck, the famous BMW Motorsport driver and former Formula 1 pilot who enjoyed much success with the 3.0 CSL race car.

There's been a lot of BMW 3.0 CSL talk these last few months, with the new one unveiled as the spiritual successor to the original and a true celebration of BMW M's 50th anniversary. That car is an icon reborn, and costing a whopping $780,000, it has a price tag to match its stature. But while the new one will not be street legal in the US - and is well beyond the price most of us can afford - you can own this iconic original.

It's not every day you see one come up for sale, let alone one in this spec and driven by someone who would later become a two-time Le Mans winner.

The car in question - chassis 4355031 - was one of only 57 'Second Series' cars built, and rolled off the assembly line on July 11, 1974. Finished in Chamonix White over a black interior, it was delivered directly to BMW M GmbH and used as a test car for a brief period. After that, it found its way into the hands of Stuck, who used it as his personal car, describing it as "a piece of myself" when speaking to German magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

It sold to its first private owner in March of 1975, after which it changed hands multiple times over the next four decades. Notably, it was restored substantially in 1995 with as many authentic parts as possible. Now, this may be a detriment or benefit depending upon how you look at it, but during the restoration, a more powerful Alpina-BMW tuned motor was transplanted into it giving the vehicle a substantial increase in power to 230 hp. After that, the car was sold and exported from Germany to the UK where it still lives today.

Hand-Joachim Stuck's history with the 3.0 CSL goes well beyond ownership of this particular car, however.

The 3.0 CSL was introduced in 1972 and was built as a homologation special to make the E9 series BMW eligible for racing in the European Touring Car Championship. CSL Stands for Coupe Sport Leichtbau (lightweight), with the latter achieved through thinner gauge steel and aluminum doors, trunk, and hood. The car originally used a 3,003 cc engine that produced 197 hp, but by 1973 it was increased to a 3,153 cc engine that produced 203 hp.

The car performed admirably in 1972, but BMW was prepared to throw everything it had at the car in 1973 to win the championship. This decision to win at all costs brought about the 'Batmobile' 3.0 CSL. The model was homologated in July 1973 and included an aero package that consisted of a large air dam, fins along the front fenders, a spoiler on the rear edge of the roof, and the legendary massive rear wing.

Hans Stuck debuted the car at the 1973 Nurburgring 6 Hours and recorded a lap time 15 seconds faster than before, winning the race outright. This model was so effective that BMW had to revert to a steel trunk lid to support the wing, and a center support fin was added to the rear wing - with these models denoted as the 'Second Series' you see here. These also benefitted from an increase in power to 206 hp.

It's one of the most legendary BMWs of all time and can only be upped by a few others. The price for the 3.0 is by inquiry only, so we like to think it's only going to an owner with the correct means and reverence for a vehicle as special as this. Who knows, maybe it'll go to someone who has a new 3.0 CSL on the way too, so they can be displayed side-by-side as the ultimate past-meets-present collection.