The Ultimate BMW 3.5 CSL Batmobile Legend Is Up For Sale

Jan. 09, 2021 1:00 PM ET by Sebastian Cenizo Auctions / 6 Comments

It's a real beauty.

There's quite a big weight of expectation on the racing version of the stunning BMW M2 CS, but it's hard to imagine that America would ever get such a machine if it were not for the work done by the legendary Batmobile. So named for its aggressive bodywork, the 3.0 CSL was a legendary racer that inspired an awesome concept decades later, but few people know about the 3.5 CSL. This is the car that handed BMW its first major win on US soil at Sebring, and the very car that achieved that monumental task is now up for sale. Meet chassis #987.

Under the hood lies a period-correct 3.5-liter M49 engine mated to a five-speed C/R dogleg transmission that sends power to the rear wheels in true BMW fashion. Those wheels are BBS pieces in 16-inch sizing, and they look brilliant. But before you start working out how many of your kids you need to put up for adoption to afford this beast, don't get any ideas about seeing a perfectly preserved relic of automotive history.

This was a racecar in the 1970s and its current owner, before learning of its provenance, raced it in vintage series quite a lot too. As such, you can see signs of repair in numerous places. We don't know about you, but we think that makes this car even cooler.

Regardless of its battle scars, this is sure to be a highly sought-after machine for decades to come, especially since the dash of the car has been signed by both 1975 Sebring winners, Brian Redman and Hans Stuck. In addition, the car is being sold with a spare carbon fiber hood, photographs of Stuck with the car at Amelia Island, Redman with the car at Laguna Seca, and a set of photographs obtained from BMW's archive.

We've seen roadgoing variants of the regular 3.0 CSL on sale for between $270,000 and $360,000, so this racing version with confirmed provenance will likely go for close to 500 big ones. Got the cash? Bidding starts on January 22 via Stratas.