First CSL BMW: The Iconic Performance Legacy Reimagined

The first CSL BMW wasn’t just a motorcycle—it was a revolution on two wheels, blending lightweight engineering with racing pedigree to create a benchmark in performance that endures decades later.

The Genesis of CSL BMW

Born from BMW’s racing ambitions in the early 1970s, the first CSL BMW was developed as a homologation special for the European Touring Championship. With a stripped-down chassis, minimal bodywork, and a potent M88 engine, it delivered raw power and agility, setting new standards for lightweight superbikes.

Design and Engineering Excellence

Featuring a tubular steel frame and a tubular fuel tank, the first CSL BMW prioritized performance over comfort. Its 2.3-liter M88 engine delivered exceptional power-to-weight ratio, while minimal instrumentation and exposed components celebrated mechanical honesty—a philosophy still revered in modern performance machines.

Legacy on Two Wheels

The first CSL BMW didn’t just win races; it defined a generation of sport bikes. Its fusion of racing technology and street usability inspired future iterations and cemented BMW’s reputation as a leader in performance engineering, influencing superbike design worldwide.

The first CSL BMW remains a timeless icon—bridging the gap between racing innovation and road-ready excellence. For enthusiasts and historians alike, it stands as a testament to BMW’s enduring legacy in motorsport and motorcycle craftsmanship. Discover your own piece of this legendary journey today.

Every 3.0 CSL is a special car. Chassis E9/R1 might be the most special BMW on sale today. Thanks to Dylan and Miles, you have a chance to purchase the car for yourself.

This particular chassis, E9/R1, was the first of 21 works. As the first M ever, the 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL is a legend. The latest edition of the icon was created with a great deal of heart and soul, passion, and attention to detail.

BMW M Magazine explains how it came about, what the development looked like and the challenges that the developers faced. The very first BMW 3.0 CLS has resurfaced, seeking a new owner. It is actually a development car built in the wildest times of automotive history, when Bob Lutz made cars performance-focused, bold.

An Icon Born to Race The 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL Werks represents the first car built by the newly established BMW Motorsport division, led by the legendary Bob Lutz. Only 21 CSL Werks units were produced, 11 of which raced with the factory team, and this model, known as the E9/R1, also played a key role in developing the iconic Batmobile Aero kit. Check out this 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL, the very first M car and a development vehicle for the car's iconic Batmobile Aero Kit, which you can own.

Before the M1, before the M3, before the letter "M" became synonymous with performance purity, there was chassis E9/R1. Built during the winter of 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH's first-ever development car, this 3.0 CSL prototype is the vehicle that started everything we associate with BMW's racing lineage. Now, for the first time publicly, U.K.

The very first official BMW M project was the 3.0 CSL. Affectionately known as the Batmobile, it was intended to compete in the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) and was built to Group 2. Without a doubt one of the most significant BMWs to ever leave Munich, E9/R1 is the original BMW 'M' car, the first WERKS CSL to wear the iconic Batmobile kit, and the first of twenty-one works CSLs ever built.

E9/R1 set the stage for BMW's domination of the ETCC including six championship wins, a Nurburgring lap record, Le Mans class win. Specifically, it's the 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL Werks Development Car, the model that started it all, and it's the first time it's ever been publicly available on the market.

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