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The wooden build of the 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL is a rather special example with intricate details on the outside as well as inside.
The year 2022 will be noted as the year we got not one but two BMW CSL models. We all are well aware of the recently introduced BMW M4 CSL which we believe is the greatest homage to the M’s glory days. And the second one is a BMW 3.0 CSL handcarved out of wood that pays tribute to the original E9 Batmobile in small-scale form.
We love cars and attention to detail is something we pay a lot of attention to. As a result, we have already told you about an exact wooden copy of the Mercedes-AMG G 63, a Lamborghini Aventador made from a wood block and even drivable cars that are made out of wood.
But this story is about wood craftsmanship imitating one of the most iconic cars ever made, the BMW 3.0 CSL.
If you watched the video ahead of reading this, then you must have already figured out by now that the wooden scale model is based on the 1972 model which came with a massive rear spoiler. In reality, the prominent aero was stuffed in the trunk during delivery as it was illegal to mount on a street-going production vehicle. Also, it is worthy to mention that the homologation special is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, so this wooden build comes at the right time.
The wooden scale model is truly laudable. We get to see the rather time-consuming process to replicate the Coupe Sport Lightweight down to the smallest details like the Hofmeister kink or the engine bay that houses the inline-six engine. Even on the inside, the car’s interior is extremely detailed with an intricate dashboard.
Related: The 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL Will Have More Power Than The M4 Competition
For the unaware, the CSL was the German carmaker’s way of retaining the idea of the already existing E9 3.0L CS and making it capable of winning races within Europe. Ahead of that, the E9 was no stranger to racing, but BMW wanted to be able to enter the 3.0-liter class.
The contraction CSL stands for coupe, sport, and eventually adding on the lightweight concept. To achieve this goal, BMW started by making the bonnet, doors, and boot out of aluminum hoping that the car would tip the scales a bit less.
Post the intricate modifications, BMW ended up making the vehicle approximately 136kg lighter. The final iteration of the CSL was eventually nicknamed the "Batmobile."
The car wasn’t called by this nickname just for its aggressive looks and capability, but also because of how it towered upon the other competitors in racing. It immediately stirred up a storm in the racing scene and the 1973 "Batmobile" version of the CSL won the European Touring Car Championship in its very first year, as well as flashing its taillight to the competition every year from 1975 to 1979.
This domination did not stop there, either. The most popular endurance test for any vehicle, the 24 Hours of LeMans, was next on the radar for the newly modified CSL. The car dominated it consecutively in 1973 and 1974. The CSL came as the knight in shining armor for BMW at the time it was recovering from the financial ruins after the war, and this reinvented the "New Class" standard for BMW. The car’s comfort, performance, and functionality heavily contributed to helping the 1972 BMW CSL live up to the overall expectation most consumers hold for BMW until even today.
Back in 1971, when the CSL originally hit the market, the demand for luxury sedans was at an all-time high for consumers. At the time, BMW transformed the CS into the CSL by removing a few standard trim pieces and making it "lightweight." The aim was to get the car into a "Group 2" racing level.
The goal was set into motion after they began producing the cars with the fractionally over-bored 3,003cc engine, having initially been produced with the same engine powering the 3.0 CS. Subsequently, at its launch, the 1972 BMW CSL juiced out 180hp and 260Nm of torque. Additionally, the new iteration was also faster than the standard CS due to its reduced weight.
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A little over a decade ago in October 2010 at the Bonham Dubai Auction, a 1975 BMW CSL "Batmobile" went under the gavel for a mind-boggling $218,400. In the last five years, the average cost for one of these cards has been around $146,000. So it would be safe to say that the 1972 BMW CSL is not your "average luxury sedan" anymore. And seeing it taking shape in wooden form with such attention to detail makes our day.
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