• BMW has launched production of the modern version of its 3.0 CSL.
• The limited-edition car is assembled by hand and requires 30 workers to complete.
• BMW's M division celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
BMW's M division celebrated its 50th anniversary last year and to mark the occasion, it decided to launch a model that embodies a modern interpretation of one of the company's classics, the famous 3.0 CSL from the 1970s.
Production of the special edition is now underway at its Dingolfing plant, located in Germany.
Only 50 units will be built, and all are sold despite a starting price that should be around 750,000 Euros, or close to $1 Million CAD.
The new 3.0 CLS is based on the 2023 M4 CSL, but it benefits from a number of unique modifications that require hand assembly. This is the case with the manufacturing process of body components such as the separate wheel arches that are wider and require different processes to assemble, especially on terms of the welding.
Once the bodywork is complete, stencils are used to apply the coloured stripes that each edition will wear. Other elements such as the bumpers, hood and roof are also then painted. Everything is then assembled in a specialized construction centre located near the main factory in Dingolfing.
It takes about 30 employees to assemble each car, and the whole process takes two weeks. Once assembly work is complete, the car returns to the main factory where it is tested on rolling test stands and brake dynamometers. Each car is also driven on the factory test track.
After a few final checks, each vehicle is prepared for delivery. That delivery takes place at the BMW Museum at BMW's headquarters in Munich, Germany.
Mechanically, this unique 3.0 CSL is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0L 6-cylinder engine very similar to the one found in the M lineup, except that its output is more than 553 hp, 10 more than the M4 CSL generates. According to BMW, this is the most powerful 6-cylinder engine in the world.
As for performance, what's extraordinary is that these future collector’s editions weigh only 3580 lb, almost 100 less than the M4 CSL. That's thanks to the use of body panels made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, while the interior carries lighter materials for the door panels and bucket seats.
If you're lucky, you'll come across a new 3.0 CSL somewhere, but with only 50 units being made, you might have better luck coming across one in a museum.
