1972 BMW 3.5-CSI Group 2 "Batmobile"
Price: Please inquire
|
Body
|
Coupe
|
|
Transmission
|
Manual
|
|
Exterior Color
|
Other
|
|
Upholstery
|
Cloth
|
|
Steering
|
Lhd
|
|
|
VIN
|
2210270
|
Extensive racing history both as a Group 2 & Group 5 car
Restored back to its original Group 2 specifications
Fully rebuilt and reace ready with new FIA HTP
This beautiful 3.5 CSL Group 2 « Batmobile » bears the chassis number 2210270.
It started its life in 1972 as a 3.0 CS race car like most of the period E9 cars and was built by the garage FALTZ, an ALPINA authorized dealer in Essen. It competed in the 1972/73 DRM driven by Rudiger Faltz.
In June 1973 the car was sold to Graziano Cancian and it was upgraded to 3.5 CSL specification notably using the latest specification Schnitzer engine available then, all the work being overseen by Manfred Nicht, Benedens’ team chief. Cancian drove the car in a number of DRM and ETCC events until 1976.
In 1979 he sold the car to Peter Herke in California who decided to upgrade it to Group 5 specification to run in the IMSA Series. Herke modified the car extensively and turned 2210270 into a mighty CSL, with similar body to the ones used by the Vasek Polak team in the 70s. Though pretty outdated back then, he continued to run it until 1985. It was then put into storage and not used until 1992 when it was invited to participate in the 20th anniversary of BMW Motorsport held at Sebring in the presence of Karl-Heinz Kalbfeld, the managing director. For this occasion the car was repainted in BMW Motorsport colors. Herke subsequently used his CSL very sparingly at historic events before offering it for sale in 2007.
It found a new home in the hands of well known James Hanson of Speedmaster and was intended for his personal use. The car was meticulously restored back to its original Group 2 specification as it was raced by Cancian in ETCC by QM engineering, a company run by Roger King, an ex Broadspeed staff member.
The car was completely stripped and fully rebuilt, the most complicated aspect of the work being the replacement of the fiberglass front end by an original steel unit. It was also decided to fit a fully welded-in FIA roll cage to enhance both safety and the torsional rigidity of the chassis.
In 2011 the car was sold to Richard Meins a regular front runner in historic events, who campaigned the car in Masters Historics and at Donington’s Historic Festival in 2011 and 2012. In 2015 the car was sold via Gregor Fiskens to another very well know collector who had the car completely overhauled including all new suspension, brakes and engine at Formula GT in Munich with no expense spared. The car was recently awarded a new FIA HTP and is offered in race ready condition.
Very few race cars from the 1970s have reached us with such a well documented history.
Indeed the car comes with important period documentation including pictures from the 1973 & 1974 seasons, entry forms, customs documents both from Europe and the US when it was exported to Herke. Art & Revs was lucky enough to locate Manfred Nicht who built 2210270 to 3.5 CSL specifications in 1973 for Graziano Cancian and he gave us many pictures and documents from that period. There is also a good many period race results, pictures and various letters from when the car was raced in IMSA SCCA.The cars’s file shows pictures from the restoration and various service records over the years.
Being an integral part of its history, the original Group 5 components such as rear suspension and complete fiberglass bodywork, still accompany 2210270.
After receiving the car Art & Revs carried out a shake down to validate the rebuild and can confirm that this exceptional CSL is a fantastic driver.
2210270 is a flawless historic race car with perfect provenance and complete documentation, high specifications and ready to enter the most prestigious events.
