1972 BMW 3.0 CSi – Project Profile

It’s always an event when a rare car comes up for sale here at Car & Classic, but then being the world’s largest classic marketplace it shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise. What does come as a surprise, however, is when two examples of the exact same model grace the pages of our site, especially when they happen to be only weeks apart. If you’re keeping up to date with our regular Auction Car of the Week feature that runs every Sunday here on the magazine then you’ll no doubt have seen this rather lovely 1974 BMW E9 3.0 CSi that we showcased a few of weeks ago. Well, believe it or not we have another one for your bidding pleasure.

Yep, that’s right, this week’s Project Profile is this slightly younger 1972 3.0 CSi but despite being two years junior the similarities are myriad. They’re both blue for a start, they’re both right-hand drive (two of only 207 ever built to this configuration) and they both feature the 3.0-litre straight-six electronically fuel injected engine. They are, however, very different beasts. The ’74 was comprehensively restored and fetched £55,000 at our auction whilst the ’72 is at the opposite end of the spectrum, needing as it does, the same TLC treatment.

Considered by many to be one of the prettiest models to emerge from Munich, the E9, designed by Wilhelm Hofmeister (famous for his kink, ahem) alongside Giovanni Michelotti , remains an achingly beautiful car. Coupled with its 200bhp flat-six it had the performance to match and it’s a dynamic and well-balanced affair when out on the road. Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen, the BMW E9 is pure class on wheels the just begs to be driven but this particular example needs a little work before it can fulfil its potential once more.

What is it?

As stated earlier this is a 1972 BMW E9 3.0 CSi in rare factory right-hand drive spec. It also has the desirable four-speed manual gearbox so it’s the right version to have as the base for a full restoration. With just one previous owner the car has already been stripped in preparation for the necessary work and comes with numerous original parts, all organised and labelled, as well as the original glass and trim – some parts of which have been refitted following an earlier respray in deep metallic blue paint.

Why is it a project?

Because unless you want to freewheel around with no gearbox and a distinct lack of interior then this E9 will need refreshing and putting back together. The advert states that the current mechanical state is unknown and that no history is provided so a full assessment of what is required will be necessary but at the very least this will need a complete mechanical overhaul, as well as the refitting of all of the original parts.

What should you look for?

As this E9 is featured on our auctions platform we’ve done all the hard work for you so head on over to the listing for a full rundown and more than a hundred high quality, detailed photos. The car comes with multiple boxes of parts but it’s worth compiling a list of anything that is potentially missing or beyond repair.

What should you do with it?

The bodywork may just need a few touch ups here and there so the main job is to completely refurbish the engine and gearbox (and refit the latter) then refresh all of the parts supplied and fit them back to the car, picking up any missing bits and bobs as you go. It may seem like a long slog, and it is, but just imagine the final result. If you need a little inspiration then just take a look at the auction car we mentioned at the beginning of this article. That – along with how much it fetched – should serve as all the motivation you could ever hope for to bring this 3.0 CSi back to its elegant, agile best. The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and £55K is a lot of dessert.