1974 BMW E9 CSi – Auction Car of the Week

Some cars are more than cars, they’re art. Glorious masterpieces that celebrate the skill and the eye of the gifted human being that envisioned them. Cars like the BMW E9 for example. Wilhelm Hofmeister just knew how to pen a beautiful car, and the E9 proves that. Flowing, harmonious lines, the iconic flourishes like the kidney front grille and the Hofmeister kink in the rear quarter windows. The side vents, the perfectly scaled wheels. The… you get the idea. The BMW E9 was and still is art. This 1974 BMW E9, which has been subject to a painstaking, detailed, seemingly no expense spared restoration is arguably one of the finest examples available. Are you itching to bid yet? Yeah, us too.

This 1974 BMW E9 CSi is reportedly one of the first 200 cars built in UK, right hand-drive specification complete with the highly desirable manual transmission. First bought by a customer in Surrey, this E9 has since had seven keepers, each one clearly coveting the car. However, even with the best intentions, age will always catch up with metal from the 1970s. This E9 didn’t need to worry though, as it was subject to a complete bare metal restoration in recent years. Seemingly expertly done, the car now stands resplendent. Seriously, just look at the engine bay and you can see how much care and attention has gone into getting this E9 just right.

And not only is it glorious to look at, that engine is glorious to drive, too. A 3.0 straight-six (the best engine ever) with electronic fuel injection means this E9 fires up first time, every time, and delivers plenty of power. The four-speed manual transmission is crisp, sharp and direct, making this every but the driver’s car. Okay, so it’s it not as sharp or as hard-nosed as the CSL version, but for regular use and constant enjoyment without losing any comfort, this is hard to beat. And speaking of comfort…

… the cabin is exceptional. You’ll have to remind yourself to actually drive the car each time you get in it, otherwise you’re just going to lose hours of your day simply sitting in here. The tactile wood-rim steering wheel, the restored seats and door cards, the lush carpet, the wood-trimmed dash. Glorious. And most importantly, when you sit here, you’re enveloped by a sense of overwhelming quality and precision. This 1974 BMW E9 CSi doesn’t feel like a fragile old car, it feels like something that would gladly encourage you to drive to the South of France. Somewhere this car would fit in without question.

Modern BMWs are, frankly, embarrassing. Jarring, hard on the eyes, loaded with needless amounts of tech. The BMW of today is but a fraction of what it once was, as this 1974 BMW E9 CSi demonstrates. And it demonstrates it without fuss, without breaking a sweat and without shouting. It is pure class. It will also never go out of fashion, because good design doesn’t, nor does art. If you have always lusted after an E9, this one has to be the car to satiate said lust, surely? This is as good as they get. Whoever lands the winning bid is going to be very, very happy indeed.