Hyundai BMW 3.0 CSL goes into production.
BMW M, which turned 50 last year, celebrated by unveiling a modern interpretation of its legendary 3.0 CSL homologation special from the 1970s. The car recently went into production at BMW's plant in Dingolfing, Germany.
Despite a price that is expected to start around 750,000 euros (about $797,650 at current exchange rates), it is all but booked.
The modern car is based on the 2023 M4 CSL, but features a number of unique elements that had to be built mostly by hand. The process begins with the creation of unique body elements, such as the distinctive wheel arches, which are wider than the M4 CSL and require special beading and welding processes to form.
Once the body is complete, coloring is applied by hand using stencils. Other body elements such as fascia, hood, and roof are also painted at this point. Everything is then assembled in a specialized assembly center near Dingolfing's main factory.
It takes about 30 people two weeks to assemble one car. Once the assembly work is complete, the cars return to the main factory in Dingolfing, where they are tested on a rolling test bench and a brake dynamometer. They will also be driven on the factory's test track.
After some final checks, the cars are prepared for delivery, which takes place at the BMW Welt Museum at BMW's headquarters in Munich, Germany.
Power for the modern 3.0 CSL comes from the same 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder twin-turbo engine as in other BMW products, but the output is raised to 553 hp, 10 hp more than the M4 CSL. This is the highest output for a production inline 6-cylinder engine.
Almost all of the body panels are made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, and the same lightweight material is used for the door panels and bucket seats inside the cabin. The vehicle weighs approximately 3,580 pounds.