03/05/2023

BMW 3.5 CSL - 1976

BMW 3.5 CSL

Author : Cette collection est une adaptation de 24H Le Mans ® Le auto delle corsa più leggendaria al mondo Éditeur : Centauria Editore s.r.l.

In the year in which Group 5 was introduced, BMW attempted to challenge Porsche's dominance with the latest evolution of its E9, which finished no higher than 10th overall and 4th in its class behind the powerful 935, 934 and 911 RSR.

1.The 3.5 CSL No. 42 entered at Le Mans in 1976 in black, red and blue livery was sponsored by the Gitanes cigarette brand ( which was not mentioned on the model because the legislation prohibited advertising).

2. Group 5 cars can be modified more extensively than the Group 4 cars from which they are derived, even to the extent of changing the size of the wheels, on this occasion to 16 inches.

During the 1976 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche achieved a near monopoly, winning in the three main categories, Group 6, 5 and 4, and even the IMSA GT category, with respectively the new 936, overall winner, and several derivatives of the 911, from the 934 and 935 to the 911 RS/RSR – all of which were also the most numerous cars on the starting grid. Opponents were few in number and those capable of beating the Stuttgart machines even fewer, especially in Group 5 (the so-called ‘Special Production’ cars) where the only competitor capable of challenging the supremacy of the Porsche 935 was BMW with its evolution of the 3.0 CSL. The regulations for this category are more permissive, as there is no minimum number of production models required, unlike those for Groups 2 and 4, allowing more room for modifications with lower minimum weights in the different engine classes: in the 3 to 3.5 litre class, the minimum weight drops from just over a tonne to 915 kg. In addition, larger wheels were permitted. The 6-cylinder in-line engine with 4 valves per cylinder was almost identical to that of the 3.0 CSL used in previous seasons and, while keeping the designation of the production car, achieved a maximum power output of nearly 480 bhp.

1. One of the areas in which the engineers were most innovative with the Group 5 3.5 CSL was its aerodynamics, which included the large, striking rear spoiler.

2. On competition CSLs, the six-cylinder engine has twin exhaust pipes that exit sideways just behind the door.

The season kicked off with victories at the 6 Hours of Silverstone (John Fitzpatrick and Tom Walkinshaw from the private Hermetite team) and the 1000 km of Nürburgring, this time with the official BMW Schnitzer team and the crew formed by Austrian Dieter Quester and German Albrecht Krebs. Both drivers arrived at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans accompanied by Belgian Alain Peltier in the number 43 car, which was forced to withdraw after 12 hours of racing due to an engine fire. The other pairing, consisting of American Sam Posey, German Harald Grohs and Belgian Hughes de Fierlant, had a better result, finishing 10th overall, although in Group 5 they were only fourth behind three Porsches. It was not the best result for Sam Posey, who in 1971 finished third overall in his class with the Ferrari 512 M, while Grohs would later enjoy the satisfaction of winning his class in 1980 driving a Porsche 935.

A. Notwithstanding the collaboration of the BMW Motorsport department in the development of the CSL racing car, the name Alpina, which participated in the development of the new Group 5 cars, appeared on the bonnet and bumper.

As a point of interest, during the 1976 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the official BMW team entered a third car with a 3.2-litre engine carrying a special black and white livery designed by American artist Frank Stella. This car ended its racing career prematurely due to its overly powerful turbo engine, which should have been combined with a more robust gearbox. At Le Mans, the car was driven by specialists Brian Redman and Peter Gregg, who were forced to withdraw after just four hours due to a major oil leak. It will always be remembered as the second of the ‘Art Cars’ entered by BMW after the 3.0 CSL, decorated the previous year by Alexander Calder.