Tag Archives: Bring a trailer

1973 BMW 3.0 CSL Recently Sold for a Whopping $280,000

BMW isn’t Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche, in that it doesn’t have a ton of uber-high priced classics from its history. While there are a few expensive vintage Bimmers on the collector’s market, only the M1 has reached truly legendary status. However, some classic BMWs have started to creep up into surprisingly high price ranges. One of which is the BMW 3.0 CSL, which is not only revered for its stunning looks but also its racing pedigree and one just sold for a whopping $280,000.

Just a couple of days ago, a premium listing on Bring-A-Trailer for a 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL ended, with a winning bid of $280,000, which is more than $100,000 more than the most expensive brand-new BMW. One look at this car and it’s not hard to see why it sold for so much money.

The BMW 3.0 CSL was always one of the best looking Bimmers ever made. This one, though, without its big rear wing, 14″ ALPINA wheels, and nearly mint condition. This specific 3.0 CSL wears a Polaris Silver paint, with a black interior, and wood trim. It’s among the best looking CSL’s we’ve ever seen. With its CSL-spec Bilstein suspension, lowered ride height, and perfect wheels, we’re not sure we’ve ever seen a prettier CSL.

BMW 3.0 CSL shark 03 830x553BMW 3.0 CSL shark 03 830x553

Its interior isn’t so shabby, either. The Scheel front bucket seats, with a mixture of cloth and leather, not only look great but are more supportive of the standard E9-chassis BMW seats. Every aspect of the interior looks to be in superb condition; the steering wheel, shifter, and wood trim — all the wear items — are all in excellent shape.

Under the hood is a 3.0 liter (hence the name) naturally-aspirated inline six, making 200 horsepower and 204 lb-ft of torque. That power is routed through a four-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels. While it’s vastly underpowered by modern standards, the 3.0 CSL is more than powerful enough to be enjoyable.

However, what makes the BMW 3.0 CSL such a valuable car is its rarity. Only 1,265 CSL models were made and this model is one of only 429 left-hand drive models made. It was an Italian market car that was imported to the ‘States in 1994. This specific car also has the City Package, which came with better sound insulation, rear glass instead of plastic, thicker carpets, and even power windows. Being a homologation racing car, the BMW 3.0 CSL was about 440 lbs lighter than the standard 3.0 CS but the City Package added 297 lbs back  to the car.

BMW 30 CSL E9 5 830x553BMW 30 CSL E9 5 830x553

The $280,000 price tag is high, even for a 3.0 CSL, but we can see it becoming an even more valuable collector’s car in the future. BMW isn’t Ferrari or Porsche but it has one or two special classics and the CSL is one of them.

[Source: Bring-A-Trailer]

This 1967 Mini Cooper S Has Me Thinking Dirty Thoughts

It’s been over a year since I last drove a classic Mini through Monterey and it’s still seared into my brain. That little Mini earned a special place in my heart and I’ve wanted one ever since. Honestly, I can’t afford to buy a classic Mini, especially now that prices are going up, but I’ve kept my eye on classifieds since falling in love with that ’65 Cooper S last year. When this one popped up on Bring-a-Trailer, it genuinely made me happy but also a bit sad.

This specific 1967 Mini Cooper S is literally my perfect car. It’s from the era of classic Mini I love most (late ’60s), it’s the right color (red) and has the best interior (red and gray). It has the two-spoke, pencil-thin steering wheel I love, the simple, center-mounted gauges and none of the add-ons that came with later model cars. It’s literally my perfect Mini and almost exactly like the one I drove a year ago.

Classic Mini Cooper S 3 830x550Classic Mini Cooper S 3 830x550

There is a catch, though — it’s a nearly perfect, extremely low-mileage example. That might not sound like a catch for most humans but it is for me. See, I can only afford a slightly ratty one, one that I would need to work on a bit and bring back to life. This perfect one, with its perfect spec, is simply too far out of my price range.

It’s not all original, as it’s had its engine and transmission rebuilt, as well as a repaint, but it looks like it rolled off the showroom floor back in 1967 and its engine and transmission are both numbers-matching originals, just rebuilt. So it’s a stunning example and one that will fetch a very pretty penny.

At the time of writing this, there are still seven days left on the auction, so it hasn’t even been up for a full day yet, and it’s already at $26,000, far more than most classic Minis I see for sale. So I fully expect it to sell for an eye-watering number, one I can’t even imagine spending on a car.

Classic Mini Cooper S 2 830x550Classic Mini Cooper S 2 830x550

Which is what has me thinking dirty thoughts. Taking out a home equity loan, robbing a bank, coming up with a pyramid scheme, seducing Jeff Bezos — these options have run through my mind. So, please, someone buy this before I do something stupid. And then let me drive it. Please?

[Source: Bring-A-Trailer]

For GREAT deals on a new or used Toyota check out South Bay Toyota TODAY!