For Sale at Auction: 1975 BMW 3.5CSI in Carmel, California

Chassis No. 4340803
Engine No. 4340803

BMW's E9 Coupe debuted in 1968 as the 2800 CS, with a sophisticated yet understated pillarless two-door design penned by Wilhelm Hofmeister and produced by Karmann. The range would come to define BMW's style in the late 1960s and into the 1970s as a flagship model for the brand. Displacement increases and improvements to BMW's M30 engine resulted in the 3.0 CS and 3.0 CSi replacing the 2800 CS in 1971. The top-of-the-range 3.0 CSi model incorporated Bosch D-Jetronic electronic fuel injection, and with its higher compression was able to deliver a very healthy 200 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, all of which combines into a very capable performance-oriented personal luxury car. It is no wonder that special homologation models of the E9 excelled on the race circuit as well.

According to its factory-issued BMW Classic Certificate, this final model year BMW 3.0 CSi Coupe was manufactured on 4 November 1974, destined for the Italian market, where it was delivered in April 1975. While its early ownership history is not known, it is believed to have remained on the European continent for the majority of its life, until its acquisition by its current owner in 2022 from well-known BMW purveyors Oldenzaal Classics of the Netherlands. A considerable file of digital photos shows the extensive bare metal body restoration it received while in Oldenzaal's hands, while suspension, braking, and mechanical systems were likewise renewed, as evidenced by images on file. Following its acquisition, the 3.0 CSi was imported to the US.

Today, the 3.0 CSi retains its original matching-numbers engine sitting in an attractively detailed engine bay. The exterior bodywork has been repainted in silver and protected with a full PPF wrap, while its interior has been pleasingly retrimmed in red leather, accented against new black carpets. Visual upgrades include smart Alpina-style wheels and a Nardi steering wheel, though a set of factory wheels accompanies the car as spares, should a reversion to a stock looking configuration be desired. A partial set of tools, full-size spare, and a jack are found in the neatly upholstered trunk.

A capable and satisfying driver, this E9 Coupe offers the essential ingredients that make these cars so enjoyable to use in the modern era - a silky-smooth BMW straight-six, timeless pillarless Coupe design, and an innately refined sense of 1970s European style.