Two versions of the CSL RHD citypack

[CSL 1973]

It is always fascinating to go through old CSL documentation. Recently I have learnt that the standard citypack for the RHD CSLs exist in two versions:

1. In the "CSL special equipment for the UK market" sales leaflet dated 9/72, the power steering was included in the citypack.

2. In the "CSL special equipment for the UK market" sales leaflet dated 3/73, the power steering was not included in the citypack.

This means that customer, who ordered a RHD CSL as from 3/73 had to pay extra for the power steering. This explains why there might be RHD CSLs, with citypack but without power steering. I'm happy that this issue is solved - now, I can sleep well again.

Cheers

Henric

 

[Lorenzo]

Well done.
Now I must check date and description of my Uk CSL brochure!

 

[CSL 1973]

Just in order to clarify. In the double-side supplementary leaflet "Special RHD Equipment for Great Britain BMW 3.0 CSL", the following are included in the GB city pack for the RHD CSL:

RHD CSL Leaflet IX/72:

Electrically heated rear window
Racing steering whell
Special Scheel adjustable racing seats
Boge shock absorbers
Stainless steel bumpers
Special black undercoating
Interior light
Special sound proofing
Special floor carpeting
Luggage compartment mat
Michelin tyres 195-70 VR XWX radial
Power assisted steering
Tinted glass
Electrically operated rear side windows
Tool kit in boot lid
Internal locking bonnet catch

RHD CSL Leaflet II/73:

Same as above but no power steering and now 4x power windows instead of only rear power windows.

Cheers

Henric

 

[decoupe]

So in the non power steering version, does that mean you get the quick ratio box? Or that manual box that the 3.0si used?

Doug

 

[CSL 1973]

ZF-Gemmer steering, overall ratio 18.9:1

In october 1973, the option Power steering was priced to 179 GBP.

Cheers

 

[Stefan]

Hijacking thread with one purpose for cs and csi owner

I really respect our member "CSL 1973" for his known knowledge about CSL car's.

But are there not any odd or funny stories about cs or csi?
EU and US differences we know nearly all about it so far.

I mean the small and funny things to tell about at (world wide) car meetings that makes our E9's even more originally.

 

[CSL 1973]

Discussion topics for the Sunday family dinner

Hej Stefan!

You are right. I sometimes tend to focus too much on the CSLs. For the CS/CSi in relation to the CSL, I can start with one interesting "happening". When the RHD CSL was introduced in 1972, the aim for the UK importeur was to only sell the CSL. Therefore the Cs and CSi was withdrawn for the UK market. The idé was that the CSL should be the one and only E9 coupe for sale in the UK.

However, the low demand for the "strange" CSL with its Scheel seats etc required an urgency action by the importeur. It was then quickly decided to reintroduce the more demanded CS and CSi for the UK market again.

Comfort was the leading word at the time!

Cheers

Henric

 

[siscobmw]

my knowledge about the cs csi and csl market in UK was different ,Henric...
I knew that only the csi was withdrawn from UK market ,not also the cs, and the CSL introduced in order to produce the mandatory 1000 cars for the european championship rules....I also knew that Uk importer and BMW saw great excitement for the CSL ,in some place like geneva car show or other,it was awesome ,essential,fast car and decided to produce a series of 500 csl RHD....So production started, but 500 CSL were a bit too much for UK, and dealers struggled to sell all of them.
this is my story , telle me yours...
I like this kind of story about old bmws.....
I also have something to learn....:-D
Francesco

 

[roundel]

Rhd csl

i don`t doubt your information but of all the RHD CSL`s I have seen I don`t remember ever seeing one with manual steering. This included weorking for BMW on new CSL`s for several years. I think there must be very few of them.

alex

 

[CSL 1973]

Rhd csl

Hi Alex,
I agree with you. It's very rare to see a RHD CSL without power steering. I think I have only seen one (a very late RHD CSL). In theory it was an option (179 GBP), but in reality most cars came with it. The only difference was that as from February 1973, the customers had to pay extra for it.

Remember that the new RHD CSL was stored in a warehouse in Belgium. They were sitting there waiting to be sold. Most likely they were already equipped with the power steering. In reality, maybe only some few very late CSLs (not yet delivered to the storehouse), were ordered without power steering. "The belgium storage issue" also explains why the first reg dates and VINs are not in relevant chronological order for the RHD CSLs.

Ciao Francesco: I think you are right. It might have been only the CSi that was temporarely withdrawn from the UK market. For sure the homologation was the driving force behind the decision to produce 1000 CSLs. BMW belived it should be no big problems to sell 1000 CSL. I think Jochen Neerpasch was interviewed by "Frankfurter Rundschau" in September 1972 and there expressed his big hopes for selling a lot of CSLs.

BMW UK promised to order a big part (500) and the Italian importeur also promised to take a big share. However, BMW UK run into some problems to sell these 500 cars. They really used their imagination to try to sell the CSL in UK (e.g. promoting the CSL as a suitable company car etc). One sales argument, to convince potential CSL customers, was the more comfortable City pack.

When reading UK Car magazines from 1972-73, several ads with new CSLs for sale can be seen. Remember that the CSL was a very expensive car (and not easy to sell) at the time.

Cheers

Henric

 

[30csl]

This is interesting although i have seen quite a few early RHD csls with the standard cs wheel and am pretty sure it was from new. As with all csl's - nothing is definite!

 

[pmjt]

All CSL's had to be produced by Dec 1972 in order to meet homologation requirements. The UK is a pretty small market and it was a huge undertaking for BMW UK to expect to sell 500 cars that were £200 more expensive than a Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS!

John Castle advised me that all of the cars were produced and delivered to a holding site in the Netherlands where BMW UK called off the cars as they were sold - my own car was manufactured in November 1972 however was not delivered to the UK until May of 1974 - it was taking a long time to sell each of these cars.

I think the reason for the omission of power steering on the GB market brochure is that by 1973 power steering had become standard on the other coupes - and therefore was not an extra on the CSL. As above all CSLs had been completed and delivered to the Netherlands holding site before the end of 1972.

Hope this helps

Philip

 

[wage73]

The list specifies 'racing' steering wheel as one of the citypack features, but I have read somewhere that the first CSLs still had the larger CSi/A type steering wheel. Mine is no. 009 and had the larger wheel fitted when I bought it, so perhaps confirming this.

 

[classicman]

Hi

I hope you don't mind me resurrecting this post, but I have just bought a RHD csl (no. 279) and there are some anomalies that I'd like to get the bottom of. I'd appreciate the help, please:

1. All photos of citypack cars have chrome rear bumpers - mine has a fiberglass.

2. My car has "upside down" Bilstein shocks at the rear which are very different to the normal replacement shocks that I bought.

3. Most photos I have seen show the Scheel seats without headrests - were these optional?

5. The kidney grille has 5 vertical slats where it should have 4.

Any answers will be greatly appreciated.

Regards

 

[30csl]

Hi

I hope you don't mind me resurrecting this post, but I have just bought a RHD csl (no. 279) and there are some anomalies that I'd like to get the bottom of. I'd appreciate the help, please:

1. All photos of citypack cars have chrome rear bumpers - mine has a fiberglass.

2. My car has "upside down" Bilstein shocks at the rear which are very different to the normal replacement shocks that I bought.

3. Most photos I have seen show the Scheel seats without headrests - were these optional?

5. The kidney grille has 5 vertical slats where it should have 4.

Any answers will be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Hi Classicman,

1) I think it would have had chrome originally.
2) Not seen this - what do the strut top mounts look like in the boot? Photos of that and the car please!
3) They were optional but I have yet to see a uk car with them that was from new it seems.
4/5) 4 slats is for csl but NLA now so many cars have 5.

 

[HB Chris]

3) Bilstein Sports in rear are inverted

 

[classicman]

I will take some photos of the strut towers later and post.

Were the inverted shocks only in the RHD cars, or all LHD csl's as well?

 

[classicman]

 

[classicman]

 

[classicman]

Also, there is no sound deadening or carpet underfelt in the car. The carpets are loose clip-in, and I understood the city packs were more luxurious and quiet?