When BMW unveiled the extreme 3.0 CSL Hommage concept at Vill d’Este earlier this year, they described the car as having “racing flair with a touch of class.” If that’s the case, the new 3.0 CSL Hommage R the BMW unveiled at Pebble Beach today is much the opposite, offering a whole boatload of racing flair with only a small dash of class.
The 3.0 CSL Hommage R was built to mark both the 40th anniversary of BMW in North America and the racing success of the original 3.0 CSL in 1975, the first racing car from BMW to compete in North America. That car raced to victory in the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring, and followed the win up shortly thereafter with a victory at Laguna Seca. It also won the manufacturer’s championship for BMW in their IMSA rookie year, solidifying BMW as a force to be reckoned with in motorsports-crazy America.
Much like the original 3.0 CSL racecar, the Hommage R sports a striking BMW Motorsport livery. Small touches reference the original car, including the ‘Bavarian Motor Works’ decals on the windscreen and rear window and the number 25 decals. Compared to the standard 3.0 CSL Hommage, the Hommage R sports a carbon fiber front splitter and side skirts, side exit exhaust, different wheels and even X-designs in the headlights to recall the ‘X’ headlight tape pattern used on the original 3.0 CSL.
The interior of the Hommage R is “the best possible fusion of driver and car,” BMW says. It’s a futuristic space, just like in the standard Hommage, but has been taken to new levels with a new futuristic race helmet. The helmet visor acts like heads-up display, relaying info such as the car’s speed, the gear and engine revs into the driver’s field of view, just how a racing simulator would.
The 3.0 CSL Hommage wasn’t popular in all enthusiast crowds, but everyone can probably agree it looks absolutely wonderful in Hommage R guise. If you’re still not a fan, you might be out of luck, as we wouldn’t be surprised if this car hints at the future of BMW’s M division in one way or another.
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