CSL Stadtpaket or not

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wsk

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Hello all, after lurking on here for a few weeks and digesting tons of interesting and valuable information, I have a question regarding the CL Stadtpaket or "city package". Does anyone know (or have an estimate of) the number of series 2 injected CSLs (2275001-2275429) which had the Stadtpaket vs. not? I know that all of the RHD cars (2285001-2285500) had it. I'm quite interested in the CSLs which went on to become race cars and I imagine that most of them would have been ordered w/o.

BTW thanks to the members here I've contacted privately who have been generous with their knowledge.

-Bill
 
CSL City-package

Hi Bill,

Very interesting question.

As far as I remember (pls correct me if I'm wrong), the first city-pack CSL in this VIN-range, was 2275014. There were about 150 city-pack CSL cars up to VIN 2275294. Thereafter, about 20 city-pack cars are currently known. All in all, I would guess about 200-220 city-pack cars among the 429 cars in this VIN range (2275001-2275429). I also think that at the end of this production period, customers were asked to specially request if they wanted the non city-pack version. As default, the CSL was delivered with the city-pack.

Cheers
 
Stadtpaket

Thanks! It occurred to me right after posting that this would be a good question for bmw-grouparchiv so I am writing to them now. I will pass on whatever they can tell me.
 
Assuming the 150-220 number is about correct (obviously +/- depending on individual orders) how does the range of CSLs break down in terms of type. Carb, City pack, rhd, lhd, Bat, stainless, and by series?

While the city package is certainly heavier than say the series 1 carbed cars, I was surprised the number was that small for city package. Also there seems to be a bit of variation with city pack cars with some having aluminum doors and others with steel. Was this a commonly-ordered variable?
 
city-pack

Glenn,

CSL cars, in the VIN range 2275001-2275429 and with city-pack, were most likely about this figure (170-220). The really light ones are very few. Among the remaining cars, in this VIN range and without city-pack, a lot were equipped with other options. Such as power steering, power windows, klima/AC, tool-kit etc, velour carpets. In the sales brochures for the CSL, city-pack is referred to "steel doors" and "CSi suspension (Fahrwerk). All other options are individual and could be mixed with both city-pack cars the ones without.

I think almost all RHD CSLs (2285001-2285500) were equipped with the "special" RHD city-pack. It would be a very rare CSL, if a RHD car without city-pack could be found.

Cheers
 
2275001-2275429

The 429 series 2 cars in the 2275001-2275429 range, according to my research, were LHD with the later 3003 fuel injected motor. The 500 series 2 RHD cars for the UK were VIN 2285001-2285500. The bat aero kit came later when BMW Motorsport hired away Neerpasch and Braungart from Ford, having being drubbed by N&B Capris.
 
CSL 1973 said:
Glenn,

CSL cars, in the VIN range 2275001-2275429 and with city-pack, were most likely about this figure (170-220). The really light ones are very few. Among the remaining cars, in this VIN range and without city-pack, a lot were equipped with other options. Such as power steering, power windows, klima/AC, tool-kit etc, velour carpets. In the sales brochures for the CSL, city-pack is referred to "steel doors" and "CSi suspension (Fahrwerk). All other options are individual and could be mixed with both city-pack cars the ones without.

I think almost all RHD CSLs (2285001-2285500) were equipped with the "special" RHD city-pack. It would be a very rare CSL, if a RHD car without city-pack could be found.

Cheers
Click to expand...

if 2275001-2275429 had about 170-220 city packages, can I assume there were between 258 to 279 non city package CSLs in that range? I assume all VIN numbers in the range were built. While they may have had individual options such as velour, took kits, elephant skin covers, AC, power windows- those would have been options on the base CSL? If that is the case, it appears the LHD City Packages were actually more rare than the non city package cars. YES/NO?
 
I would say about 170-220 city pack cars and 209-259 without. My personal guess would be that the higher figure (220) for city pack and the lower (209) without city-pack. Among these asumed 209 without city-pack, maybe as few as 30-40 cars were really light (without any options - power windows, tool-kit, power steering etc). For the exact figure, maybe BMW classic in Munich are the only ones to confirm.

The options for CSL were (24 June 1974) - prices in Deutsches Mark in brackets:

Tri-colour stripes - only for Chamoinx and Polaris (0 DM)
Two-point security belts rear (131 DM)
Headlight washers (397 DM)
Mirror on passanger side (26 DM)
First aid kit (34 DM)
Warning triangle (13 DM)
Metallic paint (680 DM)
Velour carpets (105 DM)
Lockable tank filler cap (17 DM)
Tool kit (148 DM)
Power steering (815 DM)
Power windows (547 DM)
Colored heat resitant windows (392 DM)
AC + Colored heat resitant windows (2727 DM)
Bonnet locking - from inside (59 DM)
City-pack - CSI suspension + steel doors (0 DM)
Radio Becker Europa with automatic Antenna (730 DM)
Radio Becker Grand prix with automatic Antenna (950 DM)
Radio Blaupunkt Bamberg with Antenna (1090 DM)
Radio Blaupunkt Bamberg with automatic Antenna (1330 DM)

In addition, special order were made for some street CSL cars. There are CSL cars ordered with CSi leather seats, BMW sunroof, non-official colors and stripes, wide race-style wings, special rims etc.

With the right connections, some inofficial options might have been possible.

Pls note that the special UK City-pack contained much more than the steel doors and CSi suspension.

Cheers
 
bmw-grouparchiv

Well, I just heard back from bmw-grouparchiv and unfortunately they were not very helpful in this case. They said they had "no complete list for the "Staedtepaket"-equipped cars" but that for individual VINs they might be able to say whether that package was ordered. Um, well, thanks...

What I am curious about is not just how few truly lightweight series 2 cars were produced, but why ANY at all were made! If Alpina were responsible for the series 1 cars it follows that BMW's focus at the time was racing and the FIA homologation requirement; in all likelihood no real marketing effort was made. Series 2 apparently came to be when it was realized that 169 was a long way from 1000 and the factory needed to take over from Alpina. Not only that, but it must have become clear that the bare "L" version was not proving to be a hit with customers, hence the creation of the "city package" and the expanded options list. So... why ANY lightweight series 2s?

Does anyone among the very knowledgeable here know what sort of sales and marketing efforts BMW undertook for the series 2 cars?
 
CSL`s

All of the Homologation needed was already done by Jan 1st `73, & then an `evoloution` on July 1 st `73.
After that all BMW were interested in was getting shot of all of the bodies / parts & turning them into cash. Before they started to go rusty.....
 
Do we know the VIN cutoff for series 2 cars as of Jan 1st 1973 and July 1st 1973? Why were those dates relevant- was that the model year cutoff for homologation purposes?
 
Homologation

The homologation date had nothing to do with how many cars had been produced by that actual date.
At the point at which BMW had produced enough cars (or thought they could convince the FIA that they had...) to comply with homologation, 50, 500, 1000, or 5000 examples. The FIA had to inspect the cars, all the paperwork had to be in order & only then could it be accepted. So the correct number of cars would have to have been produced well in advance of the required Holologation date. And I think at the time there were only certain months when the homologation could begin.
A complicated & expensive business.
 
The FIA homologation document nr 1648 for the CSL has 12 pages with some photo documentation of the CSL (brakes, engine parts, exhaust system etc). There are four additions to this FIA document. The aim of the FIA document nr 1648 is to homologate the 3.0 CSL 3003 ccm version.

BMW stated the start of production to 1 December 1971 and the start VIN as 2 210 001. In the FIA document, BMW indicated that 1000 CSL cars were produced by 28 November 1972.

The first of the four additions to this FIA document is for the Group 2 wings etc. The second addition was for the sumpshield (spare part 51471811948 ). The third addition, dated 8 May 1973 is the most interesting. It's about the CSL "Facelift" (Batmobile kit). VIN as from 2275430 is indicated. The famous CSL prototype (with the odd stripes) is pictured in the FIA doc. The fourth addition (dated 1 November 1974) is about the rear spoiler with rubber strip + rear wing with three brackets.

As regards how BMW justified/promoted the really light ones, I can for instance refer to the sales Brochures and other litterature from this time period. There is says that the CSL is 20 mm lower than the normal CS/CSi. Furthermore, the lower weight and the lower centre of gravity is balanced with the special suspension (springs settings etc). BMW claimed that the CSL was basically light and very suitable for competition use and for high-level tuning. It could be individualised with different options (including city-pack). The CSL was promoted as the car for the motor sport enthusiasts who wants to drive the car on a race track.

"The street CSL is the ideal car for this purpose and as a bonus the car can be driven to the events without a transport".

All in all, the whole point with the CSL was to enable the Group 2 CSL to participate with an engine volume between 3,0 and 5,0 liter. Therefore, the 3003 ccm version was homologated.

The difficulties to sell the estimated 1000 CSL cars was a problem for BMW. In order to satisfy potential CSL buyers, BMW simply added some suitable official (and inofficial) options to the CSL.

Cheers
 
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