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BMW Cars In Motorsport
In The '70s
Like BMW's various 2-liter models (up to the BMW 2002 Ti), the BMW 3.0 CSL offered tuning companies - particularly Alpina and Schnitzer - an ideal base for successful motor racing. BMW Motorsport GmbH
was established in Munich in 1972 as BMW's own motorsport company, also providing support and technical assistance to various tuners. In this way the output of the 3-liter normal-aspiration engine of the BMW coupe was increased to 470 bhp by
1975.With the liberalization of international motorsport regulations in 1976 giving manufacturers a greater margin to develop the engines and chassis of their Group 5 touring cars, the BMW 320 powered by
a Formula 2 engine took the lead just one year later. The drivers of the BMW Junior Team achieved some spectacular successes: Manfred Winkelhock, Eddie Cheever, Marc Surer. With this successful start in motorsport, all three Junior Team
drivers later worked their way up to Formula 1.
The first car developed and built by BMW Motorsport GmbH was the M1 mid-engined sports car raced in the new, thrilling Procar Series prior to each Grand Prix in 1979 and 1980 by the fastest Formula
1 drivers. But the highly successful M1 was not the only one to be built in Munich's Preussennstrasse near the BMW factory. BMW Motorsport GmbH has also provided many other highlights in the international motorsport scene: In the German Motor
Racing Championship and in the European Formula 2 Championship, for example, the BMW Junior Team has proved successful to this day, also by promoting the careers of young, up-and-coming talents.
Starting with just 8 employees in 1972, Germany's "smallest car company" has also developed more and more into a profitable division of BMW AG. At BMW Motorsport's production plant in Garching near
Munich, the company now builds complete high-performance cars, as well as specially equipped sports models. By 1988 the headcount of BMW Motorsport GmbH had increased to some 400 employees.
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| 3.0 CSL Coupe |
1973-79
Six versions of the 3.0 CSL won the European Touring Car Championships between 1973 and 1979. Even without tuning, acceleration to 62 mph was in just 7 seconds. An output of 180 or 206 bhp gave it a top speed of 136 mph. More than
1,000 models were built.
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| 320 |
1977-80
The production BMW 320 developed 90 bhp, the 320i 125 bhp. But this 2-liter Group 5 special production car was tuned to 300 bhp by BMW Motorsport GmbH. The winning car in the 1977 German Motor Racing Championship with the BMW Junior
Team.
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| M1 |
1979-80
The Group 4 BMW M1, developing 470 bhp out of 3.5 liters, was built in 1979 and 1980. Acceleration to 62 mph was in 4.5 seconds; the top speed, 192 mph. The 1979/1980 Procar Series combined with various Grand Prix events was
exclusively for the M1.
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