BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage is a tribute to the 1970s 3.0 CSL

BMW has unveiled the 3.0 CSL Hommage concept at the ongoing 2015 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the banks of Lake Como, Italy. As the name suggests, this car is a modern reinterpretation of the iconic 3.0 CSL homologation special racecar, which dominated the European Touring Car Championship in the early 1970s. 

Aerodynamics have played a major role in the shaping up the 3.0 CSL Hommage. Painted in a special ‘gold yellow’ livery, the 3.0 CSL Hommage blends together the suave lines of the new 6 Series and the old-school look of the 3.0 CSL. The front sports a large kidney grille flanked by slender laser and LED headlamps while the rear features a massive wing which seamlessly integrates the LED tail lamps. 

Despite being a modern car, the CSL Hommage sticks to the original car’s basic recipe and makes liberal use of carbon fibre in place of aluminium in its pursuit of lightness. The carbon fibre splitter, side skirts and the slammed suspension have resulted in the  CSL Hommage sporting one of the lowest front ends among all the cars that BMW has ever made. Like the original 3.0 CSL, the new CSL Hommage uses a straight-six engine, which has been borrowed from the M4. 

Previous experiences have also shown that the concept cars that are showcased at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este sometimes don’t make it to the production line at all. Even if BMW does decide to bring out the 3.0 CSL Hommage, it goes without saying that it might be a few years before we actually see a road-legal production version of this coupe. However, the 3.0 CSL Hommage might be an indication the German manufacturer’s plans on reviving the ‘CSL’ moniker for its modern cars. We have our fingers crossed.