This year will be marking my tenth anniversary of writing for CC. How time fries, as they say around here. I’m not sure that my writing has improved over that time, but for one thing is for damn sure: I’ve learned how to take much better photos, and how to improve them with editing software. Which is why I want to revisit the BMW E9 – mostly in pictures.
I wrote up a BMW E9 found in Bangkok back in 2017, and the photos were downright horrible. The conditions weren’t ideal (it was a dark car in an underground area), but I still did an appalling job at capturing it. Ever since that post, I’ve wanted to find another E9 to make up for it.
Well, ask Tokyo and ye shall get… four E9s, at the very least. It’s hard to pick just one, as they all have their merits. The blue one is sublime, as is the ochre one immediately above. The dark red is a pristine final-year 1975 model. And then, there’s the CSL below – in right-hand drive!
So which one would be your pick? Not an easy answer.
I have a thing for the predecessor of this model, the 2000 C/CS – especially the front end. But I know I’m in a minority on that score. Not that the E9’s face is bad, far from it. Just a bit less distinctive.
These beauties offer a pretty good sampling of the 3-litre E9 range. Let’s look at each one in turn.
Flawless interior, factory sunroof and a lovely colour (fjord blue, I believe) – quite a compelling combination on this CS.
The “F” on the back might indicate that this car started its life in France. Certainly, the yellow headlights would match that origin story. The side-marker lights up front are a puzzle, though.
Nearly the same deal with this ochre / burnt sienna car. The “3.8” number was a bit puzzling for yours truly. No E9 ever received such an engine in its day, obviously.
This is not the only E9 to bear this emblem, it seems. Sticking a mid-‘90s M5 engine from an E34 is a thing, there are several examples on the Interwebs. Gives you 340hp to play with (compared to the original engine’s 200hp), and I suppose the extra oomph is necessary for some. Not really seeing what the point is myself, but the rest of the car is sublime regardless.
The CSL was the low weight / high-performance variant, with thinner steel, some aluminium panels and so on, plus massive optional spoilers. We clearly have an RHD car here, which means it’s one of 500 made for the UK market in 1973-74.
Some CSLs were raced, but the RHD ones were not quite as light as the others. They kept the power windows and soundproofing as was. Not every CSL was given the full Batmobile treatment, either.
The last of the bunch was, according to the owner, built in October 1975 – one of the last hundred E9s made.
The cloth interior is original, if I remember correctly. The steering wheel is, just like in the CSL, the optional Petri item. Interesting that none of the cars here use the standard steering wheel: we have two Petris, one Nardi and one Alpina. All of these are extremely popular choices to replace the (rather basic-looking) regular wheel.
Well, that’s it for this post – heavy on the photos, but you were warned and this is one BMW that really, really deserves it. As to which one I’d take home, I’m torn between the fjord blue CS and the burgundy ’75. That was a good year for burgundies, wasn’t it?
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: 1974 BMW 3.0 CS – The Ultimate Driving Legacy, by Eric703
Curbside Classic: 1974 BMW 3.0 CSi Automatic – Sixties Beauty Turns Into Seventies Beast, by T87
CC Capsule: 1974 BMW 3.0 CS – Bringing the Gentrification, by Jim Grey
1973 BMW 3.0 CSL & 1981 BMW M1 – Legends In Aspic, by T87
Cohort Pic(k)s of the Day: BMW 2000CS and 3.0 CS Coupes – Nose Job, Before And After, by PN
A timeless and exquisite design. ‘nuff said.
The blue one for me, and not just because it’s one of the two color themes for today at CC. I love blue, and this silvery shade has just always seemed to me to be the perfect color for these lovely coupes. It sets off their delightful bright trim and enhances their light and airy feel.
Congratulations on your 10 year anniversary at CC. I remember well the somewhat contentious circumstances at this post that precipitated your arrival:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-hello-darkness-citroens-old-ami-the-surprisingly-complex-history-of-the-citroen-ami/
I wrote in the comments: I appreciate your input and deep knowledge. Must of us just don’t have it, so we do the best we can. Maybe you should be writing these French car histories? Let me know….
You accepted. And the rest is (automotive) history. And no less than 1026 posts to date! So very glad you chose to chime up at that post.
Near perfect design, with a fragile high-maintenance 6 cylinder engine… ask me how I know: my ’71 2800 sedan went through several head warpage experiences in the 3 years we owned it. So it turns out the touchy aluminum head must be re-torqued every 5k miles or less, a fact oddly not mentioned in the Us version manuals). Not good for prior owners of US all-iron V8s. Put me off BMWs forever.
Ayup. Overheating is what ultimately killed mine too. Worse than the rust. At least you and I didn’t have the aptly named “thermal reactors” under the hood.
Beautiful cars. The 2nd and the 4th ones (both rendered in the red-ish portion of the spectrum) are a little hard to pin down as to their actual colors. I’m pretty sure that the 2nd one – the one with the 5 series engine transplant – is Malaga. The 4th one may be the pretty rare “Granatrot” color, but at least on my monitor it looks too purple for that. But since purple wasn’t an original E9 color I’m going to guess it’s either been repainted or it’s just how the light is rendering Malaga. Malaga was a pretty popular E9 color.
The E9 forum has a thread devoted to colors. https://e9coupe.com/forum/threads/e9-paint-colors.34729/
Congrats on 10 years!
Yes, I’ll add: thanks Tatra for your excellent and much appreciated work here, keep on keeping’ on!
Tatra, I can’t comment on the quality of your photos.
But your articles were a delight to read from the very first moment.
I never experienced the coupé, only the saloon (my uncle’s). I was 18, had just got my driving licence and had no experience. I was glad I didn’t dent it. I think the coupé is a wonderful daily driver for those who have one. It has everything you need; what it doesn’t have, you don’t need.
Happy CC Anniversary! I always enjoy your articles and your photo compilations.
I’ve been writing here just a tad longer, but one of my first articles was on a 3.0CS that I found in an Arkansas hotel parking lot. I haven’t seen one in the wild since, but I was delighted to find it since the CS was (and remains) one of my favorite cars. Just absolutely stunning – I could look at these cars all day.
As far as which one would be my pick, I’d go for the light blue one. The combination of the French yellow lights and the US-style side market lights is a puzzler, though it looks like this car’s speedometer goes up to 150mph, so maybe it’s a US car, with the French accessories added later?
Bon anniversaire, Tatra-Sensei! I’m partial to the same 2 colors, probably because I had a similar silver-blue with an MB 560SL. And the burgundy is a rich color that’s deserving of a smoking jacket to accompany it on the ride. Always looking forward to your posts from my favorite, and once home, Tokyo.
I prefer the E24 because the back end looks less strange to me. But the front, side and interior of the E9 is beautiful to me. All of the late 70’s BMW have near-perfect styling. The requirements for today’s cars preclude the lithe styling of the cars from the 60’s and 70’s. To my eye, the US and UK peaked in the earlier era and the Germans and Japanese in the latter.
We in the cheaper seats don’t require photography worthy of Automobile Quarterly and yours definitely is worthy. Few could do better without the benefit of an uncluttered background and an extensive lighting set-up.
Congratulations on that anniversary. Tatra-sensei indeed. You realize now I’m going to have to go back and comb the archives for any stories of yours I may have missed? There goes the day, week, month…..
Probably my favourite BMW design of all time, not only for the lightness and delicacy of its lines, but also because it harks back to a day when a BMW wasn’t just an average rich dude’s car but one which stood out for genuine sportiness and mechanical excellence. Sort of a car for those in the know, so to speak.
And what a variety of beauties you have for us. I cannot choose a favourite, so it’s just as well I don’t need to.
What a beautiful design — love the airy greenhouse.
Congrats on 10 years of writing for CC. Your articles are a big contributor to the historical depth of the site.
I love most all BMWs from the 70s. The blue one just grabs me and reminds me of a similar blue one a friend had at Berkeley in 1979. Unfortunately her car caught fire one night in the parking garage under her apartment. I would sure love to drive that blue up over 80 to Reno on one of our monthly trips. What a way to zoom through the mountains.
Very much enjoy reading your articles, Tatra.
BMW (after Borgward) always seem to have the bestest colours. Though they are on the (very expensive) options lists these days.
I too like the burgundy (no one does that any more) but the blue does suit them best – like so many cars of that era.
The turn signals on the fjord-blue car are the Italian type: two-tone lens. White facing forward, amber to the side. However, they may have been pasted on later.
Actually, that’s my color choice for the E9. But combined with the light leather – it just doesn’t work for me. So I’ll go with Malaga Red.
Hey, congratulations on the (first) decade! Keep ’em coming!
I think the order you presented these in is perfect as to my preferences, although any would more than suffice with no obvious (comparative) loser in the bunch. Simply superb all around.
Thanks for the kind words, everybody!
Tatra87 thank you for all these years of enjoyment. Especially for the old articles of various European deadly sins which are just incredible.
Lovely car especially the blue with the tan interior. The 2.8 and 3.0 CS certainly my favorite Bimmers of the day. Drove a ’74 Bavaria with the 3.0. No problems. Not aware of engine problems from the 2.8. Must have corrected those. BMW’s inline 6, carb’d or injected, so well regarded and iconic….Still!
This is a very nice compilation, Tatra!