BMW pays 'Hommage' to classic 70s Coupe

BMW takes the covers off the 3.0 CSL Hommage Concept at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and it looks straight out of a Transformer movie. This is a pretty formidable statement to make, especially when this muscular concept is the BMW Design Team’s tribute to the 3.0 CSL, a timeless classic BMW Coupé from the 1970s.

CSL stands for coupe, sport, lightweight, therefore is uses the most sophisticated technology and materials from BMW's i Division. It is built from carbon fibre or carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), which offers the optimum weight-to-strength ratio. Due to this, it is 200 kg lighter than the old BMW 3.0 CSL, which was crafted in aluminium as that was the choice of material in the 1970s. Therefore, the new CSL uses high-tech composite generously like the bonnet, boot and wings and Plexiglas windows.

BMW Hommage concept's design has been influenced by aerodynamics, but it manages to retain the legendary racer's aesthetics. BMW’s kidney grille continues to dominates the front, and stands more upright than the BMWs of old.The slender four-eyed laser and LED lamps have a stylised “X” shaped lights that conjures up memories of the headlamp stickers once used in long-distance racing

The Hommage's interiors are pared down to a minimum, so that BMW can keep the weight down, though the design does exuberate a racing character. The cabin is built of high-quality materials of CFRP and it has a wooden panel above the dashboard. Infotainment is equally minimalist, while a central display on the steering column informs the driver of the current gear, speed, revs and shift point.

BMW has not revealed any engine specifications yet, but according to the reports coming out from Munich, it will be powered by a powerful six-cylinder in-line engine with eBoost. We will get more information on this in the near future.