Karmann-bodied pillarless E9 coupé — the road-going CS/CSi that carried BMW's coupé line to the 6 Series.
Karmann-bodied pillarless grand-touring coupé designed under Wilhelm Hofmeister, based on the E3 saloon platform; the six-cylinder E9 that carried BMW's coupé line to the E24 6 Series.
This guide covers the road-going CS and CSi; the CSL homologation "Batmobile" is a separate guide.
A Karmann-bodied, Hofmeister-designed six-cylinder coupé at the root of BMW's grand-touring line, and the direct forebear of the 6 Series.
| Variant | Years | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 CS | 1971–1975 | ~11,063 | 2,986 cc M30 straight-six, twin carburettors, 9.0:1, 180 hp at 6,000 rpm; 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic; Karmann body. Automatic cars trade at a discount to manuals. |
| 3.0 CSi | 1971–1975 | ~7,935 | Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection, 9.5:1, 200 hp at 5,500 rpm; the injected, more powerful and more valuable variant; right-hand-drive CSi especially rare (207 built 1973–75). |
Authenticate stamped chassis and engine numbers against factory or club records. For the E9 specifically, confirm CS versus CSi identity and injection hardware on CSi cars; right-hand-drive CSi examples are especially scarce.
Confirm body originality, panel identity and restoration standard against a marque specialist.
Confirm continuous service history and any rebuild history for the engine, transmission and driveline against a marque specialist.
Restoration standard, originality of body and driveline, and any documented ownership record are the main value drivers.
Regional ranges authored independently — each reflects its local market, not an FX conversion
Each region quoted in its local currency — independent market readings, not FX conversions
The injected CSi commands a premium over the CS, and manual cars trade well above automatics. A market that keeps firming as clean, unmolested examples separate from rust-repaired ones, with right-hand-drive CSi cars a particular scarcity.
Authored against aggregate public-market data and named price guides as set out in What to Pay; regional readings are independent, not FX conversions.
| Date | Auction | Car | Mileage | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Bring a Trailer | 1973 3.0 CS (automatic) | — | $34,650 Sold |
Automatic example; manual CS/CSi cars trade well above this — see value bands.
A Karmann-bodied, Hofmeister-designed six-cylinder coupé at the root of BMW's grand-touring line; the injected CSi and the scarce right-hand-drive cars lead a market that keeps firming as clean, unmolested examples separate from rust-repaired ones.
Our view, not advice. This section is Car Collector International's editorial judgement on where this model sits in the collector market, based on the production, specification and market data set out in this guide. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell and it is not investment advice. Values can fall as well as rise.
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The valuation figures in this guide are for research purposes only and do not constitute financial or investment advice. See our full disclaimer.
