BMW Completes First Restoration: 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi

After announcing the opening of the BMW Classic Center this April, German manufacturer BMW announced it completed the first restoration of one of its old vehicles. The first car to be restored by BMW is a 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi, a car who was handed back to its owner during a ceremony at the BMW Welt.

The modifications and repairs made by BMW to the 1972 model included the conversion of the car's four-speed manual gearbox into an automatic one. This was perhaps the trickiest work done on the model, so far only two prototypes of the model car fitted with such a tranny.

In the end, the 3.0 CSi got itself an automatic, transplanted from a BMW 2.8 CS. Aside for this, the BMW had to undergo extensive bodywork, technical and electronic tweaks and even interior overhauling.

“The successful restoration of the BMW 3.0 CSi shows that we are on the right track and that, together with our partners within the BMW Group network of facilities, we are capable of restoring vehicles to the highest quality standards and to individual customer specifications,” Ralf Vierlein, head of Sales and Aftersales at BMW Group Classic said in a statement.

BMW says there are currently at least 200,000 owners of BMW vehicles from earlier decades. Of course, most of them are in need of care, so BMW set up the BMW Classic workshop. Today, the German manufacturer plans to expand the special service into other countries as well, as a means to help old-Bimmer owners enjoy their cars for a little longer.