In May, BMW unveiled the striking 3.0 CSL Hommage Concept as a tribute to its original 1971 3.0 CSL Coupe, a lightweight road-going vehicle that spawned a successful racing version. To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of BMW Motorsport here in America, the company brought to Pebble Beach a 3.0 CSL Hommage R iteration. Unlike the original show car that debuted in Italy at the Villa d’Este concours in searing Golf Yellow paint, this new R-spec model is cloaked in vintage racing livery from the 1975 IMSA 3.0 CSL. Beyond its new look, the Hommage R has several competition-focused tweaks intended to more directly engage the person behind the wheel.
"Motor racing is all about the ability of cars to mesmerize, about the unbridled joy of driving," noted Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design at the reveal. "Back in 1975, as today, winning races came down to how man and machine could work together. Technical innovations have taken the effectiveness of this partnership to ever great heights. And with the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage R, we’re aiming to show how much closer the driver and car can grow in the future."
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While the interior of the new R version does break a bit of new ground compared to the original Hommage Concept, the most prominent difference between the two is found in its aggressively bolstered racing seats positioned to deliver optimum support while facilitating quicker and more efficient driver responses. Beyond that, the design team created a special helmet with a uead-Up display visor that presents key data in the driver’s line of sight. It also worked with Puma to develop a bespoke driving suit that uses supplemental visual cues — like illuminated piping in the sleeves — to deliver additional information with maximum speed and minimal distraction. How much or how soon any of this makes its way into a production application remains to be seen.
More Concept Vehicles…
Hyundai HCD-16 Vision G Coupe Concept previews a premium future
Mazda will unveil the Koeru Concept crossover at the Frankfurt Auto Show
Toyota’s Urban Utility Concept is loaded with potential
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