Description
BMW 2800 CS (E9) | 1970
Highlights:
– 2.8-litre six-cylinder engine, petrol, four-speed manual transmission
– E9 coupé bodywork by Karmann
– Rebuilt engine
– Retains its original four-speed gearbox
– Fitted with 16-inch Alpina wheels
The seller offers for sale this 1970 BMW 2800 CS, powered by a 2,788 cc six-cylinder petrol engine, paired with a four-speed manual transmission. This is the E9 coupé, bodied by Karmann in Osnabrück, and it is offered with a valid periodic inspection. The car sits on 16-inch Alpina wheels, a period-correct choice given the close relationship between the Bavarian tuner and this generation of BMW coupé, and one that suits the proportions of the body particularly well.
Mechanically, the engine has been rebuilt. The car retains its original four-speed gearbox, which matters on an E9: the manual cars have always been the ones enthusiasts seek out, and an original transmission is increasingly rare on surviving examples.
The E9 arrived in 1968 as the successor to the 2000 CS, and the transformation was substantial. BMW lengthened the nose to accommodate the new M30 straight-six and handed the reworked front end a twin-headlight treatment and the marque’s kidney grille, resolving the awkwardness of the four-cylinder car into one of the most elegant shapes of its decade. Karmann built the bodies by hand, with a slender roofline, pillarless side glass and a wraparound rear screen that gives the cabin an airiness few coupés have matched since. The 2800 CS launched the range and set the template that the 3.0 CS and the homologation-special 3.0 CSL would later build on.
That competition chapter is a large part of why the E9 is so highly regarded today. The CSL, developed with lightweight panels and later the aerodynamic addenda that earned it the Batmobile nickname, took six European Touring Car Championship titles between 1973 and 1979 and became the founding car of BMW Motorsport. Every E9 carries a share of that reputation. Total production of the coupé across all variants ran to roughly 30,000 cars over six years, a modest figure that has kept good examples firmly in demand.
On the road the appeal is the M30 itself. It is a long-lived, mechanically robust straight-six with a smooth, muscular delivery and a distinctive hard-edged note as the revs build, and paired with the manual gearbox it gives the car a genuine grand touring gait. Combined with the light steering, the low scuttle and the exceptional visibility through that glasshouse, the 2800 CS remains one of the most rewarding ways to cover distance in a car of this era. Values for well-kept manual E9 coupés have climbed steadily as the model has moved firmly into blue-chip collector territory.
Condition of the bodywork & paint
3 — Good. Bodywork or mechanical repairs needed; drives.
Condition of the interior
4 — Very Good. Clean with minimal wear; might need minor replacements for small missing or broken parts.
Technical condition
4 — Very Good. Mechanically solid, with potential for minor servicing.
Overall condition
4 — Very Good. Displays only minimal wear and can hit the road any time.
This item is sold on an as-is basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and descriptions of the listing are for information purposes only.
