The 121 and E9 range of coupes, also known as the 2000c/cs, 2800cs and 3.0cs/csi/csl, is considered to be one of the most desirable post-war cars produced by BMW. The body design foundations of these cars can be seen in the very rare 3200cs introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1961. This Bertone designed coupe shared the ladder frame and suspension concepts of the earlier 503 and featured the last of the alloy V-8 engines to be seen from BMW for some time. Only 603 of these were completed between January 1962 and September 1965.

During this time, the “New Class” of cars, upon which the modern day success of the company was to be based, was being designed and put into initial production. The design team of Wilhelm Hofmeister (head of the design department) together with Georg Bertram and Manfred Rennen created a crisp new style which, for the first time was used consistently across the entire production range of BMW cars. Under the guidance of Paul Hanemann, the director of sales, and with the financial stability brought by the Quandt investments a rational collection of products, tuned to a carefully thought out marketing strategy began to roll out of the production line doors.

We recognize now that these cars, the 1500, 1800 and 2000 sedans and the 2000 C and CS coupes and their offspring established the brand identity and principles which sustain the company to this day.
The sedans quickly evolved into the 2002 and “Bavaria” range of cars, establishing the foundations for today’s 3 and 5 series products.

For the coupes the design history is a bit more interesting. Most of the coupe's form comes from the 3200 cs styled by Nuccio Bertone and his studio, which appeared at the Frankfurt Show in 1961 (see BMW Coupes A Tradition of Elegance, p. 63 sketch signed by Giugiaro and dated 1961, World Sports Cars by Frank Oleski; p. 196 and BMW The Bavarian Motor Works by Michael Frostick; p. 122). It is interesting to note that Giorgetto Giugiaro was employed during this time by Bertone to work on the Alfa Giulia coupes, the type 105 being announced in 1963 (see Alfa Romeo Giulia Coupe GT & GTA by John Tipler). Giugiaro may also have been the lead designer for the 3200cs, recieving review and approval from Bertone as the studio head. Note the similarities between the Alfa Giulia GT series and the CS coupes: crisp fender lines, tall green house, crisp belt line, horizontal grill slats with prominent center grill, twin headlights in later versions, the overall proportion, stance and bumper treatment, and especially the glass and c-pillar treatments. From the 3200cs note especially everything aft of the windshield wipers.

Michelotti also submitted concepts for the E-9 Coupes (see BMW Coupes A Tradition of Elegance, p. 94 sketch signed by Michelotti), but Bertone and Giugiaro formed more of the "spirit" of the car with the 3200cs. Michelotti does not complete a straight belt line as does Bertone, ending instead with a down turn sweep. Michelotti offers a vestigial rear fender bump at the B-pillar, an element unknown to the "New Class", whereas Bertone sets the future with a confident straight line. To my eye, the Bertone Studio set the tone. (See photo on page 60 of Tradition of Elegance, is it a 3200cs or a 3.0cs?).

Michelotti/Vignale did a 3200 BMW (not badged as a cs) for the 1959 Turin Show, but is was a very close forerunner to the TR-4/TR-6 (a design consultancy contracted to Michelotti by Triumph) in overall form, and again with a bump at the b-pillar. (see BMW The Bavarian Motor Works by Michael Frostick; p. 124).

Understanding that the design process draws from many sources, and that many paths are pursued along the way, BMW as the client, took these design ideas and created what we now today as the BMW Coupe. A sketch by Manfred Rennen labeled “BMW Coupe E9” (see BMW Coupes A Tradition of Elegance p. 95) clearly sets the definitive shape for the coupe. Particularly important is the family resemblance to the “New Class” range, something only BMW designers would by intimately familiar with.

After a production run of 11,720 2000 C/CS cars, the coupe evolved in 1968 with a redesigned front end to accommodate the new six cylinder 2800cc engine. This answered the need for more power to maintain its position as the “top of the range” offering.

Arguably among the most handsome cars ever produced, the 2800CS was universally hailed as a breakthrough in combining high levels of performance with civilized comforts in a distinctive and personal package. As reported in Road&Track in February 1970 “…the BMW is a far more stable, balanced, totally useable car than any other we can think of” adding that, “One has to look to the top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz models, or to the Ferrari/Lamborghini class, to find more car.”

After production of only 9,400 units, the coupe received the 3-liter engine and optional fuel injection in 1971, becoming the 3.0CS and CSi. Having nearly used up their supply of superlatives on the 2800cs, the press dug deep for praise for the larger engine capacity and the addition of four-wheel disc brakes in 1973. “You don’t need one of their cars, you buy it because you can’t resist” (Car and Driver).

Time, however, marches on, emissions control restrictions dictated a universal end to carburetor-fed engines, new styling themes evolved, cars get old. Production of the 3.0 coupes ended in 1975 after 19,326 examples were built (an additional 844 were built in 1974-75 with a 2.5-liter engine in response to the fuel crisis).

On the racing front, these coupes, in the form of the Alpina and Schnitzer prepared CSL’s, created a foundation for a string of competitive successes in Group 2, World Championship of Makes and European Touriong Car Championships which is unrivaled to this day. From 1973 to 1979, these coupes won championships against the best efforts of Ford (Capri V-6), Jaguar (XJ 6 and 12), Porsche (911 and 935) and Mrecedes/AMG. It was not until the debut of the Porsche Turbo 935 that the era of the coupes came to an end.

Drivers such as Nikki Lauda, Dieter Quester, Hans Stuck and Derek Bell piloted these cars around famous tracks such as Le Mans, Nurburgring and Spa at speeeds up to 170 mph. Power output reached a staggering 1,000BHP in Ronnie Petersen’ 3.2 turbo CSL, resulting in speeds approaching 200 mph!

In America, Brian Redman, Sam Posey and Peter Gregg took the “Batmobiles” (so called due to their aerodynamic aids, also at the forefront of technology) out to Sebring, Daytona and Laguna Seca, keeping the CSL’s at the forefront of competition until 1977.

These coupes also started the “Art Car” tradition for BMW. For Le Mans 1975, Alexander Calder was commissioned to paint the #93 coupe, starting a tradition of powerful art paralleled by no other manufacturer. Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and others follow in this path to this day. These coupes clearly represent for BMW the blending of art and technology at the highest levels.

While some BMW cars may be faster, others more luxurious or more unique, no other BMW reaches quite this level of excellence and exclusivity in all measurable areas of success. Art, power and luxury are blended in a rare combination in the E-9.