At the end of the 1970s, BMW occupied a virgin territory between sportiness and luxury, notably thanks to the development of a range of high performance models entrusted to its competition department. Formerly named BMW Motorsport, its activities began effectively on the circuits but with the know-how and the reputation acquired, the M department was quickly tempted to develop true models of exception derived from BMWs approved for the road.
Thus was born the BMW E24, successor to the E9, an elegant and luxurious 4-seater coupé, the first model in the BMW 6 series. Production began in October 1975 and the car was launched in March 1976.
Known and appreciated for its supple and melodious engines, BMW's large bourgeois coupé nevertheless suffered from an excess weight which penalised its performance. Performance was often judged to be below what its sleek and elegant appearance would have suggested. Initially presented in a 3L version, the first evolution of power arrived in 1978 with the 635 CSi model. The CSi's noble inline six-cylinder engine delivers a haunting sound from idle that never tires.
The 635 CSI coupé also has an ideal weight distribution (53.6% front and 46.4% rear), which is dear to the Bavarian brand, to guarantee a very balanced driving experience.
Balance, robustness... Strong of these qualities, it is not surprising that BMW very quickly wished to align with success this new BMW 635 on the European circuits and in the principal races of endurance as well as Gr.A that in its rare versions Gr.2
Even if the 635CSi had a 105-horsepower deficit compared to the Jaguar V12, it kept the weight advantage, 222kg less than the Jaguar V12... All these assets gave it a greater reliability, greater capacities to turn, while consuming less and saving on the brakes and thus the tyres. All these assets were perfect to counter the Jaguars and especially for the long rounds of the ETCC like the 24 hours of Spa.
Entered and prepared by renowned teams: Schnitzer, Eggenberger, BMW Italia, the 635 CSi was also driven by the most talented drivers of the time: Dieter Quester, Helmut Kelleners.... Despite the lack of power compared to its rivals, the 6 Series' great tenacity, rock-solid reliability and fine handling enabled it to conquer virtually every round of the inaugural Group A season on every continent! With dozens of race victories and 12 major national and international titles, the BMW 635 CSi is one of the most successful touring cars of all time.
While almost 100 cars (86) were produced in GR.A only a handful of 635s were produced in the Gr.2 version
It was this rare configuration that was chosen by the owner of our car when he started work on building a real racing car. Based on a genuine 635 road car, the car was entrusted to the renowned workshop Atlantic Racing, known for its skills in prototypes but also with a solid reputation in BMW engines. The workshop then undertook a titanic task to build a rare Gr.2 version perfectly in line with the period specifications.
M30B34 dry sump engine 340hp. Getrag Sport gearbox. Specific hub holders and triangles. Welded body. Matter roll bar... Our BMW made its first run in 2018 in Barcelona in the HTC series of Peter Auto. It then made numerous appearances in HTC races, notably at Spa and Le Castelet, where it proved to be reliable and increasingly fast. With its FIA Historic Technical Passport, this car is ready to go back on track.