BMW fans were excited to hear the manufacturer was doing a new Hommage Concept of the venerable BMW 3.0 CSL. (They had previously done Hommage versions of the M1 and 328 Roadster.) But when the final product was revealed last May at Villa d’Este, BMW faithful were underwhelmed. Something about its overall proportions were off — it just didn’t look quite right. But just this week, BMW revealed the updated, race-inspired version of that concept, the 3.0 Hommage R, just in time for Pebble Beach, and it miraculously looks miles better. Finally, the original 3.0 CSL has a worthy homage.
Apart from the inclusion of a new rear diffuser, the new 3.0 Hommage R’s biggest visual difference from its previous iteration is its color scheme. The previous version had a questionable “Phoenix Yellow” tone in favor of white, with BMW M-Sport stripes, reminiscent of the livery from the BMW 3.0 CSL racing car that dominated in IMSA in 1975. The colors better fit the concept’s race-inspired lines. Only the race-spec 3.0 CSL’s ever had the aggressive aerodynamic features and box flares (hence its nickname, “the Batmobile”), so it makes sense that the new livery better suits the jutting flared arches and sharp vents of the new concept. The new concept also does away with the overly blinged-out chrome accents on the old concept, in favor of bronze-colored wheels (with some black inlays) and a blacked-out grille.
The racing focus continues into the interior. BMW decided to remove all the gauges from the cockpit, and instead information like speed, the gear engaged and engine revs is projected directly onto the visor of the driver’s helmet. The car’s roll cage is made from carbon fiber and is integrated with the rest of the car’s body, rather than being a separate part like on traditional race cars. As another nod to the 1975 car, the interior includes a piece of wood-like finish that harkens back to the wood trimming on the original 3.0 CSL racer.
This is just a concept car, so don’t expect to see anything like it in production too soon. But since concepts traditionally are a hint at what’s to come, and considering the BMW i8 takes heavy influence from BMW’s M1 Hommage, it isn’t unlikely that some design elements from the concept will make it onto future BMW cars.