There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the performance and handling of the CS Coupes when they were new. Despite their high cost (they were in the same price range as the Porsche 911, the Mercedes 280SL, and the Ferrari Dino) these cars were capable of running rings around many of their competitors, both on the street and the track. On the street they were considered they were a logical choice for anyone who wanted performance but did not want to sacrifice either space or reliability. On the race track the legendary CSLs owned European roadracing in the early 70s and gave Porsche engineers a lot to think about.
With 180 horsepower on tap for the North American carburated cars their acceleration and performance did not induce awe like that of the E-Type Jag but the car contained none of the build quality and reliability issues common to the British marque. Their handling was not quite as crisp as that of a Porsche 911, but then two adults could fit comfortably in the back of the CS. The automotive press used words like "poised", and "balanced", to describe its road manners, adding, "it makes even the most hamfisted of us look like Fangio". 4 wheel disc brakes with dual circuits, independent rear suspension, a Limited Slip differential (at least for the CSIs and CSLs) all mated to an engine that was described as "the most sophisticated inline 6 in the world".
As a longtime BMW owner I recognized the unmistakable DNA, road manners that emphasize balance and control. Like the great Willie Mays, there is no one single overwhelming characteristic. It is rather the complete package that impresses you when you drive a BMW, the way it does so many things so well that make them such a joy to drive.
I've always been a fan of classic cars, but some of the things we like about them, (their relative light weight, their lack of sophisticated electronics that take control away from the driver, the lovely mechanical sounds missing from most modern cars) are often tempered by the lack of other things that we need. In my opinion, for a classic car to be usable as anything but an occasional Sunday morning toy, it must posses several things. First, it must have "long legs". You must be able to cruise at 70-75 MPH comfortably and quietly. It must have good ventillation and Air Conditioning. It must not be overly sensitive to overheating, especially in modern stop and go traffic jams. Finally, it must posses good handling, brakes, and some measure of protection to its occupants in the event of an accident. For me, the 3.0 CS BMW had all these traits. The bonus for me was that all this performance was contained within one of the loveliest bodies that ever came from BMW, some say from Germany. To me, only the BMW 507 and the Mercedes 300SL are prettier than the CS. Finally, they're rare enough that it's unlikely you'll see another one on your morning commute, or in the parking lot at the grocery store.
What I had was the perfect candidate for a very exciting project. The design objective was to restore this car in such a way that the original appearance and style would be largely unchanged, but beneath the metal would beat the heart of a modernized, uprated, and upgraded engine and powertrain. I would restore to show like it did new, but to go like it could with the benefit of later technology. It would be my own private "Q-Car", not a race car, but a usable, tractable, comfortable and quiet daily driver whose looks would not betray its performance.
I'm certainly not the first to build a "performance-enhanced" CS Coupe. Alpina and BMW themselves have been doing it since the cars were new. Many CS owners have built coupes with bigger fuel injected engines, sport suspensions, upgraded interiors and 5 speed gearboxes. Some have even transplanted complete M5 running gear in to their CS Coupe. To me, the benchmark CS Coupe of all time for such enhancements is Paul Cain's 3.8 CSi. Those of you that have seen the car know what I mean. The Roundel with his car on the cover has been on my nightstand for over two years. I cannot count the number of hours I spent reading and re-reading the story of his car. It's simply incredible. Now I would never suggest that my car and Paul's should even be mentioned in the same breath. They should not. His car is in a different league. I would take bits and pieces of what I'd learned and read about and incorporate them in to a car that met my objectives for a fun, usable, classic car.
So after that final Sunday drive I parked my car in the garage, turned the ignition key off for the final time, and began to take it apart. I started with the battery. A month or so later, it was a rolling shell and on January 6th of 2000 it was hauled on to a flat bed trailer by the painter. It was to be painted and delivered back to me in May.