1973 BMW E9 3.0 CSL Batmobile comes up for sale in Australia

In the battle of BMW's most iconic cars, it's hard to argue against the E9 in CSL guide, with the sleek coupe becoming the genesis of the company's performance road vehicles.

We're partial to a CSL here at MOTOR, so when one turns up with a touch over 10,000 kilometres driven in its history, it's hard not to talk about.

Listed on Trading Garage, this Karmann Karosserie-built 1973 BMW E9 3.0 CSL has resided with its sole Australian owner since 1986 when it was imported from the United Kingdom – one of just 500 examples to be delivered outside Europe.

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Painted in 'fjord blue' with the iconic BMW M striping, this CSL was treated to a bare metal restoration in 1991 due to some period-correct rust issues – thanks British roads – where the owner also took the liberty of fitting a 3.3-litre, straight-six engine from an E23 in place of the original 3.0-litre.

Despite having the larger donk, it's still fitted with the CSL's Bosch D-Jetronic electronic fuel injection system, with power still being delivered to the rear axle through a four-speed manual transmission.

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While it's not the perfect example of a CSL, nothing can take away from those 14-inch BBS Mahle wheels as well as the first-gen "Batmobile" spec wing and rear window cowl – both of which are included with the sale.

According to the listing, the bucket seats up front are in good condition although there are some scratches on the back of the seats and headlining.

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With just 6477 miles (10,424 kilometres) on the clock, it's likely to be one of the lowest-mileage examples in Australia, reflected in the current state of bidding.

At the time of writing (March 11), the listing has a top bid of $60,000 after starting at $25,000 on March 4 – although with bidding set to end on March 20, the current figure is likely to be surpassed by a healthy margin.

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The personalised "BMWCSL" Victorian registration plate isn't included with the sale, however the ad states its owner is open to offers.

Recent spy photos have shown BMW shaking down an M4-based CSL at the Nürburgring, marking only the third time the Coupé Sport Lightweight nameplate has been used, along with the original CSL and the E46 M3 CSL.