Which lightweight BMW coupe is famously nicknamed the Batmobile?

The lightweight BMW coupe famously nicknamed the Batmobile was the BMW 3.0 CSL.

The 3.0 CSL was a competition-focused lightweight version of BMW’s E9 coupe, developed from the 3.0 CS. In the name, CSL stood for “Coupé Sport Leichtbau,” or lightweight sports coupe. BMW reduced mass with aluminium body panels, thinner steel, Plexiglas windows and the deletion or simplification of comfort equipment.

The nickname became associated especially with the later aerodynamic version introduced in 1973. Its striking package included a deep front air dam, roof-mounted spoiler, front-fender fins and a huge rear wing. In Germany, the wing was not approved for ordinary road use, so it was supplied in the luggage compartment; the dramatic appearance helped enthusiasts label the car the “Batmobile.”

The 3.0 CSL was also a major motorsport foundation. It became BMW Motorsport GmbH’s first major racing project and won the European Touring Car Championship repeatedly, including six titles across the 1970s. The nickname is sometimes loosely applied to all E9 coupes, but it properly points to the highly modified CSL versions, especially the 1973-on cars.