Adam Carolla’s 1972 BMW 3.0CS Race Car is Up for Grabs

Whipping vintage race cars in anger must be equal parts exhilarating and nerve-wracking. Sure, you’re using the cars for their intended purpose, but you also run the risk of obliterating a piece of history should you meet mechanical failure or overestimate the length of that straight. For this, the smart move is to pick up a car that is period-correct but was never an official “works” car.

If you want a classic BMW racer but don’t want to risk crashing a prized original BMW Motorsport example, the auctioneers over at Bring a Trailer have Adam Carolla’s 1972 BMW 3.0CS Group 2 car up for grabs. According to the listing, the car was converted to race-spec shortly after its initial purchase. It was campaigned under the Heinz-Jorgen Dahmen race team, and imported to the U.S. at a later date. Once in the States, the new owner had the Bimmer converted to Group 2 specification, which included the handsome extended wheel arches on the car today. In 2011, comedian and car nut Adam Carolla purchased the car.

Power comes from a more modern S38 3.5-liter inline-six ripped from either an E28 M5 or E24 M6. Carolla claims the power is somewhere around 400 hp, a mighty figure for a naturally aspirated six-cylinder. The sixer drives the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.

Considering its racing history, this Group 2 should be welcomed at the majority of vintage racing events. Head over to Bring a Trailer to park this 1972 BMW 3.0CS Group 2 in your race fleet.