An old BMW once owned by a famous man with a penchant for excellent hats is coming up for auction. It’s not just any old BMW, though—it is a 3.5-liter FIA-spec 1973 BMW CSL. And it’s not just any famous man—it’s Jay Kay.
Yep, the Jamiroquai star—renowned for his taste in properly good machinery—was one of the custodians of this glorious Bimmer. Originally a regular 3.0-liter ‘E9’ CS road car, the late Tim Busby converted it into a racecar at some point in the late ’80s.
According to Iconic Auctioneers, Busby then “accumulated many excellent race results over the following 35 years on racetracks all over the world,” putting the Batmobile to good use. It was then sold to Iconic Auctioneers owner Nick Whale, who together with Ian Guest continued racing the CSL throughout Europe, including appearances at Monza, Silverstone, and Spa.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
The 2025 Honda Freed would be a perfect fit in the local lineup
Report: Ford EcoSport to be revived by 2025
Alan Tice then bought it and raced it for a few seasons before selling it on to Jay Kay in 2013. Jay Kay apparently invested a ton of money into the Bimmer’s mechanicals and was said to have enjoyed a track day at Silverstone.
After four years, he sold it to its current owner, who again invested more money to bring the CSL right up to the “strenuous modern standards of historic motorsport.” Its official FIA accreditation papers are valid, we’re told, until December 31, 2027.
It was last fettled back in 2021 and hasn’t been touched since. Iconic Auctioneers is putting a guide price of between £160,000 and £180,000 (P11.6 million and P13 million) when it comes up for auction on May 18.
More photos of Jay Kay’s former BMW CSL:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
