1977 BMW 633CSi Coupe

BMW's superb six-cylinder sports coupes were becoming long in the tooth by the mid-1970s, having been in production for the better part of a decade. Munich's engineers then developed a very different type of car, one that was altogether more sophisticated. Using the 6 Series badge for the first time and styled by the talented Paul Bracq, the new model - codenamed E24 - was unveiled to the public in 1976, its discreet, elegant lines reflecting a further move towards the luxury market occupied by key rival Mercedes-Benz. The bodyshells were completed to a high standard by Karmann of Osnabrück, who were also responsible for assembling the 6 Series in their first year of production. Under the skin the 6 Series employed the latest technology to build a more efficient car, with a host of hi-tech features such as the Active Check Control monitoring system, on-board computer and speed-sensitive power steering. Two models were available at first, the 630CS (with a 3-litre carburettor engine carried over from the 3.0 CS) and the fuel injected 633CSi. As BMW's flagship model and the most expensive model in the line-up in 1976, the 633CSi packed a 3.2-litre version of the silky straight six, with the latest Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection and 197 bhp on tap. Top speed was an impressive 215 km/h, with 0-100 km/h taking just 8.5 seconds. The 6 Series may have been a more refined and relaxed GT car than the CS is replaced, but this didn't prevent BMW from ultimately developing it into a very effective track car. The big BMWs won the 1983 European Touring Car Championship and acquitted themselves well in Australia during the Group A era, with drivers like Jim Richards hustling the black and gold coupes around Bathurst to good effect. In total BMW made 23,432 633CSis, though high prices meant few would find owners in Australia and survivors are therefore becoming increasingly hard to locate.