1972 BMW CSi (E9) Race Car Ex-Barrie Williams 1975 RAC TT

To be offered by Iconic Auctioneers on Friday 23rd February at the Race Retro sale.

Guide Price: £85,000 - £100,000

Offered here is a fascinating find that has been owned privately for the past 25 years. Our vendor confirms that the car was prepared in mid-1975 to compete in the 1975 Tourist Trophy at Silverstone on 5th October 1975. The late Barry Williams (Whizzo) was the driving force behind the project, having secured sponsorship from his then employer, AutoExtra. The car was built and raced by Whizzo and Tony Lanfranchi to the 'Trophee de l’Avenir' regulations which applied to ETCC racing that year.

Looking splendid in its crisp blue and white AutoExtra livery and running as Number 11, the car managed 99 laps with some inevitable issues including a serious appetite for oil and running into the back of Brian 'Yogi' Muir's Dolomite, however they finished a creditable seventh overall and fifth in class, an excellent debut. It was hoped that the car would run in the full series the following year, but AutoExtra had financial problems and the car therefore only raced once at that level.

After its retirement from its all too brief circuit racing career, #2212227 was sold to the ebullient Gerry Tyack, a Moreton-in-Marsh BMW dealer and enthusiast who entered the car in sprints and hill climbs. Indeed, the car was used to good effect, with Gerry often winning his class and a particular highlight was a class win at the Brighton Speed Trials.

Gerry used the car for two years and kept it until the early 1980s when it was sold on. It’s not known who purchased the car from Gerry and the car essentially disappeared for a number of years until it was bought by the current owner, our vendor, who acquired it in 1999. His business was classic car and race car preparation so the BMW seemed a worthwhile project that could be allocated a few hours here and there when the business permitted.

A lot of hard work and investment was undertaken over the following 20 years to assemble the parts and get the car to where it is today. Unfortunately due to changing circumstances, the BMW is now on the open market for the first time in over 25 years. This could be a great opportunity for the next lucky owner to finish this historic racer and return it to the circuit.

The BMW is an exciting project, given it's period competition pedigree and, in our opinion, is a prime candidate to restore to full FIA race specification. Whizzo intended to race the car in a full championship in the mid 1970s, so it is only right and proper that #2212227 is given that opportunity once again and the story of this interesting and rare BMW doesn't end here.