Seven outstanding BMW machines (including one from Alpina), spanning road and race use, sit under the banner “Henry Schmitt Collection” and will be offered in online auctions by Stratas Auction starting on 19 January.
So, who is Henry Schmitt? He is not only the owner of BMW San Francisco (USA), but also a racing driver who competes-naturally-at the wheel of BMW models, both modern and historic. Despite being over 60, Schmitt still races at the top level; in 2020 he took part in the GT World Challenge America with a BMW M6 GT3.
That long-standing connection to BMW runs deep in several ways, and over the years he has amassed numerous road cars and competition cars. Recently, however, his impressive garage has been shrinking, with Schmitt putting a range of cars from his collection up for sale via auction.
He did the same in 2019, when RM Sotheby’s auctioned four of his race cars, and he is now preparing to sell a further seven exceptional examples. Whatever the reasons behind the decision, it is a rare chance to get your hands on unusual, one-off machinery-click the subheadings to access full information about each car on the Stratas Auction website.
1968 BMW 2002 ti Rally
A rally BMW? It is not something you see every day, but it has happened-and the biggest result ever achieved by a BMW 2002 ti Rally was a win on Portugal’s Rally de Portugal in 1972, with Achim Warmbold driving. The car going under the hammer here is not the very same one that won our rally, but that does not make it any less compelling.
Although built for competition, this BMW 2002 ti Rally has received numerous updates over the years-from the drivetrain to the chassis-yet it remains eligible to compete officially in historic motorsport.
Auction: 19 January 2021.
1969 BMW 2002 Race Car
Even though it is now a competition car, this BMW 2002 did not begin life that way. Only in 2011, under its previous owner, did the conversion work to go racing get underway. Schmitt bought it in 2013 and continued the development, fitting-among other changes-a five-speed gearbox with shorter ratios and a differential from a BMW 320i (E30).
Auction: 10 February 2021.
1974 BMW 3.5 CSL IMSA “Batmobile”
The headline act in this BMW group? Very possibly. This BMW 3.5 CSL “Batmobile”, chassis #987, won the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring, with Brian Redman and Hans-Joachim Stuck sharing driving duties (among others)-and their signatures can be found inside the car.
Unlike the road-going 3.0 CSL (E9), the race version’s inline six grew to 3.5 litres (M49) and produced up to 370 hp. Even so, it is the aerodynamic theatre-the front spoiler sitting almost on the tarmac, the fins over the front wings, and the huge rear wing-that sets it apart and earns it the “Batmobile” nickname.
This is not the first time this CSL has appeared at auction-it was one of the cars offered in 2019, where it failed to sell. Will it find a new owner this time?
Auction: 22 January 2021.
1975 BMW 3.5 CSL Continuation
It could be considered the “brother” to the “Batmobile” above, but this BMW 3.5 CSL is not an original factory competition car. According to historical records, its chassis number indicates it was intended to become a race CSL, yet it never actually did. That did not stop Schmitt: after buying it, he turned it into the competition car it was meant to be, using replacement parts sourced from other CSLs.
Hence the “Continuation” name-a kind of homage to the original CSLs. It is not, however, a perfect match for the period specifications. The engine, for instance, retains the original block and mechanical injection, but the cylinder head is now a four-valves-per-cylinder design. The outcome? 500 hp in a car weighing a little over 800 kg.
Auction: 21 January 2021.
1991 BMW Z1 Alpina RLE
One of just two road cars in this set, the BMW Z1 Alpina RLE (Roadster Limited Edition) is genuinely scarce. The Z1 it is based on-the first BMW Z-was hardly commonplace either, with only around 8,000 built. Alpina’s take was produced in a mere 66 examples, with half shipped to Japan and the other half remaining in Europe.
Alpina reworked the inline six, increasing capacity from 2.5 litres to 2.7 litres, and lifting output from the regular Z1’s 170 hp to 200 hp. It is also identified by Alpina’s familiar multi-spoke wheels, here in 17-inch form. This particular car, number 28, has covered less than 35,000 kilometres.
Auction: 12 February 2021.
1995 BMW 850 CS
The other road car up for auction is also a rare BMW 850 CSi-just 1,510 were produced. It may not have been the hoped-for M8, but as the flagship of the first 8 Series, the 850 CSi added bite to the brand’s luxury coupé formula. Under the bonnet sat a naturally aspirated 5.6-litre V12 producing 380 hp.
Schmitt is its second owner. This 850 CSi spent most of its life in Sweden before he purchased it and brought it to the USA, and the odometer shows roughly 60,000 kilometres.
Auction: 11 February 2021.
2018 BMW M6 GT3
Last, but certainly not least, the focus returns to the track with one of the-quite literally-largest GT3 cars ever to race. The BMW M6 GT3 is set to make way for the new M4 GT3 in competition, and the example being auctioned here is a 2018 car.
It is also a proven performer: chassis no. 1621 finished second at the 2018 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and it has been the car Henry Schmitt has raced in the USA in the GT World Challenge America. Its 4.4 V8 produces 585 hp and has already completed a demanding, high-speed 9,100 km.
Auction: 20 January 2021.
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