Description:

1983 BMW E24 635CSI Works Group A Touring Car Competition Coupé.

Highlights

• Genuine works-built BMW 635CSi Group A, chassis RA1-08, built in 1983
• Extensive and documented period European Touring Car Championship race history
• Current racing history including Zandvoort Historic GP and Silverstone Festival 2025
• £100,000 restoration by renowned BMW preparer Geoff Steele Racing
• Holds current FIA HTP Passport 
• Eligible for worldwide events
• Recent reconditioned gearbox, new clutch, alternator, ECU, loom and LSD refurb +
• Rare and stylish alternative to the more common BMW and Ford 80s racers

The Appeal

The 80s was the era of big, brutal GT-based touring cars: think Sierra Cosworth, Jaguar V12 XJ-S and this car, the light, nimble and beautiful E24 635CSI. Between 1983 and 1985 just 50 were built for competition use by BMW Motorsport and this is one of them. This car- born from an era where BMW dominated touring car racing.

Works built in 1983, Chassis RA1-08  was campaigned between 1983 and 1985 in ETCC championships, this car achieved some highly creditable results, before switching to hillclimb events. It was subsequently restored at a cost of £100,000 by renowned BMW specialist Geoff Steel Racing, the work carefully replicating its 1983 Donington ETCC livery. Since completion it has featured at blue chip historic events like Silverstone, Donington, Assen and Zandvoort. In 2025 alone it appeared at Zandvoort Historic GP and Silverstone Festival, where we’re told it was a real crowd pleaser. The vendor describes it as the best looking ETCC racer of the 80s.

Looking at the photos of this evolution of Paul Bracq’s gorgeous E24, we understand why. It is in very good order, and the mechanics are in similar order. Since acquiring the car, the vendor has evidently gone through the car with a fine-tooth comb. He tells us that he has checked the car thoroughly and remedied whatever needed done. The full list is provided below but the highlights include a reconditioned gearbox, new clutch, replacement alternator, ECU and loom and refurbished LSD and Bilstein shocks.

This E24 racer is a rare and stylish alternative to the more common BMW and Ford 80s racers. It has the history, provenance, condition and maintenance work to appeal to serious collectors and historic racers. It carries up to date safety equipment and valid FIA papers. This car is ready to entertain both driver and crowds.

The vendor says:

“It is a proper works built Group A BMW 6, usually these were used by works teams (Schnitzer/Eggenberger etc) with frontline results; great, but that means they are worth fortunes. This one has not been as notable, but still includes all the validity of being a genuine works-built BMW, and is therefore available at a very reasonable price.”

History and Paperwork

• Works-built by BMW Motorsport in 1983, chassis number RA1-08
• Commissioned by Giuseppe Briozzo for use in the ETCC
• Acquired by current keeper four years ago and campaigned regularly
• Summary of race history provided below
• Holds a current FIA HTP Passport
• Safety equipment is up to date
• Featured in Classic Car magazine and has appeared on Top Gear
• The vehicle is not registered for road use
• Includes a set of wet tyres on rims
• Sold with seven spare slick tyres
• A box of spares
• Many recent invoices included

BMW Motorsport built this car in 1983 for Giuseppe Briozzo, a privateer race driver who subsequently made his name campaigning this car. It was raced in ETCC in 1983 and 1984 under Italian and Swiss flags with a pool of drivers at circuits including Monza, Vallelunga, Donington, Pergusa, Mugello, Brno, Zeltweg and the Silverstone TT. In 1984 it featured at Monza, Vallelunga, Donington, Pergusa, Brno, Zeltweg and the Salzburgring. The Briozzo team had been a privateer outfit with support from the Swiss Eggenberger team. In mid 1984 they decided to work more closely with Eggenberger and it is not clear if they continued to race this car or if they moved to a newer E24.

After ETCC career, the car was occasionally used on Swiss hillclimbing events. It was then acquired and stored by an Italian businessman. In 2016 it was sold at the RM Sotheby's Duemila Ruote auction. The car was then restored to Group A specification by Geoff Steele Racing at a cost of £100,000 with supported by invoices in the history file.

The current keeper acquired the car around four years ago and has entered it for eight races at Silverstone, Donington, Assen and Zandvoort. During his tenure it has been maintained and developed by Performance Assessments Ltd, with detailed invoices for all work available. In 2025 the car appeared at Zandvoort Historic GP and Silverstone Festival.

Period competition History:

• 20. 03. 83 Monza 500km. #10 Quali 12th Placed 9th
• 10. 04. 83 Vallelunga 500km Quali 13th Placed 9th
• 01. 05. 83 Donington 500km #22 in the livery it now carries. Quali 12th DNF
• 15. 05. 83 Pergusa Quali 9th Placed 8th
• 22. 05. 83 Mugello Quali 9th DNF
• 12. 06. 83 Brno #21Quali 10th Placed 10th
• 26. 06. 83 Zeltweg Quali 9th DNF
• 11. 09. 83 Silverstone TT #12 Quali 27th Placed 21st
• 25. 09. 83 Zolder #12 entered but probably did not turn up!
• 01. 04. 84 Monza #34 Quali 19th DNS/ DNF?
• 08. 04. 84 Vallelunga Quali 20th Placed 14th
• 29. 04. 84 Donington #21 Entered but did not qualify
• 13. 05. 84 Pergusa Quali 13th DNF
• 10. 06. 84 Brno #9 Quali 18th Placed 15th
• 17. 06. 84 Zeltweg Quali 18th Placed 12th
• 01. 07. 84 Salzburgring Placed 15th

The gallery includes many photos of the car in period and at recent events.

The vendor says:

“The privateer Swiss/ Italian team continued to race at many ETCC races through 1984, 1985 and 1986. The car was subsequently occasionally used on Swiss hillclimbing events until it was bought and stored by an Italian businessman. It was then sold at the RM Sotheby’s Duemila Ruote auction in 2016 and brought back to the UK. The buyer asked experienced BMW preparer Geoff Steele Racing to restore this important race car back to its Group A specification. The invoices in the history show that this restoration cost over £100, 000 and was one of three 635CSi’s that Geoff Steele restored in this period. I have had the privilege of owning and racing this wonderful 635 these last four years and it has been simply fabulous. It looks stunning, sounds superb and handles beautifully. The car is always very welcome at all historic events and generates interest wherever it enters. Racing at Silverstone Festival 2022 generated an article in Classic Car magazine, it has appeared in Top Gear, and there was always a wonderful reaction when we attended the major Historic GP weekends at Assen TT, Zandvoort and Donington. I have been brilliantly supported by Matt at Performance Assessments Ltd who has maintained and developed this car using his race experience, diligent engineering and research. His detailed invoices since the car has been in my care clearly show this.”

The Condition

• Well sorted, restored and race-ready
• Refinished to 1983 Donington ETCC livery
• Safety equipment is in date and ready to race
• Vendor states the car has been reliable and competitive, and well received at events
• Cosmetically in very good condition, in much smarter condition than many race cars that start to look cosmetically tired a few races in
• Car has only raced seven times since restoration, all without accidents
• We are told that the car is as it finished the Silverstone Festival in August 2025
• Windscreen has a chip and crack from a stone kicked up by a Camaro at Silverstone!
• The vendor states the car looks fresh, sharp and well-prepared

It’s not hard to believe that this car is a proper crowd pleasure. Sporting the exact livery that it wore at the Donington round of the 1983 ETCC, it is both beautiful, thanks to those Paul Bracq lines, and stands out from its M3 and Cosworth peers.

The Mechanics

• 3,500cc inline six-cylinder engine
• Five-speed manual transmission
• 310hp at flywheel confirmed by rolling road dyno sheet
• Hp delivered after fitting new ECU and running on 99 octane fuel
• Engine compression ratio enables power to be improved using high-octane race fuel
• Long list of recent work since vendor acquired car  
• Subsequently professionally maintained and improved by Amspeed and Performance Assessments

Summary of recent work:

• New ECU
• New engine loom
• Reconditioned gearbox
• New clutch
• Reconditioned LSD
• Reconditioned Bilstein dampers
• New WOSP alternator
• New oil cooler
• Properly set up rear suspension
• New cell fuel tank
• New fuel pumps
• New seat and harness
• New cooling fan
• New brake master cylinders
• Numerous debugging and improvements advised

The vendor tells us:

“Some gearbox noise noted, possibly clutch release bearing or main shaft bearing, but it has been constant and not worsened over several years, nor has it affected operation.”

This car has the mechanical provenance to meet FIA requirements and serious historic racers. We’ve summarised the work involved. It has been undertaken by highly regarded specialists like Geoff Steele Racing, and then subsequently by Performance Assessments, which has looked after the car for the current keeper.

The condition is verified by its regular competition use, including at Zandvoort and Silverstone in 2025. This outstanding example would be a welcome guest at worldwide competition events.

The vendor is happy to answer all comments through the auction.

Available to view from now until the sale the seller and ourselves are able to assist with transport to Europe and beyond. This is a ticket for its new custodian to a number of European and worldwide events, and an exciting opportunity to own a Works BMW Touring car.

** Interested parties should note this lot is currently on view near Winchester, Hampshire. Vehicles must be collected by 28th March 2026 (subject to payment of the lots). From 28th March, vehicle storage charges apply to the buyer. 

Charges: £ 14 + VAT for the first 14 days. Thereafter, £ 50 + VAT per car per week. 

Buyers should satisfy themselves that they have collected all relevant log books, documents and keys relating to their lot(s) at the time of collection. **

BEFORE YOU BUY 

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