The 1986 BMW 635 CSi Group A campaigned by Schnitzer Motorsport, which won the 1986 Spa 24 Hours, is to be put up for sale at RM Sotheby’s Munich auction on November 20, 2026.
During the 1986 European Touring Car Championship, it added to its Spa 24 Hours victory with three further podium finishes, with drivers including Roberto Ravaglia, Dieter Quester, Emanuele Pirro, Gerhard Berger, Otto Rensing, Thierry Tassin and Altfrid Heger.
One of ten works cars built, the BMW 635 CSi’s season began at Monza on March 23, where Roberto Ravaglia and Emanuele Pirro qualified and raced as car no. 10. Their race ended with a wheel-related retirement. Two weeks later at Donington Park, Ravaglia shared the BMW with Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger. The pairing finished second, recording the car’s first podium of the season.
At Hockenheim on April 13, Dieter Quester and Otto Rensing drove chassis E24 RA2-79 as no. 11 and again finished second. The same pairing continued at Misano, placing fourth, before finishing sixth at Anderstorp and seventh at Brno.
Ravaglia returned to the BMW 635 CSi at Zeltweg on June 15, sharing with Quester. They finished third, giving the BMW its third podium from seven championship appearances. Ravaglia’s results in this car, including second at Donington and third at Zeltweg, formed part of the campaign that brought him the first of his two European Touring Car Championship titles.
Quester and Rensing then finished sixth at the Nürburgring before the car’s most important result of the season at the Spa 24 Hours on August 3-4. Entered by Schnitzer Motorsport as no. 11, it was driven by Quester, Altfrid Heger and Belgian driver Thierry Tassin.
Starting ninth, the BMW progressed through the field during the 24-hour race and defeated the Works and leading privateer entries from Ford, Volvo and Rover. Its victory represented the third and final Spa 24 Hours win achieved by the Group A BMW 635 CSi and came shortly before the arrival of the E30-generation M3 as BMW’s principal touring car.
The result gave chassis E24 RA2-79 one victory, two second places and one third place from its nine European Touring Car Championship appearances during 1986. It also recorded fourth at Misano, sixth at Anderstorp, seventh at Brno and sixth at the Nürburgring, with Monza its only championship retirement.
The BMW’s final Works appearance came at the Bathurst 1000km in Australia on September 4, 1986. Quester and Ravaglia drove the car as number 21, but it failed to finish. This brought its period association with Schnitzer Motorsport to an end.
The BMW 635 CSi was subsequently acquired by privateer Yvan Tapy. Its current owner purchased it in June 2017 and commissioned Graber Sportgarage of Toffen, Switzerland, to restore, maintain and prepare it for Historic competition. Work continued between 2017 and 2024.
In late 2025, Pastrolli Classic Cars in Maranello rebuilt the engine and installed a new clutch. Invoices accompanying the BMW document expenditure exceeding €250,000. The car is presently fitted with a correct-type replacement engine, while its original engine is included in the sale.
Chassis E24 RA2-79 is presented in its 1986 Genuine BMW Parts livery and has recently competed at Spa Classic and Monza Revival. Its accompanying documentation includes Schnitzer Motorsport Archive timing sheets, engineering notes, set-up records and invoices for its restoration and subsequent preparation. It also has an FIA Historic Technical Passport valid until the end of 2026, and is estimated at between €500,000 and €700,000.
For more details on the 1986 BMW 635 CSi Group A car at RM Sotheby’s Munich sale 2026, see here.
