Riverti Automobili has taken its BMW M2-based 3.0 CSL tribute prototype onto the hillclimb stage at Italy’s Tutto Bene event, giving the public its first substantial look at the coachbuilt coupe. The heavily camouflaged car is based on the current G87 BMW M2 and is positioned as a full rebody, not a conventional styling package.

Riverti has not announced the car’s power output, curb weight, transmission, price, production volume or reveal date. The project’s central idea is summarized by the company’s tagline: “Not ‘resto.’ Retro.” It uses modern underpinnings and a new body inspired by BMW’s 1970s racing-era design rather than restoring an original 3.0 CSL.

BMW M2 powertrain remains unconfirmed

The prototype reportedly retains the M2’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, although Riverti has not said whether the engine has been retuned. Any changes to the transmission, chassis or performance are also undisclosed.

The standard current M2 produces 473 hp in both manual and automatic form, with curb weight in the high 3,000-pound range depending on equipment. Riverti has not confirmed whether its rebody changes those figures, so the stock M2 powertrain is the only available performance reference for now.

3.0 CSL-inspired bodywork

The new exterior draws heavily from the original 1970s “Batmobile” 3.0 CSL and also incorporates cues from the BMW 2002 Turbo. Four round headlights and a smaller kidney grille replace the standard M2’s front-end treatment, while reshaped air intakes and a bespoke hood reinforce the period-inspired design.

Riverti’s bodywork also includes flared fenders, tightly spoked wheels styled after historic motorsport designs and custom taillights. A prominent double rear-wing treatment sits above the decklid, echoing the oversized spoiler that became one of the original CSL’s defining visual features.

Production and availability

Riverti has not disclosed how many examples it plans to build or when the finished car will be revealed. Those details will determine whether the M2 tribute becomes a rare collector-focused special or a more widely available conversion.

The project enters a market already familiar with modern CSL tributes. BMW built its own contemporary 3.0 CSL on the G82 M4 in 2023 and limited production to 50 units. Riverti’s approach is different: rather than creating a factory model, it is reshaping the current M2 around a specific slice of BMW’s racing history.

For buyers, the key unknowns remain the conversion cost, final specification and production scale. Until Riverti releases those details, the hillclimb appearance confirms the project is moving beyond sketches and teaser images, but not yet what the completed car will deliver mechanically.