BMW E9 3.0 CSL Batmobile Vs BMW i8: Which Would You Own?

I recently ticked a big thing off my bucket list when I was handed the keys to a true unicorn: the E9 3.0 CSL Batmobile.

While I don’t want to spoil the video we shot on it (coming soon), what I will say is that it was every bit as special and exciting as I was hoping it would be. Despite being 40 years old, the 3153cc straight-six pulled hard (even by modern standards), and the driving experience lived up to what I’d read as a boy.

Like the new i8, the Batmobile was a talking point wherever Ethan and I took it; people stopped and stared, asked questions and were genuinely shocked to see something that looked like it belonged in a movie.

After a full day of filming, I handed the key back to BMW and asked myself a question: would I prefer to live with an £85,000 (approximate current value) classic Batmobile - with its heavy steering, thirsty engine and dubious reliability - or would I prefer to spend a similar amount (plus £15k) on a new BMW i8, itself a sublime slice of the future?

It’s a real heart (E9) vs head (i8) question, but after much thought, it’d be the Batmobile for me because of the heritage and crazy styling, the respect from car lovers and the knowledge that I’d be able to spanner on the thing myself when things go kaputt. It’s also the coolest car I’ve ever seen in the flesh, let alone driven.

Now it’s your turn to make the ultimate choice…