Remember that low-mileage BMW M3 CSL that was seemingly left in a parking garage for 20 years that went viral earlier this year? Well, it turns out there’s been a development, possibly to the chagrin of carspotters everywhere.
As a refresher, the initial — and likely incorrect — story went something like this. Back in 2004, a brand-new BMW M3 CSL was collected from the showroom floor and driven precisely 37 miles (59 km) to an underground parking garage in London, where it was forgotten about.
However, after online sleuths did some digging, it turns out that the ultra-low mileage claim was bunkum. Mileage-check sites placed the M3’s odometer readout at a much higher (but still low-ish) 10,000 miles (16,000 km).
See Also: This Low-Mileage BMW M3 CSL Has Been Sitting In A Parking Garage For 20 Years
Regardless of the car’s actual mileage, what was clear is that this rare piece of BMW heritage had been untouched and unloved for a very long time. The license plate indicated that the car hadn’t been taxed since March 2006, so the barn garage find may still have some intrigue to it.
Now, the car seems to have disappeared almost as quickly as its story spread across social media. Did the viral articles trigger a memory for the owner? Did authorities recover it? Has the car been sold? Well, to be honest, we still don’t know. But thanks to the @london_barn_find on Instagram, we have seen pictures of a car that is almost certainly the same one, positioned on the back of a trailer being hauled by a Range Rover.
The CSL is without its rear bumper in the images, much like the car originally pictured had a very broken back end. It’s also missing the CSL emblem on its front gills and seems to have the accompanying scratches and dings consistent with a car that has been mistreated by clumsy parkers over the years. Curiously, though, the number plates have been removed.
What’s next for the CSL, we wonder. Will we ever find out the full story? Will this BMW be restored to its former glory? Was the tale all just an elaborate hoax to drive up resale? We’ll report back as soon as we hear more. In the meantime, drop your favorite conspiracy theories in the comments below.
H/T: The Drive