BMW has created an exclusive special edition model to mark the end of its 50 anniversary celebrations of its fabled M division.

The BMW 3.0 CSL will be the most powerful six-cylinder car the Bavarian brand has produced with 552bhp available.

Just 50 examples of the high-performance two-seater will be produced and each is rear-wheel-drive with a manual transmission.

BMW has yet to reveal performance figures for the CSL and has not said how many will be built in right-hand drive save to say fuel economy is rated at 25.7mpg with emissions of 249g/km.

The company says that the rarity of the 3.0 CSL ensures that it will find a place in the vehicle collections of particularly loyal and enthusiastic fans of the BMW M brand.

Prices are also still to be announced but can be expected to be well north of the £128,820 BMW charges for the M4 CSL revealed earlier in the year.

The 3.0 CSL is hand-built at BMW's Dongolfeng factory in Bavaria and each will take around three months to produce using ultra lightweight components.

CSL stands for coupe, sport, lightweight and the original racing version of the historic BMW 3.0 CSL won the European Touring Car Championship during its inaugural season in 1973 - and repeated this title win five more times in succession from 1975 to 1979.

Drivers such as Toine Hezemans, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Chris Amon and Niki Lauda left the competition behind at the Nurburgring and numerous other circuits, followed by BMW's first victories on US circuits as early as 1975.

BMW says the new 3.0 CSL is a modern interpretation of the original and the extensive use of carbon in the construction give it a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.9kg per hp.

Wide wheel arches with central locking wheels produced specially for the car are among its features while the rear design includes a wing enclosed at the sides - a nod to the ‘Batmobile' style of the original.

Each car is also finished in the trademark blue, purple and red stiped colours of the BMW M racing cars with most of the exterior in Alpine White with carbon components which are hand-painted by specialists.

Interior features include carbon bucket seats with the rear given over to a storage compartment with two integrated helmet spaces while the interior trims in a carbon fibre finish feature sequential numbering for each of the 50 units available.