The BMW Art Car Collection on a World Tour

In 2025, the famous BMW Art Car collection will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an unprecedented world tour.

These Art Cars, these “rolling sculptures” initiated by Master Hervé Poulain, the fastest auctioneer in the world, blend art, technology, and motorsport. Poulain, the originator of the first Art Cars in collaboration with Jochen Neerpasch, founder of BMW Motorsport, made history by entering works of art on wheels into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he himself skillfully drove.

The first, a 3.0 CSL decorated by Alexander Calder, took to the track in 1975. Although it retired after seven hours, it became a crowd favorite. This initially unique project gave rise to an iconic collection where 20 renowned artists, such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, and Julie Mehretu, explored various artistic styles: minimalism, pop art, digital art, and abstraction.

To celebrate this anniversary, the world tour showcases the 20 cars in museums and prestigious events across five continents. The festivities also include a new catalog, collectible miniatures, and a fashion line. Highlights include Art Basel in Hong Kong, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy, and an exhibition at the BMW Museum in Munich.

The collection reflects a unique vision where art and performance meet. Each artist, selected by an international jury, works closely with BMW’s engineering and design teams to create mobile masterpieces.

The 20 BMW Art Cars

1. Alexander Calder / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1975
2. Frank Stella / BMW 3.0 CSL / 1976
3. Roy Lichtenstein / BMW 320 Groupe 5 / 1977
4. Andy Warhol / BMW M1 Groupe 4 / 1979
5. Ernst Fuchs / BMW 635 CSi / 1982
6. Robert Rauschenberg / BMW 635 CSi / 1986
7. Michael Jagamara Nelson / BMW M3 Groupe A / 1989
8. Ken Done / BMW M3 Groupe A / 1989
9. Matazo Kayama / BMW 535i / 1990
10. César Manrique / BMW 730i / 1990
11. A. R. Penck / BMW Z1 / 1991
12. Esther Mahlangu / BMW 525i / 1991
13. Sandro Chia / BMW M3 GTR / 1992
14. David Hockney / BMW 850 CSi / 1995
15. Jenny Holzer / BMW V12 LMR / 1999
16. Olafur Eliasson / BMW H₂R / 2007
17. Jeff Koons / BMW M3 GT2 / 2010
18. Cao Fei / BMW M6 GT3 / 2016
19. John Baldessari / BMW M6 GTLM / 2016
20. Julie Mehretu / BMW M Hybrid V8 / 2024

All information: BMW ART CAR

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