The BMW Art Car series of ‘rolling sculptures’ is now 50 years old. Embodying the essence of global cultural engagement by BMW, the collection of 20 Art Cars has been involved in over 100 initiatives across contemporary art, music and film, as well as design.
Cross-section of art history
Over the past 5 decades, these uniquely painted cars have offered a cross-section of art history: minimalism, pop art, magical realism, abstraction, conceptual art and digital art are all represented.
In close collaboration with the BMW Group’s engineering and design teams, the artists could freely develop their concepts and inspire everyone involved. They were selected by international juries of museum directors.
“The BMW Art Car Collection celebrates 50 years of artistic freedom and visionary design. The 20 vehicles have become international icons, telling stories of society, technology and performance. Our commitment to art and culture is long-term. We are continuously developing the collection and bringing art and automotive culture together in a unique way,” said Ilka Horstmeier, Board Member for Human Resources and Real Estate at BMW Group.
Global tour
To mark the 50th anniversary, there will be a BMW Art Car World Tour which features an exhibition programme spanning all 5 continents. It starts in Europe and Asia this month where important museums and platforms for classic automobiles will celebrate the milestone. One Art Car will be showcased at the classic car festival Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como, Switzerland in May.
The Art Car World Tour will continue through most of 2026 as well, with stops in cities in Africa and the USA. Malaysia is not on the schedule but some Art Cars were displayed at the Gallery PETRONAS in KLCC in 2006.
New book, model and fashion collection
In addition to the exhibition programme, BMW is releasing various new art and lifestyle products in celebration of the anniversary. The 1:18-scale miniature of the 20th Art Car by Julie Mehretu is available for purchase across BMW Lifestyle Shops, with a 1:43 version to follow later in the year.
Together with publisher Hatje Cantz, BMW is presenting the third edition of the ‘BMW Art Cars’ catalogue. Interviews with the founders of the collection and essays on each of the cars highlight the art historical relevance and diversity of the works.
The BMW Art Cars
BMW 3.0 CSL by Alexander Calder (1975)
BMW 3.0 CSL by Frank Stella (1976)
BMW 320 Group 5 by Roy Lichtenstein (1977)
BMW M1 Group 4 by Andy Warhol (1979)
BMW 635 CSi by Ernst Fuchs (1982)
BMW 635 CSi by Robert Rauschenberg (1986)
BMW M3 Group A by Michael J. Nelson (1989)
BMW M3 Group A by Ken Done (1989)
BMW 535i by Matazo Kayama (1990)
BMW 730i by Cesar Manrique (1990)
BMW Z1 by A.R. Penck (1991)
BMW 525i by Esther Mahlangu (1991)
BMW M3 GTR by Sandro Chia (1992)
BMW 850 CSi by David Hockney (1995)
BMW V12 LMR by Jenny Holzer (1999)
BMW H₂R by Olafur Eliasson (2007)
BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons (2010)
BMW M6 GT3 by Cao Fei (2016)
BMW M6 GTLM by John Baldessari (2016)
BMW M Hybrid V8 by Julie Mehretu (2024)
20th BMW Art Car to be BMW M Hybrid V8, and it will be raced at Le Mans in 2024