BMW Art Cars: When Automobiles Become Canvases

The notion of combining car inspiration with amazing art was an experiment that would turn out to be a long-term legacy. In 1975, the French race car driver and auctioneer Hervé Poulain had an unexpected idea: transforming a race car into a movable piece of artwork. He presented the challenge to his acquaintance, American artist Alexander Calder, and asked him to create an artwork for a BMW 3.0 CSL. The one-time collaboration would grow throughout the years and become the renowned collection known as the BMW Art Cars.

Assisted by Jochen Neerpasch, the then BMW Motorsport chief, the project defied regulations by installing fine art on high-performance machinery. These racecars not only raced at Le Mans, but they also traveled the world promoting the message of creativity and engineering. Today, the BMW Museum, Munich, is home to these special automobiles, although many can be spotted at exhibitions and galleries throughout the world.

Let us take a look at these stunning art cars–old and new–that have captivated enthusiasts and aficionados.

Check out the best used luxury BMW cars in India.

Alexander Calder (1975)

• Model: BMW 3.0 CSL

He came up with the idea of painting bold primary colours straight onto the car bodywork. Revolutionary for the year 1975, the design made world headlines instantaneously. This 1975 Art Car has joined the 1975 Le Mans 24 Hours race. Though Calder passed away shortly afterwards, his legacy lives through this colourful piece.

Frank Stella (1976)

• Model: BMW 3.0 CSL

Frank Stella’s approach was geometrical precision. He surrounded the car with an oversized grid from a piece of graph paper, emphasizing every contour and curve. It was a “blueprint applied to the entire car body,” wrote Stella. The end result was fastidious, trance-like.

Roy Lichtenstein (1977)

• Model: BMW 320i Group 5

Lichtenstein, famous for his comic book pop flair, captured a streaming road and scenery through the sides of the car. He tried to capture movement and the passing of time. This car also raced at Le Mans, blending the highest speed with the highest art.

Andy Warhol (1979)

• Model: BMW M1 Group 4

The car was painted by Warhol himself in less than 30 minutes with forceful, dynamic brushstrokes, evoking the impression of movement. The BMW M1 ran 6th outright at Le Mans, proving that even a piece of art can withstand the test of long-distance racing.

Robert Rauschenberg (1986)

• Model: BMW 635CSi

Rauschenberg first experimented with photographic transfers by merging classical painting and nature photography. The right panel consists of Ingres’ “Odalisque,” while the left panel consists of Bronzino, both merged with photographs of swamp grass.

Michael Jagamara Nelson (1989)

• Model: BMW M3 Group A

This Aboriginal Australian came up with indigenous Papunya patterns within a period of one week, catching the M3 and transforming it into an energetic interpretation of his culture. Nowadays, it is one of the most dramatic cross-cultural design moments.

Ken Done (1989)

• Model: BMW M3 Group A

Ken Done’s painting celebrates the Australian wildlife, with vibrant parrot fish and parrots dashing through the panels. His inspiration was movement and beauty at the same time.

Matazo Kayama (1990)

• Model: BMW 535i

Kayama merged the techniques of the past Japanese arts with modern techniques, like airbrushing and foil printing. It has an ethereal composition with snow, cherry blossoms, and the full moon.

Cesar Manrique (1990)

• Model: BMW 730i

Manrique wished to reflect harmony between technology and nature. Strong lines and bright colours represent the smooth flow of the car through space.

A.R. Penck (1991)

• Model: BMW Z1

Penck’s style employs primordial symbols, prehistoric rock paintings, and abstract forms derived from mathematics and physics. The bright red Z1 is an original work of blending antique and futuristic images.

Esther Mahlangu (1991)

• Model: BMW 525i

Mahlangu, the first woman and the first African artist, embellished her car with vibrant Ndebele patterns. It is an acknowledgement of South African heritage, offering the collection a fresh cultural viewpoint.

Sandro Chia (1992)

• Model: BMW 3 Series Racing Version

Chia adorned the car with expressive faces and silhouettes, aiming to make the car itself an observer of the world around it.

David Hockney (1995)

• Model: BMW 850CSi

Hockney turned the car “inside out,” painting the interior mechanisms on the outside panels. Even the dog in the back seat is part of the design—a playful twist on transparency.

Jenny Holzer (1999)

• Model: BMW V12 LMR

Holzer’s race car was a loud commentary piece. Her slogans (“Protect Me From What I Want”) backlit the car’s white body as it roared through Le Mans, combining performance and conceptual art.

Olafur Eliasson (2007)

• Model: BMW H2R Hydrogen Car

Eliasson took an innovative approach, stripping the car panels off and covering the framework with reflective steel mesh and layers of ice. The car turned out to be a roaming sculpture of nature, energy, and transformation.

Jeff Koons (2010)

• Model: BMW M3 GT2

The vibrant M3 GT2 was covered in colourful streaks to suggest speed and power. Koons described the design as an explosion of energy. It raced in the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours.

John Baldessari (2016)

• Model: BMW M6 GTLM

Baldessari’s Art Car is minimalistic yet playful. A bright red dot, the word “FAST,” and colour blocks cover the bodywork. The M6 GTLM competed in the 2017 Daytona 24 Hours.

Cao Fei (2017)

• Model: BMW M6 GT3

The newest addition and the first-ever virtual Art Car, the digital augmented reality work was designed by Chinese artist Cao Fei. Through an app accessed by a smartphone, spectators can see the car surrounded by suspended light particles—a futuristic take on racing and virtual art.

Fun fact: Some of the older ones like the 1975–1980 BMW 3.0 CSLs, M1, and 320is are these days considered historic collector’s items and not street or racecars any longer, but are happily maintained at the BMW Museum. The newer Art Cars, like Koons’ M3 GT2, Baldessari’s M6 GTLM, and Fei’s M6 GT3, are meanwhile tracing the course.

Where Can You See BMW Art Cars?

Most of these cars reside at the BMW Museum in Munich, which hosts regular exhibitions. They have also travelled to iconic museums such as the Guggenheim and the Louvre, and occasionally appear at races and art fairs.

You Can Make Your Own BMW Art Car

If you feel inspired to create your own automotive artwork, consider exploring these BMW cars available in India:

• BMW 3 Series
• BMW 5 Series
• BMW 7 Series
• BMW X1
• BMW X5
• BMW M Series

You’ll find these models in cities like Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad, perfect canvases waiting for your artistic touch.

FAQs about BMW Art Cars