BMW Art car collection celebrates 50 years with world tour
On the occasion of BMW’s Art Car 50th anniversary, we dive into some of the most iconic models in the collection. These include Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, Esther Mahlangu, Jeff Koons, Julie Mehretu, Cao Fei, John Baldessari, Jenny Holzer, Olafur Eliasson, and more. So far, there are 20 BMW Art Cars in the collection that artists have transformed into ‘rolling sculptures.’ They all exude art movements, from minimalism and pop art to abstraction and digital art. These art cars are set to go on a world tour, exhibiting them across five continents. The BMW Art Car World Tour begins in Europe and Asia. On March 20th and 21st, 2025, the models by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney, and Jeff Koons are on display at the Museum of Applied Arts and the SPARK Art Fair in Vienna as part of the BMW Group Niederlassung Wien event ‘(R)Evolution of Art.’
The 20th BMW Art Car in the collection, the BMW M Hybrid V8 by Julie Mehretu, appears at Art Basel in Hong Kong from March 28th to 30th. The 13th Art Car by Sandro Chia shows up at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como in May 2025. Then in July and August, the Louwman Museum in The Hague presents eight BMW Art Cars collections in an exhibition. The BMW Museum also hosts an exhibition combining the anniversaries of the BMW Art Cars and the BMW 3 Series (the series marks its 50th anniversary in 2025). Starting June 16th, the museum showcases the history of all BMW 3 Series models as well as the BMW M3 Art Cars by Sandro Chia, Michael Jagamara Nelson, and Ken Done.
all images courtesy of BMW AG
Alexander Calder, 1975
BMW Art Car 1 by Alexander Calder | photo by Jean-Marie Bottequin
The first BMW Art Car in the collection is created in 1975 when artist Alexander Calder designs a bold livery for the BMW 3.0 CSL. Commissioned by auctioneer and racing driver Hervé Poulain, the project comes to life in collaboration with BMW Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch. Here, Alexander Calder applies his signature red, yellow, blue, and white patterns to the car.
The Calder-designed BMW 3.0 CSL makes its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975. Sam Posey, Jean Guichet, and Hervé Poulain drive it, though it retires from the race after seven hours due to a mechanical failure. The artist’s influences for the BMW art car in this collection extend from engineering to avant-garde art, drawing inspiration from Piet Mondrian and Joan Miró.
the Calder-designed BMW 3.0 CSL makes its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975 | photo by Enes Kucevic
Frank Stella, 1976
BMW Art Car 2 by Frank Stella | photo by Robert Kröschel
Frank Stella designs the BMW 3.0 CSL Art Car in the collection back in 1976, drawing on his early Abstract Minimalist Black Paintings. He creates a black-and-white grid pattern resembling oversized graph paper, inspired by the car’s precision engineering. The design highlights the contours and lines of the vehicle, reflecting technical accuracy. Applying the design requires extensive work over hundreds of hours.
Frank Stella’s BMW 3.0 CSL races at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1976, driven by Brian Redman and Peter Gregg, but technical issues prevent the car from finishing. A similar outcome occurs at the Dijon 6 Hours on 5 September 1976, with Ronnie Peterson and Gunnar Nilsson as drivers. During the 1960s, he becomes known for abstract color paintings exhibited worldwide. From the 1980s, he focuses on relief paintings and sculpture.
Frank Stella designs the BMW 3.0 CSL Art Car in the collection back in 1976 | photo by Enes Kucevic
Roy Lichtenstein, 1977
BMW Art Car 3 by Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein designs the BMW 320 Art Car of the collection to depict motion even when the car is stationary. The lines on the bodywork symbolize the road, while abstract representations of light and landscape suggest passing scenery. The doors display images of the sun, one rising and one setting, referencing the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Lichtenstein’s Art Car debuts twice—first at the Centre Pompidou in Paris as an artwork and then at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1977 as a race car.
Carrying the number 50 and driven by Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot, the BMW Art Car in the collection finishes ninth overall and first in its class. Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) is one of the founders of American Pop Art. His early works include Cubism and Expressionism, but he does not explore comics and advertising until the late 1950s. In 1961, he creates his first Pop Art paintings, developing a visual language of large dots and clear contours
Roy Lichtenstein designs the BMW 320 Art Car of the collection to depict motion | photo by Enes Kucevic