BMW celebrates half a century of its pioneering Art Car project with exhibitions and more

We present a portfolio of the artists who have contributed to 50 years of BMW Art Cars, including Andy Warhol, John Baldessari, Jenny Holzer and David Hockney

The BMW Art Cars in front of BMW Tower in Munich
The BMW Art Cars in front of BMW Tower in Munich
(Image credit: BMW)

It’s half a century since BMW pioneered the intersection between automotive design and fine art. The very first BMW Art Car was unveiled in 1975, the work of American sculptor Alexander Calder. The idea came from French auctioneer and racing driver Hervé Poulai, who convinced Jochen Neerpasch, the founder and head of BMW Motorsport, to let Calder create the livery of the BMW 3.0 CSL he was entering into that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite not finishing, Poulain’s idea set the stage for more collaborations, buoyed by a positive public reception.

The BMW Art Cars at BMW's Munich HQ

The BMW Art Cars at BMW's Munich HQ

(Image credit: BMW)

The scheme was driven by a collaboration with Leo Castelli, the pioneering New York art gallerist and dealer. Castelli’s contacts brought Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol into the project to create new liveries for Poulain’s subsequent drives at Le Mans. Then in the early 1980s, the Art Car programme opened up and invited artists to work on standard product models, before returning to a racing focus in 1999. Since then, the BMW Art Car has been a dynamic expression of the company’s commitment to the arts in all its forms, ‘a perfect playground for art and design, technology and innovation, motorsport and engineering’.

Seven of the twenty BMW Art Cars created over the last 50 years

Seven of the 20 BMW Art Cars created over the last 50 years

(Image credit: BMW)

To celebrate the scope and scale of this ongoing corporate commitment, BMW has released archive imagery of the works in progress, as well as announced a worldwide celebratory programme of exhibitions and displays. The BMW Art Car World Tour will roll through 2025 and 2026, taking select cars to auto shows and fairs, including Art Basel Hong Kong, the Shanghai Auto Show, Art Basel and Contemporary Istanbul. There will also be a major display at the Louwman Museum in The Hague throughout July and August 2025, featuring eight of the 20 cars.

The BMW Art Cars and their creators

Alexander Calder and the BMW Art Car #1, BMW 3.0 CSL, 1975

‘Hervé, win! But drive carefully!’

Alexander Calder and the BMW Art Car #1, BMW 3.0 CSL, 1975

(Image credit: BMW)

Frank Stella with BMW Art Car #2, BMW 3.0 CSL, 1976

Frank Stella, BMW Art Car #2, BMW 3.0 CSL, 1976

(Image credit: BMW)

Roy Lichtenstein signs BMW Art Car #3, BMW 320 Group 5, 1977

Roy Lichtenstein, BMW Art Car #3, BMW 320 Group 5, 1977

(Image credit: BMW)

Andy Warhol paints BMW Art Car #4, BMW M1 Group 4, 1979

‘I love that car. It has turned out better than the artwork.’

Andy Warhol, BMW Art Car #4, BMW M1 Group 4, 1979

(Image credit: BMW)

Ernst Fuchs paints BMW Art Car #5, BMW 635 CSi, 1982

Ernst Fuchs, BMW Art Car #5, BMW 635 CSi, 1982

(Image credit: BMW)

Robert Rauschenberg working on BMW Art Car #6, 1986

‘I think mobile museums would be a good idea. This car is the fulfilment of my dream. I would like to do ten more.’

Robert Rauschenberg, BMW Art Car #6, 1986

(Image credit: BMW)

Michael Jagamara Nelson painting BMW Art Car #7, BMW M3 Group A, 1989

Michael Jagamara Nelson, BMW Art Car #7, BMW M3 Group A, 1989

(Image credit: BMW)

Ken Done painting BMW Art Car #8, BMW M3 Group A, 1989

Ken Done, BMW Art Car #8, BMW M3 Group A, 1989

(Image credit: BMW)

Matazo Kayama and BMW Art Car #9, BMW 535i, 1990

Matazo Kayama, BMW Art Car #9, BMW 535i, 1990

(Image credit: BMW)

César Manrique signing BMW Art Car #10, BMW 730i, 1990

César Manrique, BMW Art Car #10, BMW 730i, 1990

(Image credit: BMW)

A.R. Penck paints BMW Art Car #11, BMW Z1, 1991

AR Penck, BMW Art Car #11, BMW Z1, 1991

(Image credit: BMW)

Esther Mahlangu signing BMW Art Car #12, BMW 525i, 1991

(Image credit: BMW)

Sandro Chia paints BMW Art Car #13, BMW M3 GTR, 1992

Sandro Chia, BMW Art Car #13, BMW M3 GTR, 1992

(Image credit: BMW)

David Hockney painting BMW Art Car #14, BMW 850 CSi, 1995, dachsunds at his side

David Hockney, BMW Art Car #14, BMW 850 CSi, 1995

(Image credit: BMW)

Jenny Holzer signing BMW Art Car #15, BMW V12 LMR, 1999

‘I also thought it would be nice if women could participate other than standing around in bikinis.’

Jenny Holzer, BMW Art Car #15, BMW V12 LMR, 1999

(Image credit: BMW)

Olafur Eliasson working on BMW Art Car #16, BMW H₂R, 2007

(Image credit: BMW)

Jeff Koons, BMW Art Car #17, BMW M3 GT2, 2010

‘These race cars are like life, they are bursting with power and have enormous energy. My ideas are meant to merge with this power – it's all about fully embracing it.’

Jeff Koons, BMW Art Car #17, BMW M3 GT2, 2010

(Image credit: BMW)

Cao Fei, BMW Art Car #18, BMW M6 GT3, 2016

‘The car should not only race in a physical way but also in the heart.’

Cao Fei, BMW Art Car #18, BMW M6 GT3, 2016

(Image credit: BMW)

John Baldessari painting BMW Art Car #19, BMW M6 GTLM, 2016

‘So you can say, the BMW Art Car is definitely a typical Baldessari and the fastest artwork I ever created!’

John Baldessari, BMW Art Car #19, BMW M6 GTLM, 2016

(Image credit: BMW)

Julie Mehretu and her BMW Art Car #20, BMW M Hybrid V8, 2024

‘The whole BMW Art Car project is about invention, about imagination, about pushing limits of what can be possible.’

Julie Mehretu, BMW Art Car #20, BMW M Hybrid V8, 2024

(Image credit: BMW)

The BMW Art Car Collection

A selection from the BMW Art Car Collection

(Image credit: BMW)

Further information on the BMW Art Car Collection can be found at BMW.com

Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.