BMW Marks 50 Years of Iconic Art Car Collection with Global Exhibition Tour
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BMW's iconic Art Car collection is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, launching a global exhibition tour highlighting the unique convergence of automotive engineering and contemporary art.
Since its inception in 1975, when American sculptor Alexander Calder turned a BMW 3.0 CSL race car into a vivid, rolling canvas, BMW's Art Car initiative has drawn some of the art world's most influential figures, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons, and Jenny Holzer. To date, 20 renowned artists have transformed BMW vehicles into dynamic artworks, making the series one of the automotive world's most ambitious and celebrated cultural endeavors.
To mark half a century of collaboration, BMW announced its largest-ever international tour for the Art Car series, featuring special events and exhibitions spanning five continents. The collection represents an extraordinary timeline of art history, encompassing minimalism, pop art, conceptualism, abstraction, and digital expression.
'Our 20 BMW Art Cars have become global icons, narrating stories about society, technology, and performance," said Ilka Horstmeier, BMW Group Board Member for Human Resources and Real Estate. "This anniversary highlights our enduring commitment to fostering innovation and creativity through meaningful artistic partnerships.'
Julie Mehretu's recent work, the BMW M Hybrid V8—the 20th Art Car—will make prominent appearances, including exhibitions at Art Basel in Hong Kong and the Shanghai Auto Show. Beyond the car itself, Mehretu's project includes workshops for young filmmakers and media artists in five African countries, culminating in an exhibition at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town in 2026.
Other milestone events include a European kickoff featuring Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Koons at Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts and SPARK Art Fair, followed by appearances at prestigious events such as the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy and special museum exhibitions across Europe and Asia.
To commemorate the anniversary, BMW will release a third edition of its comprehensive Art Car catalogue, a new limited-edition scale model of Mehretu's car, and a new fashion collection in partnership with Puma.
The BMW Art Car project, first envisioned by racing driver Hervé Poulain and BMW Motorsport chief Jochen Neerpasch, has evolved into a globally recognized fusion of automotive and contemporary art, continuously inspiring new dialogues between artists and automotive enthusiasts alike.
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