As part of the international BMW Art Car World Tour, the BMW Museum is celebrating not only the 50th anniversary of the legendary BMW Art Car Collection, but also the BMW 3 Series, which is very important for the brand, with a special exhibition.
The exhibition will open its doors to visitors from June 17 - directly after the 24 Hours of Le Mans race weekend, where the first BMW Art Car by Alexander Calder made its glittering debut in 1975. Until February 1, 2026, the BMW Museum is presenting three 3 Series Art Cars: the BMW M3 GTR by Sandro Chia, the BMW M3 (Group A) by Michael Jagamara Nelson and the BMW M3 (Group A) by Ken Done.
The exhibition at the BMW Museum - the home of the BMW Art Cars when they are not on the road worldwide - is part of the current BMW Art Car World Tour, the largest exhibition project in the 50-year history of the collection. The tour has already visited 12 markets on five continents and will show the legendary BMW Art Cars on numerous art and automobile platforms and in institutions around the globe in the coming year. As part of the special exhibition, the BMW Museum in Munich not only offers insights into the artistic brilliance and history of the BMW Art Car Collection, but also shows visitors the technical excellence of the 3 Series and the innovative power of the BMW brand.
50 years of driving pleasure: The BMW 3 Series
Since its launch in 1975, the BMW 3 Series has been a symbol of driving pleasure and a cornerstone of BMW's success. Over five decades, it has redefined the sports sedan, set the benchmark for performance and thrilled millions of drivers worldwide. From the ground-breaking first generation to the innovative models of today, the 3 Series remains a style-defining force in the automotive industry.
50 years of "rolling sculptures": The BMW Art Car Collection
Since 1975, renowned artists from all over the world have been designing BMW Art Cars. The initiative came from the French racing driver and art lover Hervé Poulain, who, together with the then BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, asked his artist friend Alexander Calder to paint an automobile. The result was a BMW 3.0 CSL, which competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1975 and became a crowd favorite.
This was the birth of the BMW Art Car Collection. In the years that followed, renowned artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer and Ólafur Elíasson enriched the collection with further BMW Art Cars, each in their own individual style. Most recently, the Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei and the American John Baldessari presented a BMW Art Car based on the BMW M6 GT3 and the BMW M6 GTLM in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Jeff Koons, John Baldessari, Cao Fei and Julie Mehretu added dynamic race cars to the line-up over the past 15 years.
BMW M3 Group A by Ken Done (1989)
Australian-born artist Ken Done created a vibrant and colorful design that captures the energy and dynamism of racing. His work is a tribute to the speed and power of the BMW M3.
BMW M3 Group A by Michael Jagamara Nelson (1989)
The artist Michael Jagamara Nelson, also from Australia, brought the traditions of Aboriginal art to the body of the BMW M3. With his complex, dotted patterns, he tells stories from the Dreamtime that are deeply rooted in the culture of his people. According to Michael Jagamara Nelson, a car is a landscape as you would see it from an airplane. So he has depicted water and a kangaroo as well as a possum.
BMW M3 GTR by Sandro Chia (1992)
Italian artist Sandro Chia transformed the BMW M3 GTR into a driving painting depicting human figures and emotions in vibrant colors. His work symbolizes the connection between man and machine and invites reflection on the role of the car in modern society.
The 10th BMW Art Car, a BMW 730i designed by Spanish artist César Manrique in 1990, is also on display in the permanent exhibition at the BMW Museum.
