Masterpieces or misfires: the curious circus of BMW Art Cars

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Cars and art make a tricky duo. There is no denying that some cars may be seen as masterpieces, just as there is no doubt that some people value them as highly as a painting or sculpture worthy of a museum. Very well. But this is not the kind of car this short piece is about. This is about the peculiar circus of vehicles that BMW has been parading from show to museum and from exhibition to gallery since the 1970s under the banner of BMW Art Cars.

The BMW Art Car was dreamed up by Hervé Poulain, a racing enthusiast, art aficionado and later auctioneer, who thought it would be fun to let a contemporary artist come up with the livery for a racing car to combine art and speed. Oh, it was his BMW racing car, entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to be more precise. That was in 1975, and a few more wildly liveried BMWs followed in the years that followed. The manufacturer seizes a PR opportunity when it sees one.

Poulain later moved on to Porsches and Venturis — BMW carried on inviting artists to go wild with paints and brushes on a brand-new model every year or so. That eventually led to standard road cars being used instead. “Cars that were never actually used and thus missed their intended goal,” or so a somewhat bitter Poulain is believed to have said: “An Art Car that just stands still is therefore not an Art Car to me; you might just as well hang up a painting.” BMW returned to racers more recently, adding some arguably cringeworthy examples to the Art Car movement in the last few years. For example… no, let’s not go there. This is all a matter of opinion, as you must have noticed.

Want to see the BMW Art Cars for yourself? Then it is good to know that they will be shown at Rétromobile in Paris from 28 January to 1 February.

Words: Jeroen Booij
Picture: Rétromobile / BMW

Details:

• Event: Salon Rétromobile
• Dates: 28 January - 1 February 2026
• Location: Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris
• Tickets: Click here>>

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