Inbizzy, Munich – Two of the most celebrated pieces from the BMW Art Car Collection will arrive in North America in 2025. Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 and Julie Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 will be showcased at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 17, marking the start of the North American leg of the BMW Art Car World Tour. This milestone year commemorates the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection and BMW’s official business presence in the United States.
The world tour, which has already visited Vienna, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, Marrakech, and Milan, will see the two ‘rolling sculptures’ continue on to the exclusive automotive gathering The Bridge in Bridgehampton, New York, and the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C.
Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 Group 4 (#4, 1979)
In just 28 minutes, Andy Warhol transformed the BMW M1 Group 4 into a vibrant work of art with bold strokes and expressive textures. This unique creation, painted directly onto the car’s body, was compared by BMW Art Car Collection founder Hervé Poulain to a live dance performance. The Warhol Art Car raced only once, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979.
Julie Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 (#20, 2024)
Born in Addis Ababa and based in New York, Julie Mehretu is known for her mixed-media works that explore social and political themes. Her BMW M Hybrid V8 debuted at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in May 2024 before competing at Le Mans a month later. The Pebble Beach display marks the car’s first public showing in North America.
Key U.S. Appearances
- Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (August 17, 2025): Opening showcase of both cars in North America.
- The Bridge (September 13, 2025): Invitation-only automotive event in New York featuring Mehretu’s BMW Art Car alongside a McLaren Artura GT4 designed by Mickalene Thomas. An “Art Talk” will bring together Mehretu, Thomas, entrepreneur Zoë Barry, and BMW’s Global Head of Cultural Engagement, Thomas Girst.
- Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C.: Exclusive presentation of Andy Warhol’s BMW M1, introduced with an opening ceremony at the National Mall.
A Legacy of Art and Motorsport
The BMW Art Car Collection began in 1975 when French racing driver and art dealer Hervé Poulain collaborated with BMW Motorsport’s Jochen Neerpasch and artist Alexander Calder to create the first BMW 3.0 CSL Art Car. Since then, artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Jeff Koons, and Julie Mehretu have contributed to this unique blend of art and engineering.
Each BMW Art Car is entirely unique, with artists granted complete creative freedom. The collection includes everything from pure racing machines to rare sports cars, all transformed into one-of-a-kind works of art.
