For over 40 years, BMW has partnered with famous artists to turn race cars into works of art.
The program, officially called BMW's Art Cars, began in 1975 and was spearheaded by Herve Poulain, a 35-year-old French race car driver and auctioneer whose two passions in life were art and racing.
While Poulain was just an amateur racer, he aspired to race in the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is an annual 24 hour race hosted in France each June.
Poulain managed to convince BMW to sponsor him and he also managed to persuade the American artist Alexander Calder to paint the car before the race.
That car was a 3.0 CSL and the artwork was truly a masterpiece.
Poulain raced his colorful #93 BMW race car in the 24 hour race, but the car only lasted seven hours before it retired due to a damaged driveshaft.
After the #93 car was built, 16 other cars designed by various world-class artists came out of the BMW Art Car program.
Check them out.
Alexander Calder's 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL Art Car.
This 3.0 CSL was designed by American artist Frank Stella's and raced at the 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans. The design was supposed to resemble a blueprint.
On Roy Lichetenstein's 1977 320i Group 5 Art Car, the designs are supposed to represent roads, sunlight, and the sky.
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