You know that cars and great artists are a pairing we love, thankfully we are not the only ones. Since 1975, BMWs have been featured in the ART CAR project, which sees great personalities from the art world unleash their creativity on the bodies of the German cars. One who has had the pleasure of being called by the BMW automaker twice is the mastermind Jeff Koons.We are talking about a contemporary U.S. artist, sculptor and painter who does not need to be introduced; he and his large-scale sculptures have passed in front of our eyes at least once in a lifetime, and many people have fallen in love with the Balloon Dog. There is no point in lying to us, we like Jeff Koons and his friendly face along with his kitschy works make us children again.
The first model that, in June 2003, Koons turned into a work of art is the M3 GT2. The 17th Art Car, on display at the Pompidou Center in Paris, bears the number “79,” in honor of the BMW that Andy Warhol signed in 1979, which in turn bore the number “76,” to commemorate the car Frank Stella made in 1976. Both BMWs competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an event that even Koons' 17th Art Car did not miss.Derived from the BMW M3, the GT2 has a 500-hp 4.0-liter V8 engine under the hood, reaches 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, and was designed and then built with lightweight materials. Jeff Koons collaborated with BMW engineers and designers to create a car that would be, yes, a work of art, but also a fearsome opponent on the track at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Through 3D models, the artist was able to experiment with his graphics on the car's surfaces.So let's talk about this graphic.The 17th Art Car is a work that, thanks to its bright and contrasting colors, highly accentuated color lines and added debris graphics on the car's side and rear parts, unleashes power, movement and energy, so much so that it seems to speed past our eyes even when stationary. It is a work that responds to Koons' statement that “race cars are like life: powerful and full of energy.”
The second model that Koons had the pleasure to design, and we of admiring, is the BMW 8 Series. The exclusive edition, THE 8 X JEFF KOONS, consisting of only 99 examples of the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, has the most elaborate design in BMW's entire history and was first unveiled to a global audience at Frieze Los Angeles in 2022.We previously reported on it hereKoons' words nicely tell why he chose to work on this model and why he affixed this graphic to it, “My edition of the BMW 8 Series is my dream car! It is truly unique and I have wanted to create a special edition BMW for a long time. It is sporty and flashy, but also minimalist and conceptual. I can't wait to get in it and drive it, and I hope people enjoy riding in the Gran Coupe as much as I do. On the car, the lines grow larger and larger as they travel from the hood to the trunk, creating a sense of forward motion, much like the design elements that are reminiscent of steam jets and 'POP!' The blue color is a reminder of the largeness of space, and I love the idea of the car being a global car. What matters is how we relate to the consciousness of the whole around us. For the driver and all passengers, the sense of pleasure is elevated. This is what my car has to offer.”The references to Roy Lichtenstein and other Pop art artists are crystal clear; the lucky holders of the 99 BMW 8 Series customized by Koons have the pleasure of driving on real works of art, but not just because of the bodywork. The performance of this car is stunning: 390 kW and 530 hp V8 cylinder gasoline engine, 8-speed sport transmission, glitter and flying carpets.
