Film Reveals BMW Art Cars' Untold Stories

A new documentary film reveals the personal and surprising stories behind BMW's famous Art Car collection. Classic Driver's JP Rathgen was given a private tour of all 20 vehicles by Dr Thomas Girst, Head of BMW Cultural Engagement, leading to the creation of 'BMW Art CARS - The Untold Stories'. For more on automotive collections, you can explore our fixtures page.

The film explores the human moments where art and automotive engineering collided over the programme's half-century history. It features anecdotes about celebrated artists including Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Esther Mahlangu.

The Costly Refusal

One story involves Walter Maurer, who oversaw the BMW design studio's paint jobs in the 1970s. In 1979, after finishing his iconic BMW M1 art car, Andy Warhol offered to paint Maurer's personal, brand-new BMW for free. Maurer politely declined the offer. This decision is presented in the documentary as potentially the most costly mistake of his life.

A Complete Collection Assembled

For the first time, all 20 BMW Art Cars have been gathered in one location in Munich. This assembly provided a unique opportunity to view the complete history of the programme. The documentary uses this gathering as a backdrop, featuring historical footage and images supplied by the BMW Group. To see how other teams line up, check our squad data.

Artists and Their Automobiles

The film is described as being as much about cars and personalities as it is about art. It shows artists discovering new ways of seeing the automobile. It also highlights the designers, engineers, and collectors who helped translate artistic visions into reality on four wheels. Dr Thomas Girst is credited as the driving force behind many of the most recent Art Cars.

The Full Roster of Artists

The documentary shares details from the stories behind cars created by a wide range of artists. The source mentions the following names in connection with the Art Car programme:

The film aims to appeal not just to art enthusiasts but also to those who are purely interested in cars. It promises a peek behind the curtains of one of the automotive world's most celebrated cultural projects. The documentary by Classic Driver is now available for viewing.