BMW is killing two birds with one stone by celebrating 50 years of the 3 Series and Art Cars in a single exhibition. Beginning tomorrow, June 17, visitors to the BMW Museum in Munich will have the special opportunity to see all the M3 Art Cars. It’s the 13th stop on the world tour, which has already spanned five continents and will continue to visit other regions in the coming months.
While BMW has created 20 official Art Cars, only three have been based on the 3 Series. All of these “rolling sculptures” were M3s, beginning with the Group A race car by Michael Jagamara Nelson. Pictured above is the E30, designed by the Australian artist, which debuted as the seventh Art Car in 1989. The livery, applied to a black M3, resembles a large, colorful puzzle and draws inspiration from the Australian landscape.
Ken Done’s M3 Group A followed later that same year and was equally joyful. The eighth official BMW Art Car also drew from Australian influences, but with a more modern twist. One could argue it’s even more cheerful, as the Australian artist took inspiration from nature, ranging from the sun and beaches to parrots and fish.
Fast-forward to 1992, when Sandro Chia worked on the M3 GTR from the E36 era. In fact, it was the Italian artist who approached BMW to request the opportunity to create an Art Car. The result is a vehicle that seems to stare at you from every angle.
In addition to the trio of M3s, BMW Museum visitors can also view a different Art Car. The #10 entry in the long-running series is a 1990 7 Series E32 in 730i guise, created by Spanish artist César Manrique. It’s part of the museum’s permanent collection and remains the only 7 Series to receive the Art Car treatment.
