Munich/ Paris. The BMW Art Car World Tour, a
celebration of the fusion between art and automotive innovation,
marked the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Car Collection in 2025 with
an extraordinary journey across five continents. Featuring over 45
stops in more than 30 countries, the tour captivated hundreds of
thousands of visitors with its iconic collection of 20 BMW Art Cars,
each a masterpiece created by some of the world’s most renowned
artists. As the curtain falls on a remarkable year, the tour is set to
continue its ambitious trajectory in 2026, beginning with a
spectacular exhibition at Rétromobile in Paris.
The BMW Art Car World Tour: Reflecting on a global cultural
success in 2025
The 2025 leg of the BMW Art Car World
Tour was a resounding success and reached over 2 million
visitors across flagship art fairs, museums, motorsport
events and cultural institutions worldwide. Some of the highlights
included stops at Art
Basel Hong Kong, Art
Dubai, Auto Shanghai, Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Ultrace in
Poland, 24 Hours of Le Mans and Le
Mans Classic, Louwman
Museum in The Hague, Pebble
Beach Concours d’Elegance and The Bridge in the USA, Goodwood
Revival, Contemporary
Istanbul, Zoute
Grand Prix in Belgium, Frieze
London, and ADI
Design Museum in Milan.
Each stop offered a unique opportunity for audiences to engage with
the collection, which features works by renowned artists such as Andy
Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jenny Holzer, and Julie Mehretu. During art
talks and accompanying events, visitors had the opportunity to learn
background information about the ‘rolling sculptures’ on display and
the history of the renowned collection. The Art Cars, ranging from
racing thoroughbreds to rare production vehicles, showcased the
diversity of artistic expression and BMW’s unwavering commitment to
cultural engagement. The initiative, which began in 1975 with
Alexander Calder’s reimagined BMW 3.0 CSL, has grown into a global
phenomenon, uniting art and automotive enthusiasts alike.
Becoming the first BMW in the National Historic Vehicle Register, the
BMW Art Car by Andy Warhol was officially added to the National
Heritage Registry of the United States in 2025, underlining the
collection’s significance not only as a BMW initiative, but as a
lasting contribution to global cultural history.
Opening the next chapter: Rétromobile 2026
The
celebration continues in 2026, with the first stop of the BMW Art Car
World Tour at Rétromobile in Paris. From 28
January to 1 February, Rétromobile at Paris Expo Porte de
Versailles will host a reunion of all seven BMW Art Cars that have
competed at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. This exhibition will
feature iconic models, including the vivid colours of Andy Warhol’s
BMW M1 and the bold statements of Jenny Holzer’s BMW V12 LMR. At the
centre of the exhibition hall, BMW and Rétromobile will present a
display inspired by the concept of a ‘legendary garage’:
- #1 I Alexander Calder, BMW 3.0 CSL (1975)
- #2 I Frank Stella, BMW 3.0 CSL (1976)
- #3 I Roy Lichtenstein, BMW 320i Turbo (1977)
- #4 I Andy Warhol, BMW M1 (1979)
- #15 I Jenny Holzer, BMW V12 LMR (1999)
- #17 I Jeff Koons, BMW M3 GT2 (2010)
- #20 I Julie Mehretu, BMW M Hybrid V8 (2024)
Rétromobile, celebrating its own 50th anniversary, provides the
perfect stage for this historic gathering. Visitors will have the rare
opportunity to witness the intersection of art, motorsport, and
history, as the BMW Art Cars take centre stage in one of the world’s
most prestigious automotive events. The exhibition promises to be a
visual feast, offering deeper insights into the creative processes of
the artists and the cultural significance of the collection.
Rétromobile, often described as ‘the world’s most beautiful temporary
garage’, has been a gathering place for enthusiasts of exceptional
vehicles since 1976. This international event, held in Paris, is the
first show of the season for classic car lovers. For half a century,
the show has attracted those who appreciate cars for their history and
heritage rather than their performance. For its 50th edition, and for
the first time in its history, Rétromobile is honoured to receive the
high patronage of the French Ministry of Culture. This distinction
confirms the major role played by the show in promoting a unique
automotive heritage, a true cultural asset for France, recognised both
nationally and internationally.
Display of Alexander Calder’s BMW Art Car in the centre of
Paris
As part of the anniversary of Rétromobile and the
BMW Art Car Collection, the BMW Art Car #1 by Alexander
Calder is on display free of charge in the courtyard
of the Hôtel de la Marine in Paris from 16 to 26
January. The Hôtel de la Marine, an 18th-century gem located
on Place de la Concorde in Paris, opened to the public in June 2021
after a restoration campaign led by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.
2026 is also a significant anniversary for the artist Alexander
Calder: In 1926, Calder came to Paris and created his iconic Cirque.
To celebrate the centenary of Calder’s arrival in France, the
Fondation Louis Vuitton is holding a major retrospective in his honour
this year. Furthermore, the Whitney Museum in New York has been
devoting the exhibition “High Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100“ to his
legendary work (since October 2025).
“After a year of waiting and preparations, the 50th edition of the
Rétromobile show will open its doors in a few days, on 28 January.
More than ever, we are eager to unveil the exhibition of the seven BMW
Art Cars that participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will be
stopping in France for the first time. In the meantime, fans of the
brand and the show can already admire Alexander Calder’s BMW Art Car /
3.0 CSL in the courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine, Place de la
Concorde, until 26 January,“ says Romain Grabowski,
Director of Rétromobile.
“Celebrating 50 years of the BMW Art Cars collection is above all a
tribute to a visionary audacity that began half a century ago, when
art and motor racing came together for the first time. This
exceptional exhibition at Rétromobile marks a unique moment where
creativity, innovation and heritage meet. The BMW Art Cars embody the
very essence of our brand: a passion for design, performance and
creative freedom. Bringing these rolling works of art together and
sharing them with the public illustrates how art and mobility are
shaping the future together,“ says Vincent Salimon,
CEO BMW Group France.
Practical information
BMW Art Car exhibition at Rétromobile
From 28
January to 1 February 2026
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 1 Pl.
de la Prte de Versailles, 75015 Paris
For access to Rétromobile,
please register here: PRESS ACCREDITATION
Exhibition of Alexander Calder’s BMW Art Car at Hôtel de la
Marine
From 16 to 26 January 2026, 8 am to
midnight
Free admission
Courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine,
2 place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris
Upcoming BMW Art Car World Tour 2026
Next stop
of the BMW Art Car World Tour after Rétromobileinclude a presentation
of Ernst Fuchs‘ and Jeff Koons‘ ‘rolling sculptures’ at RETRO CLASSICS in
Stuttgart (February) as well as displays at Art Basel (Doha & Hong
Kong), Turkey, Romania, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, and Germany.
Furthermore, an exhibition of the BMW Art Cars is planned at the BMW
Welt in Munich in summer 2026.
The BMW Art Car Collection
The BMW Art Car
initiative, born from the vision of French racing driver and art
dealer Hervé Poulain and BMW Head of Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch, has
become a cornerstone of BMW’s cultural engagement. Over the decades,
the collection has grown to include works by Frank Stella, Robert
Rauschenberg, Esther Mahlangu, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, and many
others, each contributing their unique artistic perspective.
BMW’s commitment to culture extends far beyond the BMW Art Car
Collection, encompassing more than a hundred initiatives across
contemporary art, music, film, and design. The company’s dedication to
fostering creativity and innovation continues to resonate globally, as
evidenced by the success of the Art Car World Tour.
The BMW Group’s Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and
deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on
Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.
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