Cars

BMW Welt’s Art Cars Exhibition Draws Over 120,000 Visitors

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September 5, 2026

The Unprecedented Reunion of BMW Art Cars at BMW Welt

BMW accomplished a historic feat by bringing together all 20 Art Cars for the first time, attracting over 120,000 visitors to witness this rare spectacle. The event took place at BMW Welt in Munich, marking the culmination of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the Art Car World Tour.

The exhibition showcased five decades of BMW vehicles transformed by renowned artists, ranging from Alexander Calder’s 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL to Julie Mehretu’s 2024 BMW M Hybrid V8. Among the featured artists were Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, Esther Mahlangu, Jeff Koons, Cao Fei, and Jenny Holzer.

The diversity of the Art Cars collection added to its allure, with each artist offering a unique interpretation of the vehicles, transforming them into mobile works of art. The Munich exhibition served as the grand finale of a global celebration that saw the Art Car World Tour make stops in over 30 countries across five continents since March 2025.

Following the conclusion of the anniversary exhibition, BMW is not retiring the Art Cars. Instead, digital content covering the history and creation of these iconic vehicles will be available on the BMW Welt app starting September 30.

BMW Art Cars Go Digital with iDrive X

For owners of newer BMW models equipped with iDrive X, the Art Cars experience extends to the Panoramic iDrive as widgets. This innovative feature allows owners to display artwork on the windshield projection, with models like the iX3, i3, and X5/iX5 already offering this functionality.

Artwork from Ken Done’s 1989 M3 Group A, César Manrique’s 1990 730i, A.R. Penck’s 1991 Z1, Esther Mahlangu’s 1991 525i, and David Hockney’s 1995 850 CSi can be selected by owners for display.

While the digital Art Cars enhance the driving experience, the physical Art Cars continue their global journey. Robert Rauschenberg’s Art Car is currently on display at the BMW Museum in Munich, with Julie Mehretu’s M Hybrid V8 set to travel to Cape Town in December.

As enthusiasts speculate about the next Art Car, BMW maintains a sense of mystery around the identity of the #21 car. With the possibility of the first EV receiving the Art Car treatment, the anticipation for what’s to come remains high.