BMW.SG | BMW Singapore Owners Community The Ultimate BMW Community – Established Since 2001
The BMW 3 Series, a model that has defined sporting saloons since 1975, now shares the spotlight with another half-century icon: the BMW Art Car Collection. From 17 June, the BMW Museum in Munich opens a special display uniting both anniversaries, allowing visitors to trace five decades of engineering verve and artistic ingenuity under one roof. For the 3 Series, it is a celebration of the road; for the “rolling sculptures”, it is a salute to creative minds that have turned racing machines into canvases.
The exhibition forms the Munich leg of the BMW Art Car World Tour, the most ambitious schedule the collection has undertaken in its 50-year history. After appearances in a dozen markets across five continents, three Art Cars based on the 3 Series take centre stage at the brand’s home museum: Sandro Chia’s vivid BMW M3 GTR alongside Group A BMW M3s painted by Michael Jagamara Nelson and Ken Done. Nearby, César Manrique’s colourful BMW 730i stands guard from the permanent displays, linking road-car luxury to track-bred spectacle.
Visitors will see how Hervé Poulain’s original idea of asking artist Alexander Calder to paint a BMW 3.0 CSL for Le Mans in 1975 blossomed into a lineage that now counts works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Esther Mahlangu and Julie Mehretu. Each creation carries the signature of its maker while preserving the unmistakable stance of a BMW competition car, reflecting the company’s belief that speed, design and culture can move forward together.
In parallel, the museum charts the 3 Series journey from the lithe E21 through successive generations that introduced turbocharging, lightweight construction and digital driver aids. Engines, body shells and period advertising pieces illustrate how the model has balanced performance, efficiency and everyday usability, earning a place in hearts and on driveways worldwide.
Running until 1 February 2026, the twin anniversary showcase offers more than a retrospective; it underlines BMW’s knack for blending art, technology and motorsport to shape future mobility. Whether you come for the race-painted masterpieces or the evolution of the 3 Series lineage, the halls of Munich promise a vibrant reminder that creativity and engineering flourish side by side when wheels meet imagination.
