Julie Mehretu Designs BMW’s 20th Art Car for 24 Hours of Le Mans

BMW reveals its 20th Art Car, a vibrant design by Julie Mehretu, applied to the M Hybrid V8 for the Le Mans Hypercar competition.

BMW has unveiled its 20th official art car, featuring a striking new design by contemporary artist Julie Mehretu. This vibrant livery adorns the BMW M Hybrid V8, the automaker’s entry in the Le Mans Hypercar competition. Mehretu’s design, inspired by motorsport and her painting «Everywhen,» currently displayed at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice, incorporates digitally altered photos layered with dot grids, neon-colored veils, and black markings, signature elements of her work. 

«In the studio, when I had the model of the BMW M Hybrid V8, I was just sitting in front of the painting and I thought: What would happen if this car seemed to go through that painting and becomes affected by it? The idea was to make a remix, a mash-up of the painting. I kept seeing that painting kind of dripping into the car. Even the kidneys of the car inhaled the painting,» Mehretu explained. 

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse emphasized the importance of art cars in showcasing the brand’s cultural connections: «For almost 50 years, we have been cooperating with artists who are just as fascinated by mobility and design as they are by technology and motorsports.» He added that Mehretu’s ideas inspired BMW to expand its cultural commitments, particularly to support young artists in Africa. 

Unlike promotional art cars, official BMW Art Cars are rare and created by world-renowned artists as a means of expression. These special cars often debut at significant events, such as Le Mans. Mehretu’s creation will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driven by Sheldon van der Linde, Robin Frijns, and René Rast, and will be presented at Villa d’Este alongside Art Cars by Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer, and Jeff Koons, all of which also debuted at Le Mans.