Southeast Asia Premiere of Jeff Koons’ BMW Art Car in Singapore.

Singapore- The 17th BMW Art Car today makes its Southeast Asian debut in Singapore and will be showcased at the Munich Automobiles Showroom and Service Centre, the world’s first dedicated BMW M dealer. Based on the BMW M3 GT2, the 17th BMW Art Car is created by world renowned pop artist Jeff Koons.

In conjuncture with the display of the BMW Art Car, BMW Asia will be organising a private charity auction with the National University Health System at the showroom on July 13.

Inspired by the Jeff Koons’ BMW Art Car, a unique artwork titled “Velocity” has been created by :phunk - a contemporary art and design collective based in Singapore, and will be the principle auction item along with other collectables and BMW memorabilia. All proceeds collected at the auction will be donated to the NUH Patientcare National Charity Fund to raise funds and provide financial assistance for underprivileged patients.

The Design Process

As part of his creative process, Jeff Koons collected images of race cars, related graphics, vibrant colors, speed and explosions. The resulting artwork of bright colors conceived by Koons is evocative of power, motion and bursting energy. Its silver interior along with the powerful exterior design, the Art Car will impart a dynamic appearance even when it’s standing still.

“These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” said Jeff Koons. “You can participate with it, add to it and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car – it’s really to connect with that power”.

Travelling back and forth to Germany many times since the announcement that Koons would create the 17th BMW Art Car, the artist has worked with the BMW engineering and design teams to conduct in-depth explorations of materials and application options that will prove crucial to optimizing both the aesthetic and aerodynamic attributes of the race car. Working with actual 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) models of the BMW M3 GT2, Koons could simulate the application of the graphic to the car’s surfaces and evaluate it from all angles.

Koons even donned a helmet and joined BMW’s American Le Mans Series race team for testing in Sebring, Florida. Koons was able to experience the BMW M3 GT2 at race speed to further inspire his design. As Koons describes it, he witnessed “the raw unfiltered performance” of the BMW M3 GT2 from the seat of a historic BMW M1 race car. Koons also drove a BMW M3 Coupe on the circuit to further the dynamic exercise.

Under Koons’ direct guidance and supervision, his BMW Art Car was produced in assistance with a team of BMW engineers and designers at Schmid Design, (ORT), Bavaria. The challenge to create the BMW Art Car had to do with using a light material and a design that would not interfere with the racecar's aerodynamics and weight. Timing was also an issue, as there was only a two month window between the first design sketches and the Paris world premiere. This is why digital print on car wrapping vinyl was used covered by a double clear-coating to bring out the color. To apply hundreds of dynamic lines of Koons' design onto the car, CAD designs were translated from 3D into 2D for the printing process and then painstakingly applied to the entire car as well as onto individual spare parts. Koons design incorporates many bright contrasting colors to communicate the aesthetics of power. The concept design was transformed into hard-edged lines of color. Graphics of debris were added to the rear sides and back of the car to simulate the power of the car. Furthermore, two graphic rings on the rear of the car represent supersonic acceleration.

Koons and BMW

The germination of Koons’ collaboration with BMW began in 2003, when he expressed his desire to create a BMW Art Car. His relationship with BMW started more than two decades ago when he drove a BMW while residing in Munich, home to the BMW Group headquarters. Koons is known for his heartfelt appreciation of cars. Earlier this year he was even recognized by music icon Bono of U2 as one of the ideal artists to design a car that would make the world fall in love with automobiles again.

Koons’ creative process for the BMW Art Car mirrors techniques, some borrowed from transportation design and development, which he regularly employs for his artistic production. For example, in the creation of Koons’ monumental sculptures, his studio uses 3-D CAD models to evaluate the surfaces, assembles them via methods found in bike chop shops, and paints them in a manner based on sophisticated automotive painting techniques.

Charity Auction

“Velocity” by :phunk is a digital drawing in high quality print on acrylic sheet and paper, that comprises of a dynamic layout, complex graphics and vivid colours evocative of the high octane colours, speed and explosion graphics of the Jeff Koons’ Art Car.

Public Viewing

The 17th BMW Art Car by Jeff Koons will be on display for public viewing at the Munich Automobiles showroom located at 30 Teban Gardens Crescent, Singapore 608927, between July 11 (3pm to 7pm) and July 12 (10am to 7pm).

Additional information enclosed:

1. Chronological list of BMW Art Cars.
2. The new BMW 6 Series Convertible photo call sheet.

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The BMW M3 GT2

Derived from the BMW M3 high-performance sports car, the BMW M3 GT2 boasts a 4.0-liter V8 engine with a maximum output of 500 bhp, an upgraded chassis, racing-caliber brakes, and extensive use of lightweight materials.  Able to reach 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, the BMW M3 GT2 is rapidly emerging as a real first year contender at this year’s event.

For the Comeback at 24 Le Mans BMW Motorsport is supported by numerous successful partners. This is why the BMW M3 GT2 will be labeled with the logos of Castrol, Crowne Plaza, Dunlop, Randstad, Sympatex, LuK, H&R, BBS and NGK for the race on the “Circuit de la Sarthe”.

BMW Art Cars

Since 1975, artists from throughout the world have turned BMW automobiles into art signifying a particular period through the Art Car program. In 2007, the latest installment was revealed with Olafur Eliasson’s “Your mobile expectations: BMW H2R project.” Many of the cars by the likes of Warhol, Lichtenstein, Stella, Rauschenberg, Hockney and Holzer have been exhibited in renowned museums throughout the world including the Louvre, the Guggenheim Museums, and the Shanghai Art Museum. They have been displayed at the BMW Museum in Munich, between 2006 and 2010 and many went on a world tour throughout Asia, Russia, Africa, India, the United States and Mexico. The Koons car number, “79,” pays tribute to the 1979 Andy Warhol car. The Warhol car was assigned the number “76,” homage to the 1976 Frank Stella car, both of which raced at Le Mans.

The home of all BMW Art Cars is the BMW Museum in Munich. Starting in September, Koons’ 17th BMW Art Car was presented there together with some of its predecessors.

With over 100 major projects worldwide, BMW Group cultural programs have been an integral part of the company’s contributions to society for almost 40 years.  Besides contemporary art, architecture and design, classical music and jazz are key components of this engagement.

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 25 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

During the financial year 2010, the BMW Group sold 1.46 million cars and more than 110,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for 2010 was euro 4.8 billion on revenues amounting to euro 60.5 billion. At 31 December 2010, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 95,500 employees.

About BMW Group Asia

Established in 1985, Singapore is the regional office for BMW Group Asia, which has market responsibility for all importers in the East Asia region, as well as the BMW Group subsidiary in Indonesia.

The Singapore office is also the regional centre for key corporate functions from purchasing to treasury centre and financial services. It is also home to BMW Group DesignworksUSA and the regional office for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The BMW Group presents three brands – BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Issued by:

BMW Asia Pte Ltd

Corporate Affairs Department

Daniel Chan

Tel: +65 6838 9639; Fax: +65 6838 9611

Email: daniel.chan@bmwasia.com

Media Website: www.press.bmwgroup.com