BMW has a long history of calling on famous and popular artists to customize their cars, often race cars. This time, the company has collaborated with American artist Jeff Koons, who created a special livery not for a race car, but for a limited run of production BMW 8 Series Gran Coupes called The 8 X Jeff Koons.
According to BMW and Koons, the blue represents the “vastness of space” and how the 8 Series is a “globally available product.” The dashed lines reference a 2010 E92 M3 GT2 Art Car also done by Koons, the comic-style stickers on the sides “symbolize the vehicle’s power and speed.” The stickers also tie in nicely with the vivid red and blue leather interior that’s apparently inspired by superheroes. Whether Koons is a Spider-Man or Superman fan was not specified by BMW. BMW did note that it takes 11 stages to finish the paint for the car, and it will only be finishing two cars a week.
Only 99 examples of the Koons 8 Series will be offered worldwide. In the U.S. it will only be available in M850i xDrive configuration for a price of $350,995, more than three times the price of a base M850i xDrive. One example that will be on display April 1-4 at Rockefeller Plaza will be auctioned by Christie’s. It will undoubtedly go for more money, but all proceeds will go to the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children.
Related video:
Keyword: BMW and Jeff Koons create a limited edition 8 Series art car