BMW M1 art car by Frank Stella headed for Auction

Press Release

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM’S ULTRA RARE “ART CAR” INSPIRED BMW TO BE SOLD AT QUAIL LODGE

1979 M1 Pro Car is the only example to have ever been painted by a factory-authorized artist for a private client.

12 May 2011 – San Francisco – In anticipation of its 14th annual summer sale at Quail Lodge (the longest running auction during the famed Pebble Beach Car Week), Bonhams is delighted to announce that it has been selected to represent the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s singular 1979 BMW M1 Pro Car painted by Frank Stella.

The famed BMW Art Cars series began in 1975 when artist Alexander Calder was commissioned by BMW to paint a car that was to be raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then, the impressive roster of modernist artists employed by the company works has included such illustrious names as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and David Hockney, to name a few.

Included in that exclusive guild of artists was Frank Stella who, in 1979, used his series “Polar Coordinates” as inspiration for the unique, one-off BMW race car offered here. Special ordered by seven-time world champion IMSA racer Peter Gregg, the car was built by BMW Motorsport GmbH to BMW Pro Car Group 4 specifications and painted by Stella as a tribute to the memory of his and Gregg’s mutual friend, the great Formula 1 Grand Prix-winning driver Ronnie Peterson.

This is the only BMW car ever painted by an authorized BMW Art Car artist for a private client and, therefore, is totally unique from the 16 official Art Cars commissioned to date by BMW. In addition to being a rare and beautiful example of popular culture and automotive art, this M1 is also purpose-built for performance and is a true race car.

Given to the prestigious Guggenheim Museum in 1999, the Stella M1 will be offered at Bonhams’ annual sale of exceptional collectors’ motorcars at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California on August 18-19. Proceeds of the sale will support art acquisitions by the Guggenheim Museum.

Owners interested in consigning exceptional automobiles to this anticipated sale – a veritable institution during the most important collector car week in the world – may call 415-391-4000.

For more information on BMW M, contact:

Munich Automobiles Singapore
30 Teban Gardens Crescent Singapore 608927
Showroom: 6899 6996 Service center: 6566 7666
http://www.munichauto.com.sg