BMW showcases David Hockney’s Art Car at Frieze London

BMW joins Frieze London 2025 with David Hockney’s BMW Art Car 850CSi, celebrating 50 years of the Art Car collection and artistic collaboration.

BMW is once again bridging the worlds of art and technology as the official partner of Frieze London 2025. This year’s focus is on the 14th model of the legendary BMW Art Car collection — a vividly designed BMW 850CSi by British artist David Hockney. From October 14 to November 3, the car will be on display in the lobby of The Peninsula London, marking a key stop on the global tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Art Car project.

BMW’s partnership with Frieze, which has endured for over two decades, underscores the brand’s long-term dedication to cultural engagement. Alongside the exhibition, the “Peninsula Classic Car Afternoon Tea” will offer visitors a deeper look into Hockney’s creative process, with BMW representatives presenting insights on October 14 and 15. The event coincides with RM Sotheby’s Classic Car auction, held in collaboration with the Royal Automobile Club, featuring a curated selection of historic and contemporary collector vehicles.

Hockney, one of Britain’s most influential postwar artists, transformed his BMW into a living canvas by literally turning it inside out. The car’s exterior reveals an outline of the driver and the artist’s beloved dachshund, while the bonnet depicts the engine beneath. Sweeping green strokes symbolize motion and the surrounding landscape. Like other models in the Art Car series, Hockney’s 850CSi has never been driven — it exists purely as a work of art.

The BMW Art Car World Tour brings together twenty iconic “rolling sculptures” created by artists ranging from Alexander Calder and Andy Warhol to Julie Mehretu. In 2025, the collection will appear at major global events including Art Basel Hong Kong, the Zoute Grand Prix in Belgium, and Contemporary Istanbul. The tour not only highlights BMW’s extensive cultural involvement but also continues to explore the evolving dialogue between art, movement, and design that began in 1975.