BMW Art Car World Tour brings Calder’s Le Mans comeback and Louwman Museum showcase

Celebrate 50 years of BMW Art Cars with Calder’s historic Le Mans return and the Fine Art on Wheels exhibition at the Louwman Museum.

Fifty years later, the first BMW Art Car designed by Alexander Calder has returned to the historic Le Mans circuit. This “rolling canvas”, which in 1975 redefined the conversation between art and motorsport, came back to where it all began — as part of the anniversary Le Mans Classic 2025. A specially recreated Artist’s Proof version, initiated by the Calder Foundation and BMW Group Classic, stands as a symbol of continuity and the spirit of optimism that inspired its creators half a century ago.

At the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe, the ceremonial lap was driven by Hervé Poulain — the man whose vision of merging the worlds of contemporary art and racing transformed the cultural status of the automobile — and Alexander SC Rower, Calder’s grandson and the guardian of his legacy. Their drive reminded everyone that a car can be more than just a machine; it can be a true work of art, alive in motion.

Meanwhile, another milestone of the BMW Art Car World Tour is unfolding in the Netherlands. From July 4 to August 31, 2025, the Louwman Museum in The Hague is hosting the special exhibition Fine Art on Wheels. For just two months, eight legendary Art Cars gather under one roof: from Calder and Stella to Lichtenstein, Warhol, Mahlangu, and Koons. These “rolling sculptures” show visitors how bold artistic vision and BMW’s engineering mastery together expanded the very idea of what a car could be.

The tour’s reach is impressive: this summer’s highlights have already included stops in Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Turkey — each adding new layers to the dialogue between artists, collectors, and motorsport enthusiasts. Dedicated showcases in Munich, collaborations with Art Basel, and large-scale street performances featuring the BMW iX5 Hydrogen art fleet all prove one thing: the concept of rolling sculptures has not only stood the test of time but gained new momentum in the 21st century.

Fifty years on, the BMW Art Car remains a vivid testament to how art and technology can inspire each other, opening new horizons where once there was only track.