24h Le Mans
In 1979, a BMW M1 sporting a livery designed by Andy Warhol took the start in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A Pop Art masterpiece was applied directly to the bodywork, inspiring an impressive performance and remarkable result in the race. Consequently, this Art Car has become one of the most famous and valuable racing cars in motorsport history.
Entered in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans by Hervé Poulain, the BMW M1 decorated by Andy Warhol embodied speed, performance and art. After finishing sixth overall, the car emerged as the quintessential Art Car of the BMW era.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1928, Warhol trained in advertising graphic design before revolutionising contemporary art at The Factory, his studio in New York City. He transformed everyday objects and popular icons into works of art. In 1979, BMW entrusted its fourth Art Car to Warhol. Like his predecessors, he received no payment, but unlike the other artists, he refused to settle for a scale model, painting the car himself directly onto the bodywork.
Andy Warhol: I have tried to show speed as a visual image. When an automobile is really traveling fast, all the lines and colors are transformed into a blur. In just 28 minutes, he applied nearly 6 kg of paint, transforming the BMW M1 into a vibrant and destinctive canvas.
The #76 BMW M1 fielded in the IMSA category was shared by Hervé Poulain, Marcel Mignot and Manfred Winkelhock. After qualifying 23rd, the car proved its potential during the race, reaching the chequered flag in sixth place overall and securing one of the top results for any BMW Art Car ever at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Hervé Poulain: I was expecting a livery based on Marilyn Monroe and cans of soup. Instead, Andy Warhol was most interested in the mixing of the colours. He wondered which colour would prevail over another at 300 kph.
An extraordinary work of art, an authentic racing car and a Pop Art emblem: the Andy Warhol BMW M1 transcended the status of mere machine to claim definitively its role in the legacy of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
