Since the breathtaking BMW M3 GT2 art-car debuted over ten years ago Jeff Koons has been a friend of the brand. Now BMW is taking the concept of the art-car a step further with the 8 X Jeff Koons. Perhaps even more shocking than the car itself is the fact BMW is actually producing it in very limited numbers with sales starting today at 6:01 EST.

OFFICIAL RELEASE: THE 8 X JEFF KOONS

BMW and Jeff Koons debuted today THE 8 X JEFF KOONS, a new chapter in the brand’s long-term relationship with the legendary American artist. The special edition BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe features a completely custom design inside and out personally created by Koons himself and will be exclusively limited to 99 models worldwide. THE 8 X JEFF KOONS makes its digital world premiere today on the occasion of Frieze Los Angeles, the art fair of which BMW is an official partner; Jeff Koons is represented globally, and at Frieze Los Angeles, by Pace Gallery. Following the digital world premiere, THE 8 X JEFF KOONS will be displayed in New York City’s iconic Rockefeller Plaza from April 1-4, and a charity auction at Christie’s New York on April 4, 2022. THE 8 X JEFF KOONS becomes available for pre-order by U.S. customers February 16, 2022 at 6:01 PM EST exclusively through www.bmwusa.com.
 
“My edition of the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe is a dream come true. It is completely unique, very special to me and I’ve wanted to create a special edition BMW for a long time,” said Jeff Koons. “What matters is how we relate to each other and our awareness of everything we are surrounded by. This principle drove my creative vision for THE 8 X JEFF KOONS, and it’s an exciting next chapter of co-creation with BMW.”
 
“Working with Jeff Koons again has inspired us all – throughout headquarters and across our worldwide team,” said Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG. “Never before in the history of our company has a BMW been created with such an extensive design effort as THE 8 X JEFF KOONS. A ‘rolling sculpture’ that will not only be displayed as a coveted collector’s item in museums but will also be allowed to flourish on the road as a genuine BMW.”
 
THE 8 X JEFF KOONS
 
THE 8 X JEFF KOONS represents one of the most extensive custom factory production processes ever undertaken by BMW, and its unique exterior and interior liveries are authentic artistic creations by Jeff Koons himself. The vehicle’s exterior features expressive and striking graphic design, combining eleven different exterior colors. Koons incorporated many shades of blue in particular, resembling the vastness of space, tying into the fact that the BMW 8 Series is a globally available product – a key theme of Koons’ work being without borders.
 
The exploding lines of color at the rear are an homage to the artist’s 2010 BMW Art Car, an E92 M3 GT2 that was raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans; the “POP!” on each side and “vapor thrust” imagery symbolize the vehicle’s power and speed. The multi-colored interior is comprised of high-end materials, fine leather and a cupholder lid with special “THE 8 X JEFF KOONS” badging paired with Koons’ iconic signature. The seats are made up of striking red and blue hues, evoking not only BMW’s high-performance M division but also the world of superheroes and comic books, a key inspiration in the theme of power that Koons brought to life in the special edition’s design.
 
The paint process of THE 8 x JEFF KOONS requires 11 different stages and several hundred hours per vehicle to complete. The exterior livery and interior colorways are completely exclusive to the special edition and were developed by Koons himself and BMW’s design and engineering teams through several collaborative visits to BMW’s world headquarters by the artist over several months. Two cars will be produced per week by specialized teams at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing and BMW Group Plant Landshut, both located in Bavaria, Germany. Each finished vehicle comes with a large-format certificate of authenticity containing its unique vehicle identification number (VIN), personally signed by Jeff Koons and BMW Chairman and CEO Oliver Zipse.
 
THE 8 X JEFF KOONS is exclusively offered as an M850i xDrive Gran Coupe in the U.S. market and is priced at USD $350,000 plus $995 destination and handling.
 
LIVE CHARITY AUCTION
 
THE 8 X JEFF KOONS will make its in-person U.S. debut on New York City’s iconic Rockefeller Plaza from April 1 to April 4, 2022. One vehicle from the limited edition’s 99-unit global production run will be offered in a live auction by world-renowned auction house Christie’s on April 4, 2022. All proceeds from the vehicle’s auction price will be donated to The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC). Jeff Koons has been personally involved with ICMEC for over two decades, helping the nonprofit NGO in its mission to protect children around the world from going missing, and providing resources to governments and other organizations to take the appropriate actions in the event a child does go missing.
 
THE 8 X JEFF KOONS’ GLOBAL JOURNEY
 
Following its world premiere, THE 8 X JEFF KOONS will be presented at numerous art fairs and events in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, including the 16th Istanbul Contemporary, Paris Photo, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Art Dubai, West Bund Art & Design Fair Shanghai and Art Basel Hong Kong.