Instant Alert: These 18 BMW race cars are actual pieces of art

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   These 18 BMW race cars are actual pieces of art by Danielle Muoio on May 31, 2017, 12:13 PM Advertisement BMW's latest art car is the first to incorporate augmented reality. The German automaker has collaborated with famous artists for over 40 years to transform race cars into works of art. The artistry of its latest entry, however, is not immediately apparent to the naked eye. Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei used augmented and virtual reality to transform a BMW M6 GT3 race car into a stunning light show. Viewers can experience the art installation by downloading an iOS app.  Fei also released a short video clip, titled "Unmanned," as part of the overall multimedia experience. The video shows a man in traditional Chinese clothing using VR to create beams of light from his fingertips. Fei, who spent three years working on the project, is the first Chinese artist to create an art car for BMW. Scroll down to see the 17 other art cars that came before Fei's work: Aaron Brown contributed to an earlier version of this post. SEE ALSO: BMW's wild vision for the future includes cars with flat-screen TVs and electric motorcycles — here's a closer look Alexander Calder's 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL Art Car. BMW's Art Cars program began in 1975 and was spearheaded by Herve Poulain, a 35-year-old French race car driver and auctioneer whose two passions in life were art and racing. While Poulain was just an amateur racer, he aspired to race in the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is an annual 24 hour race hosted in France each June. He managed to convince BMW to sponsor him and to persuade the American artist Alexander Calder to paint the car before the race, pictured above. Several world-class artists have contributed to the BMW Art Car program since Calder created his masterpiece.   This 3.0 CSL was designed by American artist Frank Stella's and raced at the 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans. The design was supposed to resemble a blueprint. On Roy Lichetenstein's 1977 320i Group 5 Art Car, the designs are supposed to represent roads, sunlight, and the sky. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network:    Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011