BMW is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Roy Lichtenstein, the man behind one of its most legendary art cars, with a capsule clothing collection
December 18, 2023 at 07:22
To celebrate what would have been legendary pop artist, Roy Lichtenstein’s 100th birthday, BMW and Puma have come together to create a clothing collection inspired by the art car he painted in 1977.
Featuring Lichtenstein’s trademark “Ben Day dots” that were inspired by comic books of the ’60s, as well as the bold white, yellow, green, red, and blue coloring that was present on the BMW 320i Turbo art car he painted, the collection’s links to the vehicle are clear.
One of the true legends of the BMW art car collection, it featured a 2.0-liter turbocharge inline-four that made 300 hp (224 kW/304 PS), was capable of reaching 160 mph (257 km/h). It also had over-the-top box fenders, and a massive wing to ready it for competition in Group 5 racing.
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Not just a showpiece, the 320i Turbo competed in the 1977 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, eventually finishing first in its class at the race. A legend in its own time, Lichtenstein said he put a lot of thought and effort into the car’s design.
“I wanted to use painted lines as a road, pointing the way for the car,” said Lichtenstein at the time. “The design also shows the scenery as it passes by. Even the sky and sunlight are to be seen … you could list all the things a car experiences – the only difference is that this car mirrors all these things even before it takes to the road.”
Sadly, the artist passed away in 1997, but to celebrate his contributions to the BMW art car collection, his design is being reimagined for the fashion world by Puma. The BMW Art Car Capsule Collection features five items.
They are the BMW M Motorsport RL Bomber Jacket, Sweatpants, t-shirt, cap, and sneakers. The items range in price from €50 for the cap to €200 for the bomber jacket. The limited edition collection are currently available on BMW’s online shop, as well as at select Puma stores.