New BMW Z4 Captures the Art of Driving - Literally

For many the art of driving would normally involve a physics lesson, the reaction times of Michael Schumacher and a lot of practice. For Robin Rhode, the South African urban artist, the art of driving has meant becoming the first person to use a high performance premium sports car as a paintbrush.
For his piece “Expressions of Joy” Rhode used the new BMW Z4 Roadster, the latest sports model to be revealed by the world’s leading premium automotive manufacturer, to paint a massive 100 by 200-foot canvas. To the naked eye the swirls of bold splattered tyre marks look spontaneous, but in reality Rhode and his team painstakingly created the artwork in a Los Angeles studio, where they were joined by director Jake Scott (son of Ridley Scott) to shoot the latest TV ad campaign for the launch of the new Z4 Roadster.
The brief was to present the next generation of the BMW Z4 in a totally unusual location, in a manner that blended innovation and artistic vision. “This work is an expression of painting in action – my hope is to communicate the power and thrill inherent in the creation of art. For me, the use of an unconventional paintbrush like a high performance car is a great way to investigate the relationship between emotion, technology and industrial creativity,” said Rhode.
“Expressions of Joy” also pays homage to another BMW artist. "One source of inspiration was the seminal work of Gerhard Richter´s series of paintings 'Red, Yellow, Blue' made in 1973 for the company headquarters in Munich, Germany," Rhode explained.
The art work is the main theme for the marketing campaign supporting the launch of the new BMW Z4 Roadster, which engages a full range of channels including print and television advertising, guerilla marketing, point of sale packs, window stickers, flags, event invitations and even lifestyle merchandising. The highly unique concept is sure to help the new BMW Z4 to stand out from the crowd.

BMW is of course no stranger to the fine arts scene. For the past 32 years it has commissioned many of the world’s foremost artists to transform its production models to collection pieces for its BMW Art Car Series. But instead of being the canvas, this is the first time a BMW car has become the paintbrush.
James Crichton, Director of Sales and Marketing, BMW Group Middle East said: “This piece of art is a modern interpretation of the sheer driving pleasure that a BMW Z4 delivers. Characteristic design features on this model such as the low-slung front end, long wheelbase and gill intakes, combined with its fantastic performance on the road, means that the Z4 driving experience can be truly compared to an expression of joy. We believe the Z4 will outperform its predecessor model in the Middle East and look forward to its arrival.”
The new BMW Z4 was recently unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show and will arrive in the Middle East in April 2009. It has met with rave reviews across the globe with many critics hailing it as a work of art as well as a triumph of engineering. Featuring a new 6-cylinder engine, double-clutch gearbox and BMW M suspension with two damper settings, the new Z4 delivers a sportier yet harmoniously tuned driving experience. In fact it was the Roadster’s combination of innovation and elegant design that served as the rationale for Rhode’s masterpiece.