APRIL 2019 41body-coloured boss, aluminium horn ring
and wire spoke design.
Part of the appeal of the Z8 for me
is that it looks like no other BMW in the
range. The model started life as a styling
exercise, intended to pay homage to
the wonderful 507 model from the late
1950s, but is obviously moved on a good
deal after that before morphing into the
production Z8. Viewed from the side, the
car has a classic, sleek roadster look, with
pointed front and rear ends and a cabin
set pleasingly behind the long bonnet.
My only niggle with the Z8 is the hood
which, like all hoods, isn’t a great thing to
look at. It’s inevitably angular compared to
the smooth perfection of the rest of the
car, but that’s fabric hoods for you. The
car certainly looks its best with the hood
down, or with the much more streamlined
hardtop fitted.
FANTASY PICK
One of my dreams has always been to
own a proper racing car; not because I
have a burning ambition to get out on
the track and compete, but because I just
love everything about them. I’m fascinated
by the way they are honed to perfection,
and are built with one objective in mind
- to go as fast as possible. There’s no
compromise involved. Everything that’s
included is there for a purpose, and I really
like that single-minded, pure approach to
vehicle design.
I’d want any racing car I owned to be
regarded as a work of art, so it would need
to be displayed as such. It wouldn’t be
tucked away in a draughty garage under
a cover, but would be in a beautifully lit,
perfectly decorated and properly heated
room of its own, that would be part of my
house. There’s something about putting
cars inside which makes them look
instantly better and more desirable, which
is why manufacturers like BMW spend so
much on the design of their showrooms.
Of course, with BMW, we’re lucky that
the art theme has already been very
successfully explored. Since the BMW Art
Car project started in 1975, a succession
of famous artists have been invited to
use various racing models as their canvas,
many of which went on to compete in
those liveries. So, arguably, these famous
models really do transcend the divide
between motor car and art, so this is why
I’d have one in my collection.
The car I’ve opted for is the 1977 Group
5 320i, painted by American pop-artist,
Roy Lichtenstein. I’ve always been a fan
of the E21’s clean lines, and you can stilljust about tell what it is under the array
of brawny air scoops, spoilers and flared
wheel arches. I just love the craggy muscle
that this car oozes; there’s no doubt about
what it’s intended to do, is there? I think
that Lichtenstein’s graphic interpretations
suit the car well, although his explanations
for what he was attempting to achieve
with the work are typically ‘flowery’.
“I wanted the lines I painted to be a
depiction the road showing the car where
to go,” he explained. “The design also
shows the countryside through which
the car has travelled. One could call
it an enumeration of everything a car
experiences – only that this car reflects
all of these things before actually having
been on a road.” Well, I’ll leave you to
make your own minds up about that
interpretation...
This car was displayed at the Pompidou
Centre in Paris, and also took part in Le
Mans 24 Hours race, in 1977. Driven by
Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot (both
French), it finished a very creditable ninth
overall, and won its class. The car was only
four laps behind the Luigi Racing 3.0 CSL,
in eighth, and a thumping 75 laps ahead
of its nearest rival in the 2.0-litre class. To
own – and spend time simply admiring –
such a car would be a privilege. lI’m fascinated by the way they are
honed to perfection, and are built
with one objective in mind
The Z8’s interior is
equally striking; I’d
never get tired of its
quirky layout.The 1977 Group 5 320i Roy
Lichtenstein Art Car; a visual
treat, in all respects.There isn’t a more uniquely-styled BMW
than the wonderful Z8; with film-star looks
and the performance to back it up.