Fast Art: Jeff Koons’ BMW M3 GT2 Art Car Revealed

We’ve seen previews of BMW’s latest Art Car, but we hadn’t seen the finished product -- a M3 GT2 racer decorated by artist Jeff Koons -- until its official unveiling in Paris this morning.

With its 17th Art Car, BMW is returning to its roots, and actually racing the Koons-styled GT2 in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first Art Car -- a 1975 3.0 CSL -- was the brainchild of driver Hervè Poulain, who commissioned artist Alexander Calder to dress up the exterior. Poulain ultimately raced the car at Le Mans that year, while two other Art Cars -- a 1976 3.0 CSL decorated by Frank Stella, and a 1979 M1 Procar painted by Andy Warhol -- also competed in the endurance race.

Unlike those early Art Cars, Koons’ product isn’t actually painted. Thanks to both a tight timeframe and the weight-conscious mindset of BMW’s racing directors, Koons applied his radical pattern to the M3 GT2 with a vinyl wrap. Better yet, the vinyl wrap process allows Koons’ design to be applied to a number of spare parts -- important, should the M3 suffer a collision during the Le Mans event.

Before crafting his design, Koons was given the chance to witness the M3 GT2 in action for inspiration. According to the artist, he was reportedly inspired by the “raw, unfiltered performance” of the GT2, and decided to give the M3 a design that gives the impression of motion even when at a standstill.

“These race cars are like life; they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” Koons said. “You can participate with it, add to it, and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car -- it’s really to connect with that power.”

Koons’ M3 GT2 was unveiled earlier today at Paris’ Centre Pompidou, the same venue Roy Lichtenstein used to unveil his 320i Art Car back in 1977. The car will be on public display today, before the car heads to Circuit de la Sarthe for the 24 Hours on June 12 and 13.

Source: BMW

Turbo Time: IndyCar Unveils 2012 Engine Regulations, Calls for Turbochargers

Looking for some technical diversity in the Izod IndyCar series? Wait until the 2012 season. Officials announced new engine rules that not only focus on improving fuel economy, but may also allow an array of manufacturers to become involved with the series.

Presently, power in each and every IndyCar racer comes courtesy of a 3.5-liter V-8 developed and manufactured by Honda. Come 2012, cars will use engines sourced from several different companies, although they must conform to some basic specifications. At this point, the preliminary spec sheet calls for an engine that is turbocharged, capable of running on ethanol, has a maximum displacement of 2.4 liters, and no more than six cylinders.

In racing, those regulations are anything but stringent. IndyCar’s idea was to inspire companies to develop various engine designs to aim for the perfect balance of fuel economy and power. Fuel economy will be a critical factory, as IndyCar plans on ultimately regulating power output. Although no firm rules have been set, it’s believed output will be restricted between 550 and 700 horsepower, depending on the track.

“We will continue to evaluate rules that will keep a level playing field across the board with the various engines that could enter our sport,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and racing operations for IndyCar.

“For example, we could see a V-6 competing against an inline-four at all Izod IndyCar series events in the future. We will require reference engines as a benchmark in performance while looking at sonic air restrictors, fuel flow restrictions, and more as key criteria for competition.”

Although a chassis supplier has not yet been set for the 2012 car, this instills any interested manufacturer with a greater challenge, as they will need to design and build a chassis capable of housing any number of engine configurations.

Source: IndyCar

Spyker Set to Sell its Cars in Select Saab Showrooms

Spyker had promised to keep its chocolate discrete from Saab's peanut butter, but it appears Saab's new corporate parent may soon sell its high-end sports cars in Saab showrooms.

"We are signing up Spyker dealerships left, right, and center," Spyker CEO Victor Muller recently told Bloomberg.


Presently, Spyker has only 35 retail outlets across the globe, but that will soon change. Spyker plans on offering its wares -- including the new C8 Aileron -- through a number of select Saab dealerships. Spyker hopes to nearly double its sales network to 60 outlets by the end of this year, and bump that total to 90 by the end of 2011. Doing so may help Spyker move more than the 36 vehicles it sold in 2009.

Adding Spyker models to Saab showrooms will be a big change for most dealers, as pricing and clientele tied to Spyker cars are quite different from that of Saab vehicles. A 2010 Spyker C8 Aileron costs $219,190, while Saab's new 9-5 Aero -- the most expensive Saab model at this time -- starts at $49,990.

Still, every extra dealer helps -- and the extra showrooms are but one of the many Saab resources Spyker hopes to utilize to its benefit. The automaker has previously mentioned using Saab's engineering staff and resources (including the company's wind tunnel laboratory in Trollhattan, Sweden) for new vehicles, and may benefit from lower prices on generic parts that can be used Spyker and Saab models. Muller hopes these moves will help Spyker turn a profit -- something it hasn't done since going public in 2004.

"Spyker will be profitable in its own right, very much helped by its sister Saab," said Muller. "It's wonderful that the company that saved Saab is also benefiting from having done that in its own business."

Source: automobi