Celebrating fifty years of the Art Car, two of BMW‘s ‘rolling sculptures’ arrive to the coastal links of the famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The annual event, a beauty pageant for cars, marks the finale of Monterey Car Week and draws the most extravagant vehicles from across the world. This year’s concours was held on August 17th, and over two hundred cars were shown.

Backdropped by the rocky coastline and fronted by enthusiastic spectators were two of BMW’s most landmark Art Cars: Andy Warhol’s 1979 BMW M1 Group 4 (see here) and the most recent work, Julie Mehretu’s 2024 BMW M Hybrid V8 (see here).

designboom was in attendance this year, and throughout the crowded, stretching show field we overheard mentions of the BMW Art Cars as a overwhelming highlight — especially with its reputation as perhaps the most valuable car in the world, with some guesses ranging from $60-$200 million.

images courtesy BMW Group

a legendary bmw art car’s global journey

BMW’s display at Pebble Beach marks the start of the North American leg of the Art Car World Tour, which has seen Andy Warhol’s Art Car travel across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia throughout this 50th anniversary year. The iconic edition, with its gestural brushstrokes, arrives at California’s Pebble Beach after recent showings in Dubai and Sweden. In April 2025, designboom visited Andy Warhol’s Art Car when it appeared at Art Dubai, a stop along the World Tour which marked its debut in the Middle East.

Two months later, we again encountered the Warhol car arrived to southern Sweden for the Aurora Scandinavian Concours in late June, where it was joined by three other historic BMW Art Cars: Alexander Calder’s 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL, the first in the series; Roy Lichtenstein’s 1977 BMW 320i, which renders an abstraction of passing scenery; and Jeff Koons’ 2010 BMW M3 GT2, spotted with the artist’s graphic Pop Art motifs.

Julie Mehretu’s Art Car has also has an international presence, debuting at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 2024 and appearing at the Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este in Lake Como before its racing deployment at Le Mans.

BMW celebrates 50 years of its Art Car program at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Andy Warhol’s Radical Intervention

Andy Warhol’s BMW M1, which displayed at Pebble Beach, was the fourth commission in the series, following Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, and Roy Lichtenstein. Painted in just twenty-eight minutes, the work stands apart for its visible texture. Warhol applied roughly thirteen pounds of paint directly to the car’s surface with visible brushstrokes, foregoing preparatory sketches or scale models.

French racing driver and Art Car initiator Hervé Poulain compared the live act of painting to a performance. Beyond its presence in museums and exhibitions, the car competed once at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, underscoring the dual identity of the Art Cars as both artworks and machines.

Julie Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 makes its North American debut at Pebble Beach

julie mehretu continues the legacy

Julie Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 race car — the 20th Art Car — is a continuation of BMW’s legendary series into the present. Using digitally altered photographs, abstract markings, and layered veils of color, her work reimagines the vehicle as a moving painting. The creation builds upon her monumental canvas Everywhen (2021–2023) which measures 10’x10′, and is currently entering MoMA’s permanent collection. The dense, gestural abstraction in ink and acrylic is thus translated onto the racing prototype with BMW.

The Art Car competed at Le Mans in 2024 and continues to link artistic practice with motorsport. Mehretu has described the project as a ‘performative painting,’ one completed through the act of racing itself.

Mehretu translates her monumental painting Everywhen onto a racing prototype

the art car world tour

The pairing of Warhol’s late-1970s experiment with Mehretu’s digital-age intervention at Pebble Beach emphasizes the breadth of the BMW Art Car program across five decades. Their presentation at Pebble Beach, the centerpiece of Monterey Car Week, coincides with another milestone: fifty years of BMW operating in the United States.

After the concours, the two Art Cars will travel to the East Coast, with appearances planned at The Bridge in New York and the Hagerty Drivers Foundation’s Cars at the Capital exhibition in Washington, D.C. The ongoing Art Car World Tour reminds us how these works of art have shifted between racetracks, museums, and public settings like Pebble Beach.

Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 Art Car was painted in just 28 minutes

Mehretu’s BMW Art Car competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024

The Warhol BMW Art Car also raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979

Warhol applied around thirteen pounds of paint directly to the BMW M1 surface

Julie Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 was unveiled at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 2024

project info:

event: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

cars: Andy Warhol’s BMW M1 Group 4 (#4, 1979) + Julie Mehretu‘s BMW M Hybrid V8 (#20, 2024)

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A rare 1958 Land Rover Series 2 reworked by Sean Wotherspoon and Stuff by Spot was unveiled during Monterey Car Week. With its playfully color-blocked exterior, the project is a continuation of the duo’s collaboration, and follows their recently completed Porsche 2.7 RS project (see designboom’s coverage here).

Originally built in England and delivered to an engineer in Canada in 1959, the left-hand-drive 2.25 petrol Land Rover has remained with its first owner for more than four decades. The vehicle eventually returned to the UK in 2002, and remarkably, it had never been road-registered. Today, it is believed to be one of only six left-hand-drive Series 2 models in the UK, and among just three that still retain their original chassis.

Earlier this year, Jimmy Howson of Stuff by Spot acquired the vehicle and restored it in Essex between March and July before shipping it across the Atlantic. The build preserves as many original panels as possible while enhancing the truck with practical upgrades. This way its authenticity is balanced with a renewed driving life.

image © colinjection

a 1958 land rover series 2 reinterpreted

For the colorful restoration, designer Sean Wotherspoon’s sensibility lies in allowing the character of the Land Rover to surface rather than overlaying it with dramatic interventions. The upgrades — a fresh engine and gearbox rebuild, Wolf alloys, a CarPlay-enabled dash, and a custom rear seating setup with built-in speakers — are carried out with the team at Stuff by Spot to reflect a measured approach. The result is a vintage utility vehicle that remains true to its heritage while receiving refinements that allow it to function in contemporary contexts.

Where the Porsche 2.7 RS reinterpretation emphasized vivid color and surface detail, the Land Rover instead relies on its inherent rarity and provenance as a foundation. Wotherspoon’s contribution frames the vehicle as an artifact and machine to be driven.

Presented alongside the Porsche during Monterey Car Week, the Land Rover affirms the partnership between Wotherspoon and Stuff by Spot as one centered on rethinking icons of automotive design. The work acknowledges its heritage and layers new elements without overwhelming the original or erasing time.

Sean Wotherspoon and Stuff by Spot unveiled a rare 1958 Land Rover Series 2 at Monterey Car Week

the collaboration follows the Sean Wotherspoon Porsche 2.7 RS project

the original left hand drive chassis has been preserved with subtle upgrades

the Land Rover spent four decades with its first owner in Canada before returning to the UK

only six left hand drive Series 2 models are believed to exist in the UK

Jimmy Howson of Stuff by Spot restored the vehicle in Essex before shipping it to Monterey, California

the build preserves as many original panels as possible

project info:

name: 1958 Land Rover Series 2

designer: Sean Wotherspoon | @sean_wotherspoon

collaborators: Stuff by Spot | @stuffbyspot

photography: @colinjection, @maxkindersley, @concourscollectionstorage

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The glimmering Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon debuted during Monterey Car Week 2025 at Laguna Seca Raceway. The car‘s unveiling highlights how its structural use of carbon fiber shapes performance and presence together. With this latest example, the team at Ford celebrates and expresses the car’s construction as a design element rather than as an aspect to be concealed.

Where the typical automobile smooths over materials with paint and coatings, this edition of the Mustang GTD leaves its carbon fiber visible. The approach emphasizes joinery, pattern alignment, and surface rhythm — elements more familiar to architectural practice than to automotive styling. Each weave is carefully oriented to continue across hoods, doors, and fenders, establishing a uniform geometry that underscores precision.

images courtesy Ford

Material Performance expressed as aesthetic

The Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon is a love letter to carbon fiber which, with its strength-to-weight ratio, has long been the material of choice in competitive racing. In the Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon, its application becomes both a technical solution and an aesthetic stance. Replacing painted panels and integrating bonded carbon-fiber doors reduces overall weight while reinforcing the car’s performance identity.

‘Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon is the ultimate expression of the Mustang GTD’s high-tech, high-performance construction and is a reminder of the race-derived, cutting-edge capability that sits beneath the surface of every Mustang GTD,’ explains Chief Program Engineer Greg Goodall at the debut. His comment highlights how the car’s stripped-back appearance conveys not absence but refinement—the visible record of advanced fabrication.

the Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon debuts during Monterey Car Week 2025

Precision in Detailing

The detailing throughout the Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon is deliberate. Hood, roof, and rear wing patterns align down the car’s centerline, creating a spine-like order. Fender panels continue these lines outward, producing cohesion across the body. Black Brembo calipers and gloss-black GTD script echo the monochrome material palette, allowing the carbon weave itself to become the defining surface.

Design Manager Anthony Colard describes the development as an exercise in precision: ‘High performance requires high precision. When we were designing Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon, it was essential that these small details were present, because they speak to the care and attention required to both build a vehicle like Mustang GTD and to compete and win on the world’s stage with Mustang GT3.’

carbon fiber surfaces remain exposed to highlight construction as design

The interior is a continuation of the team’s measured ethos. Black leather, Dinamica microfiber suede, and Hyper Lime stitching frame the driver’s space with tactile contrast. A reflective gradient at the center of the seats introduces a controlled highlight, enlivening the otherwise restrained palette. The effect is purposeful, reinforcing the connection between precision engineering and crafted experience.

The Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon is delivered standard with the Performance package, matching the Spirit of America edition and Carbon Series in capability, while offering the most uncompromising material presence of the range. The visible weave turns what is often hidden into the car’s defining feature, integrating structure and surface with architectural clarity.

the car reduces weight by replacing painted panels with bonded carbon fiber

With the arrival of this edition alongside other GTD models, owners can now choose the level of carbon exposure they prefer. ‘Mustang GTD is a great looking car and now it stands out even more with its striking exposed carbon body and functional aero elements,’ Goodall adds. His statement reflects the balance between visual language and performance that defines the project. The first deliveries of the Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon are scheduled for October.

precision pattern alignment runs across hood roof and fenders

Greg Goodall describes the model as the ultimate expression of high-tech construction

interior combines leather suede and Hyper Lime stitching with measured contrast

deliveries of the Mustand GTD Liquid Carbon begin in October

project info:

name: Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon

brand: Ford | @ford

event: Monterey Car Week 2025

photography: courtesy Ford

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Meyers Manx and Tuthill introduce the off-roader LFG at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, during Monterey Car Week 2025. A dune buggy meets a rally car, the vehicle uses a carbon fiber body construction, allowing it to handle rough terrain without adding weight to it that would affect performance. There’s a rollover protection structure sitting inside the cabin, and this system protects occupants if the vehicle flips during off-road driving.

The structure meets safety standards for both motorsport and recreational off-road use, making the off-roader LFG by Meyers Manx and Tuthill ideal for rough terrains. Multiple engine options are available for the vehicle, with one variant using a four-valve engine based on Tuthill’s K engine design. This engine connects to a six-speed sequential gearbox that allows quick gear changes without a clutch pedal. The drivetrain also includes four-wheel drive with three limited-slip differentials to distribute power between front and rear wheels, left and right wheels, and between the front wheels themselves. This system helps maintain traction on sand, rocks, and other surfaces.

all images courtesy of Meyers Manx and Tuthill | photos by Stephan Bauer

cabin transforms between being enclosed and open-air 

The off-roader LFG by Meyers Manx and Tuthill has a suspension with twin five-way adjustable dampers on each wheel, so drivers can adjust compression and rebound settings to match different terrain types. There are also hydraulic bump stops that prevent damage when the suspension reaches its limits during jumps or impacts. For the tires, the design teams add BF Goodrich All-Terrain wheels that can weather various surfaces. These tires work on sand, dirt, rocks, and pavement, and their tread pattern and rubber are both for on- and off-road traction.

Inside the vehicle, the off-roader LFG by Meyers Manx and Tuthill has climate control for long drives. Air conditioning keeps occupants cool in desert conditions, while heating works in cold mountain areas (the system operates when the cabin is closed). The cabin can transform between being enclosed and for open-air riding. In two minutes, drivers can remove doors and roof panels to create an open buggy setup. This change allows occupants to experience wind and outdoor conditions directly. Then, the installed GPS navigation helps drivers find routes in remote areas, and the system works even without cell phone signals using satellite connections.

Meyers Manx and Tuthill introduce the off-roader LFG at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

first ‘world tour’ in 2027 with a tour of Baja, Mexico

An Inconel exhaust system handles engine gases for the off-roader LFG by Meyers Manx and Tuthill. The system resists heat and corrosion better than standard steel exhaust materials, as the design teams describe. They add that this durability matters during extended off-road use where the exhaust experiences extreme temperatures and impacts. For the fuel tank, it holds enough gasoline for extended-range driving. This capacity reduces the need for fuel stops in remote areas where gas stations are far apart. The tank design also prevents fuel from sloshing during off-road maneuvers. The collaboration combines Meyers Manx’s buggy heritage with Tuthill’s rally experience. 

Meyers Manx created the original fiberglass dune buggy in the 1960s, while Tuthill specializes in building cars for international rally competitions. The companies plan to produce only 100 examples of the LFG after appearing at the Monterey Car Week 2025, which ran between August 8th and 17th. Each owner also receives access to organized driving adventures around the world for six years, with the first adventure beginning in 2027 with a tour of Baja, Mexico. Production begins in 2026 with deliveries starting before the first adventure tour.

the vehicle uses a carbon fiber body construction, allowing it to handle rough terrain without adding weight to it

there’s a rollover protection structure sitting inside the cabin

front view of the vehicle with soft-rounded headlights

the frame meets safety standards for both motorsport and recreational off-road use

multiple engine options are available for the vehicle

glimpse inside the cabin of the vehicle

the engine connects to a six-speed sequential gearbox that allows quick gear changes without a clutch peda

production begins in 2026 with deliveries starting before tour in Baja, Mexico

project info:

name: LFG

design: Meyers Manx, Tuthill | @meyersmanx, @tuthill.uk

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The first production RUF Rodeo was presented at The Quail, during Monterey Car Week 2025. Unveiled in Jordan Black with white centerlock wheels, the ultra-custom off-road sports car represents the German manufacturer’s step from prototype to production, delivered directly to its first customer during Monterey Car Week. The Rodeo is a culmination of the German company’s long history, translating the firm’s precision-engineered sports cars into a machine designed for terrain as much as speed. Constructed on a carbon-fiber monocoque, it is the only off-road vehicle of its kind to carry a VIN number, combining structural rigor with mechanical adaptability.

Nearly a century before this year’s Rodeo unveiling, RUF Automobile was founded in 1939 as a family business. Aloisa Ruf — a motorhead, artist, and photographer — is now part of the third generation of the family working for the company. designboom met with Aloisa at the Quail to learn more about the newly unveiled production vehicle.

‘To be less emotional for a second, this car is the only carbon fiber monocoque off-road car in the world with its own VIN number,’ she tells designboom. ‘It has a six-cylinder RUF engine, with 3.6 liters and 610 horsepower.’ Her emphasis on structure, material, and detail frames the Rodeo as a ground-up project with a focus on design and engineering together. See designboom’s coverage of the Rodeo when it was first unveiled in 2020 as a concept car here.

image © designboom

a love letter to the wild west

For Aloisa Ruf, the Rodeo is an emotional project. ‘We were inspired by the Wild West because my parents met in Oklahoma. All of our projects are very personal. This one is a love story to the summers I spent with my family there,’ she tells us.

This intimacy finds expression in the cabin. The interior is lined with saddle leather, sourced and worked in-house, alongside patterned textiles referencing Cherokee and Navajo traditions. ‘The interiors were inspired by the Cherokee and Navajo Native patterns, and the leather that we use is actually real saddle leather, that was used in saddle-making for the Wild West,’ Aloisa continues. With these details, the cabin brings a tactile environment, a surprising contrast to the carbon shell that encloses it.

image © RUF Automobile

continuing ruf’s engineering legacy

The RUF Rodeo’s exterior balances solidity and detail. Enlarged fenders accommodate the widened track, while integrated bash bars at the front and rear create a layered, protective outline. Quad-stacked exhausts are recessed neatly into the rear bumper, and roof rails finished in white draw the eye upward, giving the body mass both visual and functional grounding.

Beneath these design cues lies a suspension system engineered with architectural clarity: pushrod-actuated dampers and adjustable ride height, raised nearly ten inches over RUF’s SCR model. It is a composition that addresses terrain as a spatial challenge, treating clearance, balance, and load as integral to the design.

image © RUF Automobile

Although the Rodeo looks westward in its narrative, it remains tied to RUF’s long lineage of experimentation. ‘We brought out the concept last year as a running prototype. We call it the Rodeo because it was a full Safari, but we have never driven our cars in Africa so the name didn’t fit,’ Aloisa says. Instead, the name recalls RUF’s own history of off-road racing, including early Pike’s Peak entries.

The delivery at The Quail was joined by two other RUF models: the CTR3 EVO and the Tribute. Of course, the Rodeo stood apart with its one-off balance of utility and craft. For Aloisa, the project expands RUF’s design vocabulary. ‘Everything is done in-house, and most of our leathers are sourced from Europe,’ she adds, emphasizing the same attention to process that runs through the company’s engineering work.

To celebrate its first delivery, Aloisa has hand-sewn and hand-painted a capsule collection of Rodeo jeans, each individually numbered. These carry forward the project’s connection between personal history and craft, and bring a wearable translation of the car’s Western references.

image © RUF Automobile

image © RUF Automobile

image © RUF Automobile

image © RUF Automobile

image © designboom

project info:

name: Rodeo

brand: RUF Automobile | @rufsince1939

event: The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering | @thequailevents

date: August 15th, 2025

previous coverage: March 2020

photography: © designboom, © RUF Automobile

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The Ringbrothers unveils its 1971 Aston Martin DBS ‘Octavia’ at The Quail during Monterey Car Week 2025. The build is a reworking of the British classic in carbon fiber. It marks the Wisconsin-based shop’s first Aston Martin and stands as its most technically demanding car to date, the result of more than 12,000 hours of engineering and fabrication.

designboom visited the display at the Quail to speak with the fabrication team and get a closer look at the ultra-custom one-off. Playfully referencing the British brand’s James Bond connection, the sunny space took on a 007 theme, offering shaken Vesper Martinis to visitors. The drinks were even served from a split Aston Martin body which has been converted into a small bar.

Ringbrothers unveils the Aston Martin DBS Octavia at during Monterey Car Week 2025 | image © designboom

a british classic reimagined by the ringbrothers

The Octavia began with a donor 1971 Aston Martin DBS before undergoing a complete redesign by the Ringbrothers team. ‘The owner of the Octavia owns a few of our cars,’ Ringbrothers fabricator Ryan Fielding tells designboom at the Quail. ‘He came to us and asked for a European muscle car. The first thing we thought of was an ’71 Aston Martin DBS.’

‘We had one shipped from London. We scanned it and started designing and doing some CAD work with Gary Ragle. Then we started cutting up the original.’

A fully carbon-fiber shell, an integrated structural cage, and a custom Roadster Shop FAST TRACK chassis give the car rigidity and presence. Designer Gary Ragle contributed extensively, shaping the engine bay, cabin layout, and numerous bespoke components to ensure that every surface is intentional.

the 1971 Aston Martin DBS is reimagined in carbon fiber with a widened stance | image © Ringbrothers

inside the ultra-custom restomod

‘Everything is bespoke,‘ Fielding continues. ‘Other than things like bearings or tires, there isn’t one part that someone can buy. Nothing has ever been made before for any reason other than for this car.’ Even a set of centerlock wheels, fastened by a single central nut, are custom-designed with Ragle Design and HRE Wheels.

‘All the brightwork, or trim, on the outside is all CNC aluminum, nickel-plated. All the brightwork on the inside of the car is 3D-printed stainless steel, and there is carbon fiber throughout.’

Under the clamshell hood — a hood design which wraps around the side of the fenders — can be found a Ford Performance 5.0-liter V8, topped with a 2.65-liter supercharger, bringing 805 horsepower to the road. To suit the owner’s love of driving even further, the Octavia is backed by a six-speed manual transmission.

over 12,000 hours of fabrication shaped the car into the team’s most advanced build | image © Ringbrothers

The Aston Martin DBS Octavia’s body is finished in Glasurit’s Double-0 Silver, accented by Nuclear Olive Green details. Billet aluminum, stainless-steel elements created through additive manufacturing, and carbon fiber inserts bring a layered richness to the car’s detailing. Even small gestures, like brass-machined door handles, and window switches retained from the original, are integrated into the visual and tactile narrative.

Inside, pleated leather seats are set against a carbon fiber dashboard with 3D-printed stainless accents — especially the sculptural, see-through gearshift which could not have been fabricated any other way. Fielding emphasizes: ‘Everything you see inside this car, short of the steering column, is 3D-printed stainless steel.‘

True to Ringbrothers’ ethos, the Octavia revels in custom details that signal craft and wit together. The valve covers were machined to hold Aston Martin emblems, altered playfully to read ‘Aston Martini.’ Even the dipstick handle takes the form of a martini glass, another nod to the most famous Aston Martin driver in cinema.

brightwork is crafted from CNC-milled aluminum and 3D printed stainless steel | image © Ringbrothers

the car is finished in Double-0 Silver with Nuclear Olive Green accents | image © Ringbrothers

the cabin is crafted with carbon fiber, leather, and 3D printed stainless steel | image © Ringbrothers

a sculptural, see-through gearshift demonstrated the advanced fabrication methods | image © Ringbrothers

small details like reworked emblems and bespoke interiors carry the same design intent | image © Ringbrothers

project info:

name: 1971 Aston Martin DBS Octavia

designer: Ringbrothers | @ringbrothers

event: The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering | @thequailevents

date: August 15th, 2025

photography: © designboom, © Ringbrothers

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As Monterey Car Week 2025 kicks off, BMW reveals the 2026 M850i Edition M Heritage, a limited-edition Gran Coupe built to honor the first-generation 8 Series. Just five hundred examples of the car will be made, each carrying design cues from the original E31 that debuted in 1989. This time, the edition is realized with the power and precision of the current M850i xDrive platform.

It’s an exciting moment for the brand, at this year marks the 50th anniversary of BMW of North America, which was established in March 1975, and the Edition M Heritage symbolizes a celebration along with a nod to long-time fans. Production begins in November, with deliveries expected in early 2026.

BMW unveils the limited-edition Gran Coupe during Monterey Car Week | image © BMW Group

Color and Form with an Historical Thread

Five paint finishes, all pulled from the E31 palette, emphasize the BMW 2026 M850i Edition M Heritage’s connection to the past: Bright Red, Mauritius Blue metallic, Cosmos Black metallic, Oxford Green metallic, and the rare Daytona Violet metallic. Each is applied as BMW Individual colors, and lends a deep, lacquered finish.

The coupe’s proportions remain unchanged, but details shift the visual character. A carbon fiber roof is highlighted with the familiar M tri-color stripes, and 20-inch Orbit Grey dual-spoke wheels are spotted with M Sport brake calipers. Shadowline lighting and trim sharpen the car’s profile to create a clean perimeter.

designboom attended the premiere ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance | image © designboom

interior atmosphere and materials

Inside, the 2026 M850i Edition M Heritage leans into BMW’s motorsport identity with M Sport seats trimmed in black Full Merino Leather and Alcantara, a vegan suede alternative. The diamond-quilted upholstery, tri-color stitching, and subtle M badges in the headrests create an interior atmosphere that feels custom-crafted.

Alcantara wraps the headliner, dash, and upper door panels. This lends a subdued texture to the interiors. A matte-finish carbon fiber console sits between the glass shift lever and iDrive controller, where Edition M Heritage scripts on the doorsills and cupholder cover are a reminder of the car’s rarity.

the 2026 BMW M850i Edition M Heritage premieres at Monterey Car Week | image © BMW Group

This model is offered in just one specification — fully equipped with a Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System and BMW’s Driving Assistance Professional Package. The only choice buyers make is the paint color.

Power remains a defining trait. The 4.4-liter TwinPower Turbo V8 delivers 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through an 8-speed Steptronic transmission. Acceleration from 0–60 mph takes 3.9 seconds, with top speed capped at 155 mph.

While it’s a rare edition and a symbolic celebration of BMW of North America’s fifty year-long heritage, the team at BMW reminds us that this car is meant to be driven, not just displayed. As Tom Plucinsky, Head of BMW Group Classic USA reminds us: ‘BMW’s cars make you feel like there is a great future ahead, but you can still live the past.’

five heritage paint colors link the edition to the original E31 8 Series | image © BMW Group

a carbon fiber roof features slim M tri color accent stripes | image © BMW Group

edition badging and 1 of 500 numbering mark the car’s rarity | image © BMW Group

matte carbon fiber trim contrasts with a glass shift lever | image © BMW Group

the model is offered in just one specification, buyers only choose the paint color | image © designboom

M Sport seats are upholstered in black Full Merino Leather and Alcantara

this year BMW celebrates fifty years and seven generations of the BMW 3 Series | image © designboom

project info:

name: 2026 BMW M850i Edition M Heritage

brand: BMW | @bmw

premiere: August 14th, 2025

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For the first time, Bentley Motors brings the Mulliner-recreated 1939 Mark V Corniche to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California for the Monterey Car Week 2025. Between August 14th and 17th, the vehicle, which was revived and unveiled by the design teams in 2019 80 years after it was first created in 1939, makes its debut at the automobile show and takes part in the Tour d’Elegance. It’s a meaningful remembrance for the car manufacturer because the model set standards for some of its iconic models later on. 

In 1939, Bentley revealed the Mark V Corniche as a means to study the streamlined body shapes and aerodynamics for its future car models. But during the Second World War, the vehicle’s original body was destroyed and lost to history. Fortunately, the founding chassis was rediscovered 31 years ago, and Bentley and Mulliner set out to recreate the original components and coachwork of the 1939 Mark V Corniche based on the model’s original drawings. The recreation project began in 2018, and a year later, it was unveiled in time for Bentley’s centenary in 2019. In 2025, the car manufacturer brings the vehicle for the first time to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, allowing the attendees to see and go through the history and original components of the model.

all images courtesy of Bentley Motors

Mulliner led the recreation of original car model in 2018

The Mark V Corniche that Bentley built in 1939 was a high-performance version of the car manufacturer’s MkV saloon. It was treated as a platform to test new ideas in speed, handling, and aerodynamics, with its styling based on the principle of streamlining to reduce air resistance while driving. The bodywork was created by French coachbuilder Carrosserie Vanvooren from designs by Georges Paulin, and the car had a lightweight chassis made from thinner steel than a standard one, a tuned MkV engine, and an overdrive gearbox. During its time, the vehicle’s pillarless body design and curves were considered innovative. The first Bentley Mark V Corniche was tested at Brooklands in 1939 and reached speeds over 100 mph. 

It then went to France for further road testing, but in August 1939, the car was damaged in an accident and sent for repairs. The chassis was shipped back to the UK, but the body was destroyed in a bombing raid on Dieppe later that year. Fast forward to 2001, automotive historian Ken Lea began a project to rebuild the Corniche using original parts, but the progress was slow because of the funding issues, that is until Bentley Motors took over the project in 2018. The company’s Mulliner division, known for building custom cars, led the project. This was Mulliner’s first historic car restoration, and the rebuild used original mechanical components wherever possible, with a newly made body identical to the 1939 version.

Bentley brings the Mulliner-recreated 1939 Mark V Corniche to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

reconstruction of Bentley Mark V Corniche after 80 years

For the recreated model, the body panels were hand-formed, and the paint laboratory replicated the Imperial Maroon and Heather Grey color scheme. The interior team made seats and trims from period-correct materials, with the Mulliner carpenters using a steam booth to bend wood for the window surrounds. The grille was recreated with CAD analysis and hand-formed metal slats, and Mulliner apprentices contributed to details such as an authentic tool tray in the boot. The project preserves a missing link in Bentley’s history, showing the transition from pre-war designs to the post-war Continental line, because it’s the link between the manufacturer’s important and historic models: the Embiricos 4¼ Litre, the Corniche, and the post-war R Type Continental. 

The reconstruction of the Bentley Mark V Corniche also involved more than just technical reproduction. It required sourcing materials that matched the period, such as Connolly Vaumol leather and West of England cloth. The process included traditional craftsmanship alongside modern tools like CAD modelling. The Corniche is now the only example of its type in existence, and its recreation demonstrates an important chapter of Bentley’s history, now preserved and able to be experienced by the public. It also underlines the role of Mulliner in Bentley’s past and present, from bespoke vehicles for royalty to restorations of lost icons. The completed Corniche is a part of Bentley’s Heritage Collection and displayed at events worldwide. It first appeared at Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace in September 2019 and is set to debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California during the Monterey Car Week 2025.

roof view of the recreated vehicle

the vehicle was revived and unveiled by the design teams in 2019 80 years after it was first created in 1939

detailed view of the front

boot view with space for emergency tire

the interior team made seats and trims from period-correct materials

Mulliner carpenters used a steam booth to bend wood for the window surrounds

view of the leather seats

Mulliner and Bentley bring their coachbuilding techniques to the replicated vehicle

the vehicle is set to appear during Monterey Car Week 2025

project info:

name: 1939 Mark V Corniche

car manufacturer: Bentley Motors | @bentleymotors

recreation: Mulliner

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