Frank Stella's 'Polar Coordinates' BMW M1

Commissioned in 1979, the Frank Stella BMW M1 Procar was painted to Stella’s “Polar Coordinates” design and created for his close friend and racing driver, Peter Gregg. This was the only time that a BMW-commissioned artist created a car for anyone other than the manufacturer itself. The “Polar Coordinates” design is based on a series of prints that Stella made as a homage to his friend, Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson, who was tragically killed at the 1978 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Petersen originally raced Stella’s 3.0 CSL Art Car, the second of the series, at the 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Photo © Bonhams