A Process
Driven by Passion

As Jeff Koons' special-edition “dream car” garners plaudits for its striking fusion of color and exceptional attention to detail, BMW lifts the hood on a unique design process that brings luxury to life

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Embodying BMW's commitment to precision, quality and craftsmanship, THE 8 X JEFF KOONS is the most elaborately designed vehicle in the iconic carmaker's history. The culmination of several years of collaboration between the legendary artist and BMW’s celebrated design team, an exclusive edition of just 99 vehicles was released in February.

More than 200 hours of work went into each car's paint job alone, resulting in an expressive, energetic exterior that's the jewel in the crown of BMW's compelling new 8 Series. THE 8 X JEFF KOONS, the special edition of the new M850i xDrive Gran Coupé, debuted on the occasion of Frieze Los Angeles in February and marks the second collaboration between BMW and Koons—a fitting partnership between two groundbreaking visionaries.

"The 8 Series is our most indulgent, most aesthetic car. So, it made sense to work with an artist who has the very highest demands for his art," says Domagoj Dukec, BMW's Head of Design.

“The 8 Series is our most indulgent, most aesthetic car. So, it made sense to work with an artist who has the very highest demands for his art.”

Domagoj Dukec, BMW's Head of Design.

First launched in 1990, the 8 Series quickly became one of BMW's most iconic ranges. Now it has been reimagined for 2022, with three models—in addition to THE 8 X JEFF KOONS—that combine the series' distinctive sporty elegance with enhanced technical performance and striking design upgrades.

Dukec leads a team of more than 100 people who work on multiple projects of varying sizes each year, and the team often begins designing a new car six or seven years prior to its launch. Dukec says that his team's job is to “predict the future” and create vehicles and experiences that will be both relevant and desirable for many years to come.

With the innovative new Gran Coupé and across the revitalized 8 Series, Koons and Dukec have achieved exactly that.

Jeff Koons, Talk Art Podcast

“I have six young kids at home. We sit at a circular table—and it's circular because there's no hierarchy. I wanted to create a car [where] there was no hierarchy. Everybody had the same essence of power that you would feel whether you’re driving the car, whether you’re riding in the back or [in the] position of passenger. Everybody had the same level of power.”

Finding inspiration

You'd be forgiven for assuming that creatives like Dukec and Koons draw their inspiration from high art and abstract ideals. In fact, much of their passion and innovation is inspired by people.

“When you see people and how they behave across different cultures, you see what human beings have in common,” explains Dukec. “You see that there are certain things that always provoke the same sensation of lust and desire—of what is fun and what makes you sad. Design actually uses a lot of these human psychology rules because we’re trying to create certain emotions—what you feel on first contact with a product, what you feel when you interact with it. We want to create that feeling of, ‘This touches me, and I want it.’”

Understanding people is fundamental to the BMW design team's approach. Trends come and go, but BMW’s cars are designed for enduring appeal, which means that learning what makes humans tick—what speaks to their hearts and minds—is crucial.

“I think some values are timeless and universal,” Dukec says. “And this is the inspiration I take to create authentic experiences.”

Such authentic experiences are perhaps enjoyed most enthusiastically by children—a fact not lost on Koons when he was designing the Gran Coupé.

“I wanted to make something that children could look at and they could say, ‘Hey, Mom, Dad, do you see that? Look at that! Did you see what just drove by? Wow!’ You know, really touch people at unexpected moments. So, I wanted to have this type of energy, the ‘pop, pop, pop!’ when the car goes by,” he says. “This swoosh on the side of the car—this vapor cloud—is really functioning as this democratic distribution of power, so that everybody can feel the excitement of the senses, the thrill of the engine and of the sounds.”

“I think some values are timeless and universal. And this is the inspiration I take to create authentic experiences.” Domagoj Dukec, BMW's Head of Design.

Competing for creativity

When Dukec's team begins a new project, the creative prowess of the BMW designers is pooled in a unique internal idea competition. Designers respond passionately to the challenge before them as they present their initial concepts in sketch form, hoping that the character of their model shines through and allows them to advance to the next stage.

Those whose designs proceed forward then face the challenge of combining their creative vision with technical substance. “Tape drawings,” developed using adhesive tape, showcase the sketches’ technical details at full scale and bring the designers’ ideas a step closer to reality.

BMW's modeling experts then work with the designers to produce full-scale clay models and finesse them in an iterative process. At this stage, the proportions, surfaces and finer details of the original emotion-driven sketches are assessed and scrutinized to ensure feasibility.

Just a few designers progress to the final round, when 3D modeling takes place. Digitalizing the clay models to create virtual models of the vehicles allows designers and engineers to collaborate on the all-important balance between creative form and high-performance functionality.

When the competition concludes, one lucky designer sees their idea triumph—and BMW has a groundbreaking new model, steeped in collaboration and artistry.

“It works because every designer wants to see their design on the street one day,” says Dukec. “That's the dream.”

Jeff Koons, Talk Art Podcast

“There’s nothing on this car that BMW pushed for, or told me, ‘Oh, you can’t do that,’ or, ‘You have to do this.’ I mean, absolutely none of that. The only things that I couldn’t do were things that legally you’re bound to—that you can adjust because there are certain processes that have to be done through different panels. So, anything that I could do, I could do.”

Embracing the impossible

When dozens of designers are in fierce competition, how do you ensure that innovation remains central to the process? After all, as Dukec points out, it would be easy for them to fall into the trap of designing a car that they think is most likely to win favor with the BMW board, as opposed to a car that pushes boundaries.

“If winning is the designers’ biggest motivation, they’re not doing what’s best or most progressive; they’re just doing what has the best chance of winning,” he says. “It’s hard to maintain your passion for ideas when you’re faced with reality. There are budgets and laws. As a designer, you hear every day what’s not possible.”

But Dukec is in the business of challenging the BMW brand and boldly moving it forward. He’s found a way to foster this mindset among his designers, and it involves what he calls “tricking the system”: he tries not to make the designers aware of technical limitations when they’re devising their creations. As far as he’s concerned, those details can be dealt with later.

“At first, you let them believe it’s all possible,” he says.

Seeing the smaller picture

Of course, at some point in the process, the big ideas must translate to the finer details. Nothing is overlooked as the team refines the unique features and particular elements that give each car its personality and power BMW’s characteristic driving pleasure—and the Gran Coupé is no exception.

This painstaking attention to detail often generates the innovations that Dukec is most proud of.

“A BMW is a driver’s car, and it should feel different,” he says. “When you sit in the driver’s seat, you should have your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Why should you have to look down to see how fast your car is going? That’s why we have a head-up display.”

The aesthetics are given just as much consideration as the technical features. “When we work on one car, there’s color and trim, and we have to create 10 or 14 different versions for our customers,” Dukec says. “Customers are individuals, and the designs must be, too.”

This exhaustive attention to detail is evident in the new 8 Series, where forward-facing lines encapsulate the stylish interior modifications. Accentuated by BMW’s standard ambient lighting, which also illuminates the contours of the dashboard and door sills, the lines reflect the overall concept of the new series, which feels sportier than ever.

Jeff Koons, Talk Art Podcast

“Every mark, every line, every square centimeter of this car has been thought about, so that when you see this car go by, you feel this type of exhilaration that’s taking place—that there’s a sense of meaning of why it’s there. It’s not just flash for flash.”

M Sports Package as standard.

New kidney design with waterfall illumination as standard and double-bridge kidney bars with progressive design.

Redefining luxury

While the smaller picture is crucial, the bigger one matters enormously, too.

“All the details have to fit together,” says Dukec, “They all have to transport one story. What does the X5 stand for? What does the 7 Series stand for? It’s a certain character; it’s a certain type of luxury.”

The updated 8 Series certainly stands for luxury. Alongside key design modifications and interior enhancements, it boasts optimized connectivity and an M sports package as standard. A diverse range of aesthetic and drive technology options means there’s plenty of additional scope for customization, which Dukec says is central to his interpretation of true luxury.

M Sports Package as standard.

New kidney design with waterfall illumination as standard and double-bridge kidney bars with progressive design.

“Luxury is very personal to each individual; it must create a unique experience,” he says.

“Individualization is so important. In the past, the price point defined what was luxurious; the more expensive something is, the more luxurious it seems. But it’s changing —and people are looking for deeper and more meaningful experiences. It’s not about money. People are looking for something that lets them grow and gives them an experience worth sharing.”

M Sports Package with multi-contour seats inclusive extended Merino leather as standard.

“Luxury is very personal to each individual; it must create a unique experience,” Domagoj Dukec, BMW's Head of Design.

M Sports Package with multi-contour seats inclusive extended Merino leather as standard.

A ProcessDriven by Passion

Finding inspiration

Competing for creativity

Embracing the impossible

Seeing the smaller picture

Redefining luxury

Gallery

A Process
Driven by Passion

A Process Driven by Passion