Brands: Bimmer's latest Art Car speaks Chinese

 Cao Fei (right), the first Chinese artist commissioned to design a BMW Art Car, shared her inspirations and design

concept for her “rolling sculpture” during a media briefing at her Beijing studio on Thursday, August 25. The 18th BMW Art Car, which is based on the BMW M6 GT3, is set to debut in 2017. Inspired by the speed of racing cars and the tremendous changes of Chinese society over the past decades, Cao Fei will use this installation to interpret the themes of the century such as automated driving and the convergence of virtual worlds and reality.

“The car is key to understanding the changes occurring in contemporary Chinese society. The rapid speed of a car and the rapid changes taking place in Chinese society are my inspirations for creating the 18th BMW Art Car. But my BMW Art Car will adopt an expressive form completely different from previous ones. It will be an interpretation of the century’s theme, namely that we enter ‘a landscape of no man’s land’, e.g. autonomous cars and aircrafts and virtual reality,” said Cao Fei.
Thomas Girst, Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement, emphasized the heritage and innovations of BMW Art Cars during the media briefing, "Art is a mirror that can reflect the future into today’s reality. The BMW Group believes that sustainability, connectivity and automated driving are the trends for future individual mobility. We are pleased to see that the artists’ ideas for the 18th BMW Art Car regarding future cars, society and humankind is in line with BMW’s vision for future mobility."
Just like previous BMW Art Cars, the 18th vehicle of the collection will participate in a racing event in Asia and furthermore be exhibited in a major museum, making it the latest example of the BMW Group’s endeavor to promote the arts and intercultural communications.
Cao Fei is considered one of the most important young artists to have emerged from China. She has been active in the international art scene for almost two decades with her unique multimedia projects in which she explores the rapid changes occurring in Chinese society today. In November 2015, the jury of the BMW Art Car project, consisting of twelve renowned museum directors and curators, voted unanimously in favor of Cao Fei and American artist John Baldessari to design the 18th and 19th BMW Art Car respectively. The jury is “in particular looking forward as to how she may turn the car into an imaginative part of her parallel universe” as well as present a new perspective to the world.

Absolute creative freedom and full support of the artist
The BMW Group is committed to the pursuit of innovation and creativity. With regards to creating the 18th BMW Art Car, Cao Fei has been guaranteed absolute creative freedom and the full support of BMW.
Cao Fei has also gained a unique insight into the automotive industry. Over the course of the past year, the BMW Group arranged for Cao Fei to have several in-depth meetings with the company’s senior executives. For example, Dr Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, discussed the possibility for Cao to be the first artist to also create the inside of a BMW Art Car; Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, met with her to discuss colors; Karim Habib, Director of BMW Design, spoke to her about 3‑D modeling; and Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Group, China Region, met with her to discuss BMW’s “Art Factory” in Shenyang.
In addition, BMW gave the Chinese artist a first‑hand taste of speed and state-of-the-art technologies by arranging personalized visits and activities. For instance, the artist marveled at the sight of a number of IT industry experts collaborating with auto designers at the Group’s R&D center. She also was able to see some cutting-edge technologies showcasing human-machine interaction, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, which have already begun to influence the early stages of auto design.

At BMW Group’s plants in Munich and Shenyang, Cao Fei was given a comprehensive overview of the modern auto manufacturing process. She even witnessed the manufacturing of BMW’s latest engine. A young technician from the production line spoke with the artist about the many positive changes the plant has made in his life as well as for the city of Shenyang. The expatriate German experts from the headquarters at Shenyang plant showed Cao Fei how BMW’s “engineer culture” informs every detail of their work.
The communication of these ideas gave Cao Fei a whole new understanding of the design and meaning of cars, which in turn helped her gain a better understanding of the advanced technologies used in the modern car industry. In addition, she gained further insights into the wide range of creative ways informing the shape of future mobility. This interplay of ideas was the source of inspiration for the artist’s many ideas of how to create the 18th BMW Art Car.

History of the BMW Art Cars
The perfect interaction of design, automotive, racing, technology and contemporary art has helped make each BMW Art Car legendary in both the auto industry and the art world. In 1975, together with former Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch, the passionate French racecar driver Hervé Poulain came up with the idea to create a canvas on his BMW 3.0 CSL, and commissioned American artist and friend Alexander Calder to paint the first BMW Art Car, thus marking the birth of the collection.
Over the past 41 years, BMW invited seventeen international artists to design BMW models, among them some of the most renowned artists of our time: Alexander Calder (1975), Frank Stella (1976), Roy Lichtenstein (1977), Andy Warhol (1979), Ernst Fuchs (1982), Robert Rauschenberg (1986), Michael Jagamara Nelson (1989), Ken Done (1989), Matazo Kayama (1990), César Manrique (1990), A. R. Penck (1991), Esther Mahlangu (1991), Sandro Chia (1992), David Hockney (1995), Jenny Holzer (1999), Olafur Eliasson (2007), Jeff Koons (2010). Thanks to their creativity, the BMW Art Cars have been a manifestation of minimalism, pop art, art brut and conceptual art – an authentic testimony to the unique trends and cultural ideas of their time.
Moreover, the BMW Art Cars have a long-standing racing tradition, in step with the BMW brand philosophy of “Sheer Driving Pleasure” they combine continuous innovation with speed and art. All BMW Art Cars are “rolling sculptures” built from production models or racecars, and out of those exquisite vehicles so far eight have excelled on the tracks and achieved extraordinary results.

Life: Stretch Your Thinking a bit to get a Lot!

You Really Can Live a Life of Abundance!

We've all faced a period of lacking in our lives. You know, when you feel like you're lacking in money, lacking in time, or lacking in great experiences. Whether your rough period had to do with money, boredom, or something else entirely, you know what it's like to yearn for more.

Wouldn't it be nice to never feel like that again? How wonderful would it be to always feel like you're swimming in a sea of abundance?

I'm going to let you in on a little secret - abundance doesn't have anything to do with your bank account or your long list of responsibilities. Instead, abundance is a state of mind that you can put to good use anytime, anywhere.

How do you do that?

All you have to do is choose to see "more than enough"!

For some people, though, that can be really tough. After all, lots of us are so used to focusing on what wedon't have that it sounds impossible to switch gears and focus on what we do have.

But here's another secret - changing your mindset isn't as hard as you think. All you need is a little bit of practice. Eventually, you'll automatically adopt an abundance mindset in every situation!

First, though, you've got to pay close attention to the thoughts that are racing around inside your head. If you're constantly thinking that you don't have enough, you'll actually start to believe that you have less than you really do!

So, the next time you hear yourself slipping into thoughts of lack, think about abundance instead.

For example:

- When you really want to buy something, but you don't have enough money for it...

- When you feel unfulfilled by your job...

- When you're sitting around feeling bored...

- When you wish you could meet that one great guy/girl to share your life with...

- When you wish that your life had a bigger purpose...

Think about what you do have right now. Think about the place you call home, the car you drive, the great friendships you have, and the good health that allows you to get out of bed every morning. When you look at it that way, you've got an awful lot! You've got a whole lot more than some people.

As you make a mental list of all those wonderful things, say to yourself (out loud if you have to!) that you have "more than enough". Because the truth is, you actually have more than you need. You've got everything you need to survive, and that alone is a remarkable blessing.

Of course, you're allowed to want even bigger and better things. Focusing on abundance doesn't mean you stop working toward other goals. However, when you focus on the abundance of good things that you already have, you'll start to attract even more blessings!

Want your abundance to grow even more?

Just give things some additional thought. For example, there may be certain situations that make you feel powerless. However, if you sit down and really think about them, you may be able to come up with a solution. Think about what small steps you could take to improve things. Then, bundle all of those little steps together to make a big difference!

One final tip - you should feel joyful and lighthearted when you focus on abundance. This should be a process that makes you feel good, not scared or desperate. The key is to trust in your ability to create more for yourself. And, remember, the universe is willing to help you, too. As long as you trust in the process, you really will end up with "more than enough" of everything you could possibly want!

Ready to stretch your thinking a bit?

Auto: double hot for Jaguar F-Pace, named Auto Express Car of the year in two cateogries

The Auto Express Car of the Year award is the latest major success in an incredible launch for Jaguar’s first ever SUV, which immediately became the brand’s fastest ever selling model. 

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK MD, said: “The response to F-PACE around the world has been absolutely sensational, both in terms of critical acclaim and sales, and for it to be named Car of the Year by the UK’s biggest-selling weekly motoring magazine is a real honour. The team behind F-PACE was set on creating a car that was more desirable, great to drive, and better value than anything else in its class – we didn’t want to just be a part of the performance SUV market, we wanted to own it. This award is the proof that we’ve succeeded, and we intend to carry this momentum into all our future products.” 

The F-PACE uses Jaguar’s Aluminium Lightweight Architecture to create a light, stiff body structure, allowing for great performance and emissions across the range. A rear-wheel-drive 180PS diesel F-PACE emits just 129g/km, while the 380PS supercharged V6 model is capable of 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds. With chassis technology developed for the F-TYPE, the F-PACE is the sports car that all others look up to, starting from £35,020. 

The F-PACE comes with a selection of high-tech equipment, too, including the Activity Key; a wristband that allows owners to leave their traditional key inside the car if they’ll be taking part in activities like swimming or running. There’s also a wi-fi hotspot in the car, allowing eight separate devices to connect, and an InControl app, which lets owners remotely access functions on the F-PACE, like pre-heating, checking the fuel status or even location. 

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief of Auto Express, said: “Jaguar last won our overall Car of the Year award in 2008, with the XF – a car that heralded a forthcoming range of excellent Jaguar models. With the F-PACE you get the sense that Jaguar is on a roll again; the XE, XJ, all-new XF and F-TYPE are all world-class models. But it’s the F-PACE that really stands out for us – it’s a worthy winner of our 2016 Car of the Year title." 

As well as winning the overall Car of the Year award, Jaguar also took home the Compact Executive Car of the Year title for the second year running. Before the XE first won the award, it had been more than a decade since a non-German manufacturer had been named Compact Executive Car of the Year. 

Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director, and the man who styled both the F-PACE and XE, said: “What an incredible evening for us; we’ve got two cars competing in the most highly sought-after categories and not only have we won them both, but F-PACE is Car of the Year, too. As ever, I’m amazed and proud by what the Jaguar team is capable of.”

Auto: BMW takes a "new 1" to China

Beijing.  The BMW Group and BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA) will further explore the premium compact segment in China with the BMW 1 Series Sedan – the first compact sports sedan under the BMW brand. This makes BBA's product range in the compact class even more comprehensive with premium entry-level cars covering segments of the Active Tourer, Sports Activity Vehicle, and Sports Sedan, attracting new customer groups to become premium car owners. The premium compact car segment is the fastest growing segment worldwide and in China.  

The BMW 1 Series Sedan is the most sporty and emotional sedan in segment. It is an exclusive model tailored and aligned to the needs of Chinese customers, solely produced and specifically sold in China. The development and testing of the new car was taken place in the BMW headquarters with the involvement of Chinese engineers. The new car also performed intensive road tests in respect to different circumstances of road conditions and climate situations on different terrains in China. With the BMW 1 Series Sedan, BMW engineers have made a lot of specific fine-tuning and improvements according to the Chinese customers' habits and vehicle-use environment.

The BMW 1 Series Sedan is originated from the concept car BMW Concept Compact Sedan, which made its world premiere at Guangzhou Motor Show 2015. As a model ready for production, the BMW 1 Series Sedan maintains design elements of the concept car, including BMW's typical body proportion. The BMW 1 Series Sedan is instantly recognisable as a BMW. It has a concise BMW face with double kidney grille as well as LED double round headlamps and brand emblem in a very present, sporty and modern interpretation. The characteristic BMW design language is also shown in the sporty, emotional and modern-looking silhouette with Hofmeister kink.

The BMW 1 Series Sedan is the latest proof of BMW Group’s strength in innovation and is superior in terms of connectivity. Its comprehensive BMW ConnectedDrive technologies provide all customers unparalleled convenience, rich infotainment, and significantly enhanced safety. The latest powerful and technology-leading engines with hi-tech electronic technology from BMW are produced at the new local engine plant in Shenyang and guarantee unparalleled driving pleasure. 

   

Brands: BMW goes to Britain for its next Art Journey

British artist Abigail Reynolds (represented by ROKEBY, London) as the next BMW Art Journey winner. The international jury selected her unanimously from a shortlist of three artists whose works were exhibited in the Discoveries sector at this year’s Art Basel show in Hong Kong.

Reynolds’ artistic practice is closely linked to books and libraries. Having studied English Literature at Oxford University, she frequently draws inspiration from literary essays and figures to imagine places and moments from the past, present and future. Given this deep connection to libraries and literature, it is no surprise that Reynolds’ BMW Art Journey project for 2016/17, “The Ruins of Time: Lost Libraries of the Silk Road,” will allow her to connect the complex religious and secular narratives of Europe and Asia and to expand her current interests and working methods through an extensive multi-continent series of visits to historic and fabled repositories of books.

The BMW Art Journey is a global collaboration between Art Basel and BMW, created to recognize and support emerging artists worldwide. This unique award is open to artists who are exhibiting in the Discoveries and Positions sectors in the Hong Kong and Miami Beach shows of Art Basel, respectively. Two judging panels comprised of internationally renowned experts meet first to select a shortlist of three artists from the sector, who are then invited to submit proposals for a journey aimed to further develop their ideas and artistic work. The jury reconvenes to choose a winner from the three proposals. The next round of selections for the BMW Art Journey will take place during Art Basel in Miami Beach.  

BMW is a global partner of Art Basel and has supported Art Basel’s three shows in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong for many years. 

Get Lucky: All's Fair in Love and Crime

Thieves who steal from thieves. Love and romance - of a fashion - amongst the gritty London underworld. Car chases, boat chases, beat-ups, close calls and shodowns in abandoned lots. They're familiar calling cards but in this plucky, if somewhat demanding little thriller, they don't lose much for all their familiarity.

Lucky is a small time criminal and he's happy just getting by until he agrees to look after some counterfeit money for a friend who is in a bit of trouble with the law Two months go by without a word from him so Lucky burns the 'funny money' to avoid problems for himself. The resulting fire means a trip to the emergency room where he meets Bridget and his charm has her agreeing to go out with him. Their date goes well until the end when two hoods bundle him into the back of their car. It appea

rs that they had bought the 'funny money' from Lucky's friend and they want it back - all £150,000 or Lucky will end up like his friend. Lucky needs to score big so he teams up with an old mate who is planning a big casino heist with a couple of other gangsters who's day job is collecting protection money for 'Mr Big'. The are looking to earn a bit of money 'on the side'. The heist goes almost according to plan but with one small problem - there's minimal cash and the rest is in bonds. It all starts to go wrong immediately. A prostitute who they have hired steals the bonds and the getaway car is stolen. Worse is yet to come. The two gangsters have not done their homework and they've actually just robbed 'Mr Big's casino. Their only chance to avoid their boss's severe retribution is to get the stuff back.

Director Sacha Bennett works the script (by the accomplished TJ Ramini and Walter Taylaur) with appreciable gusto, and whilst the acting is decidedly uneven, diminutive lead Luke Treadway as Lucky and a several of the "bit players" stand out in their respective spaces in the plot.

If you're not that used to the dialogue, this film may take a second screening to get used to but, its worth it if you like fast-paced action, spiced with a little sex (including a humourous incident involving a prostitute and one of the robbers).

In other words, its the perfect candidate for Testosterone Theatre. Sit back and dig in.