Celebrating the return as an official partner of Art Basel in Miami Beach for 2021, BMW hosted the unveiling of all-new concept vehicle, the BMW Concept XM, on Monday, November 29 in Miami Beach. The BMW Concept XM will not only be the most powerful BMW M vehicle to ever go into series production, it will also be the first electrified production vehicle from BMW M. The bold exterior styling features powerful and heavily contoured proportions which reflect the vehicle’s exceptional performance, while the interior presents a progressive and distinctive form of luxury and sense of space. Inside the car, a special take on the driver-focused cockpit for which M models are renowned is coupled with an all-new rear cabin design with high-comfort seats and an illuminated, sculpted headliner, offering passengers a luxurious retreat. “Art Basel in Miami Beach is the perfect moment to launch the BMW Concept XM, a product unlike anything we’ve ever produced,” said Uwe Dreher, vice president of marketing for BMW of North America. “This unique concept vehicle is matched perfectly to the expressive artwork from our partner artists, underscoring BMW Group’s five-decade long commitment to supporting culture and the arts in meaningful ways.”
In addition to the BMW Concept XM vehicle unveiling and a performance by musical artist Nas, the event also featured a sculpture installation by Brooklyn-based artist and sculptor Kennedy Yanko. “This moment of co-creation between visual art and music by Kennedy Yanko and Nas brings together two cultural fields that have inspired each other for many decades and are two main areas of BMW brand cooperations,” said Stefan Ponikva, head of brand communication and experience. “It all started with a dialogue with our designers around the BMW Concept XM and this exchange on eye-level is what makes our collaborations authentic. And Art Basel as the most renowned art fair with plenty creative and expressive minds across the disciplines, offers us the perfect platform to present our latest cultural engagement.”
The automaker has deep ties to Art Basel Miami Beach and the art world at large so its creatives and executives were thrilled to return this year with big news. Using the BMW Concept XM as inspiration, Yanko created an original sculpture, “Intrinsic Sage.” The BMW Concept XM and “Intrinsic Sage” will be on display at the Miami Beach convention center at the north side of the Grand Ballroom on Level 2 from December 1-4, 2021.