Munich/Miami Beach They are almost everywhere and yet not always easy
to find. Large-format graffiti, also known as murals in their most
artistic form, are an integral part of the street scene in Miami. The
city in the south of the Sunshine State is regarded as the centre of
Street Art. On the occasion of Art Basel Miami Beach (5 – 8 December
2019), BMW is accompanying artists Alexandre Arrechea and Spencer
“MAR” Guilburt on a discovery tour to the most remarkable
examples of modern mural painting in the metropolis on the Atlantic.
The visual artist Arrechea and the street art specialist Guilburt will
complete their Mural Tour in a vehicle that is also suitable for
adding a visual touch to the streets of any urban conurbation. The
elegant BMW M850i xDrive Convertible (fuel consumption combined: 10.2
– 10.0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 231 – 228 g/km) is a prime
example of advanced automotive engineering and offers a perfect
unobstructed view of the bright blue sky, the spectacular architecture
of Miami and the many facades of the city embellished by street artists.
As a long-standing global partner of the renowned Art Basel art
fair, BMW is once again involved in Miami, for example with a VIP
shuttle service and as part of the joint initiative BMW Art Journey
and the BMW 8 Series Mural Tour. Alexandre Arrechea and Spencer
“MAR” Guilburt cruise the city in the BMW M850i xDrive
Convertible in search of the most fascinating murals. In their
conversations they exchange artistic similarities and mutual
inspiration for their work. In addition to the facades on which
Guilburt has immortalised himself with his murals, one of the stops on
their tour will be an excursion to an exhibition of Arrecha’s works
shown at Art Basel Miami Beach by the Nara Roesler gallery. Street art
fans can follow their discovery tour on the artists’ social media
channels (@this_means, @alexandrearrechea) and the BMW Group cultural
engagement (@bmwgroupculture).
On the Mural Tour through Miami, the BMW M850i xDrive
Convertible also shows off its impressive qualities. With its dynamic
and elegant appearance, the open four-seater offers the most exclusive
way to enjoy driving pleasure in a BMW 8 Series luxury sports car. 15
seconds are all it takes to open or close the classic textile soft top
electrically. The luxurious ambience in the interior, the impressive
sportiness of the drive and the advanced operating and networking
technology form a unique combination, the charm of which is also
immediately apparent to the two artists on their journey through the
streets of Miami.
However, the performance characteristics of the open four-seater
and its racing-inspired V8 engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology
and 390 kW/530 hp, are only hinted at, for example by the sonorous
sound of the standard sports exhaust system and a few short
intermediate spurts. The extroverted Sonic Speed Blue metallic
paintwork highlights the generous surface design and precise lines of
the open-air sports car without any restrictions. Thus the BMW M850i
xDrive Convertible turns into an attraction when relaxedly cruising
from the Wynwood Art District via South Beach to the Midtown Design
District, which, like Miami’s murals, attracts attention on almost
every street corner.