Traditional and individual

02. Sep 2016

TRADITIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL.

Esther Mahlangu was born a member of the Ndebele people in 1935 in Middelburg, a small town in the north-eastern province of Mpumalanga. At the early age of ten, she began to paint under the guidance of her mother and grandmother. According to tradition, Ndebele women decorate the exterior walls of their houses with elaborately painted patterns and graphic elements. Esther Mahlangu has, however, found new ways to express the artistic heritage of her people. In 1991, the South African artist became the first woman to create artwork on a BMW 5 Series Sedan, thus turning it into a BMW Art Car. Her second BMW project, 25 years later, was the BMW Individual 7 Series by Esther Mahlangu. In collaboration with the BMW Individual Manufaktur, she transformed this vehicle into an extraordinary and dynamic work of art by painting her characteristic motifs on the fine-wood trims.

” With my work for BMW, I have united tradition with the unique character of the BMW brand. ”
Esther Mahlangu, South African artist

Individuality inspired by two worlds.

Before the artistic act itself, careful planning of the manufacturing process was required, as well as special development of the surfaces by the BMW Individual Manufaktur. A white-coloured fine-wood veneer was made to enable the application of colour. After Esther Mahlangu had painted her designs on the trims, they were then sealed to ensure permanent protection before being integrated into the luxury sedan. The result is a truly unique automobile, which was shown to the public for the first time at the Frieze Art Fair in Regent’s Park, London.

Along with unique features from the BMW Individual Manufaktur, the BMW Individual 7 Series by Esther Mahlangu also offers additional equipment details from the BMW Individual Collection. The elegance of the vehicle is, above all, accentuated by the paint finish Pure metal Silver and 20" light alloy wheels V-spoke style 649 I. The interior features BMW Individual full fine-grain Merino leather in Smoke White/Black, the highest quality leather available for a BMW, including hand-woven piping and weave-look stitching. The leather impresses with its natural suppleness and fine structure, which accounts for its unique look and feel. The full fine-grain Merino leather also includes the rear panels of the seats, the upper and lower instrument panel, the door trims and the B-pillars. The BMW Individual leather steering wheel with applications in Piano finish Black and headliner Alcantara in Smoke White round off the exclusive ambience of the interior.

True art cannot be learned. Perfection takes tradition and experience.

Esther Mahlangu still follows tradition by using simple quills to apply colour.

What may appear simple at first is, in fact, the result of many years of experience and tradition handed down through generations. Complete freedom of expression and absolute dedication has transformed a plain white interior trim into amazing work of art.

Simple means, great art.

“To paint is in my heart and it’s in my blood. The way I paint was taught to me by my mother and my grandmother. The images and colours have changed and I have painted on many surfaces and objects, but I still love to paint. The patterns I have used on the BMW parts marry tradition to the essence of BMW. When BMW sent me the panels to paint, I could see the design in my head and I just wanted to get started! I started by painting the small ones first to get a feel for the surface and then it was easy, as the design followed the lines of the panels. My art has taken me all over the world and I have seen many places. I have painted many walls and objects and my work is in many museums but I am still Esther Mahlangu from Mpumalanga in South Africa. My heart was full of joy when BMW asked me again to paint for them” – Esther Mahlangu.

The idea that tradition and technology are opposites is a mistake. The combination of established knowledge and innovative technology is responsible for some of humanity’s greatest achievements.

BMW M760Li xDrive:
Fuel consumption in l/100 km (combined): 12,8
CO2 emissions in g/km (combined): 294

Further information about the official fuel consumption and the official specific CO2 emissions for new passenger automobiles can be found in the 'New Passenger Vehicle Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emission Guidelines', which are available free of charge at all sales outlets, from Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern, Germany, or under http://www.dat.de/en/offers/publications/guideline-for-fuel-consumption.html. The figures are not based on an individual vehicle and do not constitute part of the product offer; they are provided solely for the purposes of comparison between different vehicle types. CO2 emissions caused by the production and provision of fuel or other energy sources are not taken into account in the determination of CO2 emissions pursuant to Directive 1999/94/EC.

All vehicles, equipment, combination possibilities and varieties shown here are examples and can differ in your country. In no way do they constitute a binding offer by the BMW M GmbH. Visit your local BMW website or see your authorised BMW M Retailer for accurate details on the offers in your country.