BMW has once again brought South African culture to the global stage, unveiling a revolutionary colour-changing art car at the Shanghai Auto Show in China. This technological marvel is a vibrant homage to renowned Ndebele artist and cultural icon, Dr Esther Mahlangu.
The new art car reimagines the design Dr Mahlangu originally painted in 1991 as part of the 12th BMW Art Car project—making her the first woman and first African artist to contribute to the series. Now, over three decades later, her signature geometric patterns and vivid colours have inspired an innovative new model that blends art with cutting-edge automotive technology.
At the heart of this tribute is a colour-changing exterior equipped with an advanced LCD display system. Spectators can select the car’s colour, which transforms in about 15 seconds through a carefully calibrated sequence of voltage waveforms. The system consumes approximately 10 watts of power during each colour change.
The vehicle not only showcases BMW’s commitment to blending culture and technology but also honours Dr Mahlangu’s global influence as a visual artist and proud ambassador of South Africa’s Ndebele heritage.
Image: Dr Esther Mahlangu via Instagram
