When you think of BMW, Italy might not be the first country that springs to mind - but Munich’s latest museum exhibition wants to change that.
From Milan with style
Opening June 7, 2025, “Belle Macchine. Italian Automotive Design at BMW” is the BMW Museum’s love letter to Italian design.
Spanning five ramps and platforms inside the museum’s iconic “Bowl,” the exhibition dives into how Italian flair has quietly but powerfully shaped BMW’s design journey.
BMW’s fascination with Italian aesthetics stretches all the way back to the 1930s, with collaborations that brought the likes of Giorgetto Giugiaro, Giovanni Michelotti and Marcello Gandini into the fold.
Curators Anna Schleypen and Klaus-Anton Altenbuchner say the blend of “class and elegance with modern forms and functionality” helped steer BMW’s transformation into a true premium marque.
Saluti to the showstoppers
On display: 23 classic cars, archive design sketches, and a curated selection of Italian-influenced rarities. Gandini’s BMW Garmisch concept makes a standout appearance - his wedge-shaped creation influencing the first-gen 3 and 5 Series.
There’s also the BMW 1800 TI/SA and a trio from BMW’s Glas chapter, including the 3000 V8 “Glaserati.”
Italian coachbuilding hits peak form in the BMW 2800 GTS Frua and the Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe, while wildcards like the Giugiaro-designed Nazca M12 remind us just how playful things got when Germany’s engineering rigour met Italy’s passion for style.
A dolce vita future?
It’s not all retro. The final section nods to the future, pairing reverence with reinvention. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse and M1 Hommage channel Italy’s aesthetic influence into the next design era, with a wraparound projection of Giorgio de Chirico’s art offering a poetic finale.
From concept cars to concours legends, this isn’t just a showcase - it’s a statement: even the most Teutonic of carmakers has a soft spot for sprezzatura.
“Belle Macchine. Italian Automotive Design at BMW” runs from June 2025 at the BMW Museum in Munich.
