BMW is celebrating the 40th anniversary since is "international cultural commitment," (whatever that means) and it's doing it in artistic, if somewhat high-tech, fashion, with a "virtual video tour" of its 17 art cars.

Documenting the origin, history, and development of the 17 art cars, each adorned with its unique appearance by a famous artist, the video tour offers a closer look at vehicles only rarely seen in person. Occasionally an individual art car will be housed in BMW's Museum in Munich, but this virtual tour allows them all to be seen in one place, at one time.

The video itself is brief--too brief--but we'll never turn down an excuse to ogle an M1 or a 3.0 CSL. Once the video has you revved up, spend some quality time with the images in the gallery above.

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