Some cars are designed to be speed demons, both in their engines and in their shapes. Every part of a car, of course, is designed not just for looks, but for aerodynamics as well. That doesn’t mean you can’t find other ways to express that idea of ​​speed in other ways, from colors to decals. And if you’re going to express speed with something that will really turn heads, you might as well do it in one of the most expressive media available: comic books.

Designer: Jeff Koons

Comic books have enjoyed a period of revival over the past decade, thanks in part to the almost infuriating number of movies and TV shows made around them during this time. While many will be unfamiliar with characters from the fictional Marvel and DC Universe, almost everyone is familiar with comic book sequential art, or at least the visual idioms used in the medium.

This familiarity and popularity is perhaps what inspired famed artist Jeff Koons to try mixing comics and cars to convey this idea of ​​speed. Not that the 2023 BMW M850i ​​Gran Coupe needs any help sending that message, especially when it’s already burning rubber. This special collaboration, however, is almost as over the top as popular comics get the point across, combining specially chosen lines, colors, iconography, and even sound effects into the words.

Outside, you’re treated to a sea of ​​blue broken up by flecks of yellow on the front and back. Koons chose the color to give the impression of space where a speedster would move at the speed of light, or something like that. The sides of the car are decorated with white flashes, a poof, and a loud POP!, common devices used in comic books to indicate a burst of action and speed. And as if that weren’t enough, the trunk of the BMW 8 is a really big bang, almost reminiscent of the Batmobile’s exhaust from the 60s.

The interior colors contrast sharply with those of the exterior and have a stronger superhero vibe. The alternation of blue and red could immediately bring to mind characters who have adopted the same pattern, from Superman to Spider-Man to Wonder Woman. Sitting inside can make you feel like such a superhero springing into action, traveling at speeds most mortals can’t even experience.

That said, most mortals probably won’t even be able to experience this 8 x Jeff Koons collaboration. Much like a limited-edition comic book, this specially designed comic book car will only be “printed” 99 times and will fetch a six-figure price tag when it’s finally released.