Frank Stella BMW M1 goes on the block at Bonhams this August

It's times like this I wish I was a Russian oligarch.  Or any sort of oligarch for that matter.  In addition to the famous BMW 3.0 CSL that Frank Stella painted in graph paper livery for BMW's Le Mans assault in 1976, he also apparently painted an M1 on private commission in 1979.  This makes the M1 in question the only BMW Art Car that will ever be available for private sale, since all the others reside in BMW's permanent collection.  Even more curious is that this painted M1 was in the Guggenheim's collection since 1999, but it was never displayed, as far as I know, except to be driven in 2003 for an exhibition run.  With an estimate of $450,00-$600,00 I'd say this car is a bargain by Art auction standards.

Via the NY Times Wheels Blog

Upper photo credit: Phil Patton

Alfa 164 PROCAR - Wildest sedan in history?

This is what happens when you take a Formula 1 chassis and engine, and place a nearly stock-looking body right over it. The result?  I'd say you can't get more "sleeper" than this monster!

In the back was a 3.5L V-10, producing 620hp in a car weighing less than 1,700 pounds.  The fact that this car could achieve 211 mph with essentially a stock body shape (made in carbon fiber, of course!) is a real testament to the aerodynamic work Pininfarina did on the production 164.

The underlying idea was to gain more marketing exposure for Alfa, to ensure a greater ROI on their F1 engine program, while fully utilizing all of the Brabham F1 facilities they also owned to construct the cars for a one-make series that would support Grand Prix racing events. Previously in 1979-80, BMW had been the single-make for the PROCAR series with the M1.

Sadly even the consumate wheeler-dealer Bernie Ecclestone -who was boss at Brabham at the time- couldn't sell the idea all the way up to the top Alfa brass and this unusual project was shelved.

Watch it in action!  Additional video is HERE. I couldn't embed it, unfortunately.