E36 vs E46 BMW M3 - Art Cars

Fortunately for us, some cars were made to make us FEEL something. And they were made by people who FELT something. And that makes them kind of remarkable, doesn’t it? A gift of pure automotive passion… passed through time & generations. Throughout history, there are standout cars that were created by people across the nations who STOOD for something. These cars likely had to be FOUGHT for. Careers were laid on the line; risks were taken. There is a common bond.

Sports cars, for example…

Don’t make sense from a ‘production standpoint’. Transportation is a need. And a vehicle is the modern appliance to fill that need. Romance, however, is not a necessary ingredient (see Tesla). In fact, it’s a completely unnecessary addition. Nothing but added complications. So why does a sports car even exist?

A sports car takes a need, and transforms it into an experience.

Art. And honestly… I’m not sure if art is a strong enough word. Because you can’t strap into a Monet & push it to it’s limits. Nor can you fire-up the Statue of David and hear it thunder to life just the same way their creator/s did. You can’t snatch the next gEAR of a Van Gough. See what I did there?

Sports cars use mechanical art, and visual art… to create visceral art.

And then they put us in the driver’s seat to experience it 1st-hand. I guess in my opinion, the closest comparison would be rock & roll… with an energy of sound just waiting to scream-out of a seemingly harmless/passive handmade guitar.

But… we shouldn’t be comparing art, because that misses the point.

We should be celebrating art in all of existence – whether it’s automotive, architectural, athletic, canvas, culinary, musical, theatrical, etc. Because how cool is it, that we as humans, take it there.

We could just exist to survive… yet we crave an experience.

We could put it on autopilot… but we want to DRIVE! Thank God. It’s almost instinctual and/or tribal how we’re attracted to authenticity. How we can spot it… like it’s wired-in somehow. And once we start to get a clear perspective of authenticity, it preoccupies our thoughts & motives, and has the power to influence the course of our lives. Authenticity becomes the benchmark. And we’ll accept the challenges with a smile, as long as it gives us meaning & purpose.

Tim Turner & Luke Turner are not actually brothers by blood…

But they are close friends with the same last name & the owners of these two BMWs. And both of these guys have had the course of their lives & careers shaped the impact of car culture.

Tim Turner owns the E46 M3…

And for Tim Tuner, cars were the family business since birth. He was born into a family-owned shop. And even as a kid, Tim was always drawn to the cars you could feel in your chest. When Tim was old enough, he began working at the shop (Centerville Service Center)… and he never left.

Since then, Tim’s taken leadership of the family business…

And he strives to keep a real culture aspect to it. With old-school shop ideals, the crew will work on anything with a motor… from oil changes to engine swaps. They eat lunch together everyday, and they tend to hang around after hours to help the next generation of car enthusiasts. It’s not about keeping tabs on profits, it’s more about fueling the passion of a younger generation, teaching some tricks, and being generous with equipment & machinery. That’s their way of giving back & passing-down those authentic, meaningful aspects of car culture.

Luke Turner owns the colorful E36 M3…

He runs a shop/brand called Obsess Worldwide. Obsess focuses on the visual/appearance-end of the automotive-aftermarket spectrum. They specialize in wraps, ceramics, and PPF. Additionally, Obsess has also branched into a merch brand, making shirts AND manufacturing heritage bags & luggage that’s made using BMW/Porsche fabric (or similar, depending on what’s available).

Art cars…

There have been so many great liveries in past eras of motorsports that have inspired Luke. But some of the most iconic have got to be the BMW Art Cars. In some ways sparked by those BMW Art Cars, Luke has developed a real kindred-spirit connection to vintage motorsports. And he wants his business to reflect that appreciation.