SPIRE INTEGRATED DESIGN • NYC
Spire presented several concepts toward the creation of a “signature car” for the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay event. BMW was an official sponsor of the event and provided a 540iL series vehicle which served as the “canvas” for the graphic treatment. The vehicle was an interactive document to the event. Spire updated and revised graphics on a 24-hour basis to keep up with the enthusiasm of the real time event.
Each state which the torch relay crossed was represented on the surface of the automobile in a rough approximation to its neighbors. The route of the relay was documented on a daily basis. Arrows provided a window to depict the method by which the torch was carried (runner, bicycle, boat, etc.).
All city-stops were indicated by an iconographic device. At each stop a dignitary signed the vehicle. The car contains hundreds of important signatures and stands as a living document to the event. The vehicle resides at BMW’s Centrum Museum in Spartanburg, SC.
The Spire team worked hand-in-hand with BMW factory professionals to prepare the vehicle. Careful pre-planning still required many hours of fine tuning on the automotive surface to visualize the results before painting commenced. The cooperative spirit and “what-ever-it-takes” attitude prevailed during the final creative and preparatory stages. Each state was individually painted to insure superb quality and durability, finished to show car standards.