BMW Z8 interior (detail)

ABOUT THIS COMMISSION
There’s something wonderfully incongruous about the BMW Z8. On the one hand, it’s powered by that glorious, naturally aspirated 4.9-litre V8 from the E39 M5 - a sonorous, free-revving motorsport engine that delivers 394 bhp and 369 lb-ft with the sort of unflustered confidence that defines the best M cars. And yet, the Z8 wraps this powertrain in a body so achingly retro it feels more like a concept car that somehow escaped the show stand.

Driving it is an experience tinted with romance - the long bonnet, the delicate steering, the feeling that you're piloting a car designed as much by emotion as engineering. It’s all too easy to forget that this was James Bond’s car in The World Is Not Enough, albeit briefly before it was bisected by a helicopter-mounted saw. But even that cinematic demise only adds to the Z8’s mythos: it was always a bit too cool, too refined, to belong to the typical Bond garage. It’s not just a pastiche of 507 nostalgia; it’s a celebration of BMW’s engineering prowess at the turn of the millennium, encased in one of the most charismatic shapes ever to wear the roundel.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
“Car Fine Art”, is how Dutch Photographer Thomas Boudewijn describes his work. “I love cars and especially their design. Cars are works of art. Subtle lines, smooth curves, angular shapes, beautiful details and materials defining a car and brand.”

“The unique FDL Lighting technique (focused diffused lighting) gives me artistic freedom to create truly unique images and shoot ‘Art on Wheels’.” It’s a tribute to car designers. Using this unique lighting technique, Thomas manages to eliminate distracting reflections on a car and replace them with a silky smooth finish to really highlight the design.

In addition to car photography, Thomas also is working as a graphic designer and food & lifestyle photographer in the coffee industry. Cars are a fixed element in his life. Shooting for a variety of clients, organising Cars & Coffee events and providing FDL Workshops. “I love to pass on my photography knowledge and experience to other photographers, helping them expand their skills and provide new inspiration.