The question “What does the BMW logo mean?” has a straightforward solution. The company’s Bavarian heritage was emphasized in the symbol’s design. The organization honors its history by using the inverted colors of the Bavarian flag.
However, there are different interpretations of the BMW emblem that are possible. A powerful image for inclusivity, community, and connection is a collection of circles enclosing one another.
The “BMW” word mark’s decision to be written in a softer, sans-serif font is also intentional; it makes the firm look more approachable and interesting.
Additionally, a lot of individuals still associate the BMW emblem with the aviation sector, claiming that the white and blue pattern in the middle makes them think of a plane’s fast propeller against a sky of blue.
In This Article...
The Real Meaning of the BMW Logo It’s not an airplane propeller, either.
If you believed that BMW’s logo evoked the company’s past as an airplane manufacturer, you’re mistaken. You’re also mistaken if you assumed that the “Roundel” in the emblem represented a rotating airplane propeller. Fortunately, the Munich-based automaker recently published a “BMW Explained” column debunking some of the Roundel’s origin lore.
As stated in the article by Fred Jakobs of BMW Group Classic, “many people think the BMW emblem is a stylised propeller.” But the reality is somewhat different.
What led to the creation of the Roundel? The company’s famous blue and white inner circular quarters actually got their start as a symbol of the state of Bavaria’s official colors, according the historical discovery. But when the BMW logo was initially designed, the local trademark law of the time forbade the use of the state’s coats of arms and other associated “symbols of sovereignty” in commercial insignias. As a result, the pattern within the BMW emblem displays those colors inverted order.
In order to get around the trademark law, BMW merely reversed the colors.
After beginning as Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH in 1913, BMW originally registered as a business with the German Imperial Register of Trademarks on October 5, 1917. Since BMW didn’t have an emblem at first, its designers simply adopted the former founding company’s original badge, kept its circular shape with the outer black ring, and changed the horse head silhouette with the state’s inverted colors and the letters BMW, which stand for Bayerische Motoren Werke or Bavarian Motor Works.
What is the origin of the widespread misunderstanding that BMW’s emblem resembles an airplane propeller? This 1929 commercial:
It first appeared that year as a marketing ploy for the firm’s most recent aviation engine, which they were making for Pratt & Whitney under license at the time, just as the world economic crisis, better known to us as “The Great Depression,” started to take hold. Due to its strong association with BMW’s past as an airplane manufacturer, this perception just took off. Since then, it has been repeated several times in the media, most notably in 1942 when a similar advertisement appeared in the “Flugmotoren-Nachrichten” or “Aircraft Engine News” magazine, published by BMW.
According to Jakobs, “BMW made little attempt for a very long time to dispel the idea that the BMW emblem is a propeller.”
Jakobs added that although it isn’t entirely incorrect, calling the BMW symbol a representation of an airplane propeller isn’t entirely accurate either. The identical idea was debunked in a 2010 New York Times piece, yet for some reason, the belief has persisted.
This interpretation has been widely accepted for 90 years, therefore it has developed some validity over time, continued Jakobs.
Hopefully the record will be cleared up once and for all with the company’s official statement from its internal monthly.
logo history
Bayerische Motoren Werke, or BMW, was founded in Munich in 1916. Its initial focus was on the manufacture of aviation engines. The firm’s initial logo was circular to emphasize its relationship with Rapp Motorenwerken, the company that gave rise to BMW. The blue and white circle that took the place of the black horse quickly became the center of attention.
The rumors were fueled by the business itself. The business produced a photograph of a plane in 1929 whose revolving propellers closely resembled the insignia. The business was working on getting the necessary license at the time so it could start producing a new kind of airplane engine. By utilizing the new emblem, BMW hoped to increase sales.
The Bavarian flag is actually referenced by the colors white and blue. BMW made the decision to arrange the colors of the flag in a different order because the law forbade businesses from utilizing the recognized national symbols.
– 1933
The classic blue and white striped symbol was initially created in 1916. It featured “BMW” letters in a rounded serif typeface that were arched along its upper section, as well as a thick black frame with a thin gold outline.
The inner circle, which resembled an airplane propeller and represented the company’s importance of its history and roots, was made up of a vivid blue and white pattern.
The Bavarian Flag’s official color scheme is blue and white, therefore choosing those hues is quite simple to understand.
What is the BMW logo’s coded message?
The whirling airplane blades that make up the BMW logo’s centre portion represent the company’s early heritage of aviation technology.
Meaning of the Mercedes logo?
Meaning of the Mercedes-Benz Logo The three points of the Mercedes-Benz star together symbolize the company’s pursuit of global motorization, but each point also has a distinct meaning. The points stand for land, sea, and air, which the corporation envisioned as being the three spheres they would eventually rule with Mercedes-Benz engines.
What does BMW actually stand for?
Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, or the Bavarian Engine Works Company, is what the abbreviation BMW stands for. The corporation was founded in the German state of Bavaria, hence the name. Additionally, it shows the original product line of BMW: different application-specific engines
What is the name of the BMW badge?
The current BMW symbol is a badge composed of two rings. The BMW logo’s inner circle is decorated with a white and blue check pattern. The letters “BMW” are displayed on a transparent background in the larger circle surrounding this central image.
The BMW logo is written in a straightforward sans-serif font using only capital letters.
BMW has long kept a logo that is quite similar to those of several other well-known automakers. All BMW products, including the vehicles themselves, now bears the white and blue emblem. The “BMW roundel” is the name of the emblem, according to the official BMW brand.
Why do BMWs have three stripes?
In the 1970s, when the German carmaker initially began its motorsports racing program, the famous /M logo of BMW was created. The italicized “M” of the logo is followed by various colored stripes, each of which has a distinct significance.
The blue stripe, according to BMW Blog, symbolizes both the automaker and the Bavarian area from which it is derived. The red stripe commemorates Texaco, a major American oil company that collaborated with BMW in the early stages of M racing. As red and blue combine to form purple, the central purple stripe stands for their cooperation.
BMW made a minor change to the M emblem in recent years, swapping the purple stripe with a dark blue one. The symbol is still widely recognized, though.
In fact, the three stripes are tastefully incorporated into both the exterior and inside of every BMW M-badge car. Even vehicle upholsterers are finding it difficult to come up with fresh, original methods to use the colors to adorn the cabins.
Of course, using the proper thread and colors is necessary in order to pull off these small but significant elements.
Amann’s Serafil polyester thread, which is used by BMW, is available at JPM Coachworks in Smyrna, Georgia.
According to Joseph Pavich of JPM Coachworks, “the most popular colors individuals choose for the tri-stitch are red 504, light blue 7463, and dark blue 1078.” “Most modern wheels use a significantly thicker Tex size 207 (Ticket size 15), while older wheels used a Tex size 138 (Ticket size 20).”
Why does the Audi logo exist?
Four interlocking rings represented the joining of four Saxony-based automakers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer to form Auto Union AG. Here are some quick facts about the history of the current AUDI AG.
Bike repair was the company’s first line of business. They later began producing bicycles and subsequently motorcycles. The firm built its first miniature automobile in 1913, which was dubbed “Puppchen” (approximately equivalent to “moppet” in English).
DKW, one of the biggest motorcycle manufacturers at the time, was the fourth business. In 1916, Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen, the creator of Denmark, started testing a steam-powered car called the Dampfkraftwagen (DKW). But Rasmussen started working on two-stroke engines after his futile efforts. DKW became one of the most significant pre-war motorcycle manufacturers a few years later. In 1928, DKW first began producing autos.
What is the name of BMW blue?
The M-specific paint finish, BMW Individual Macao Blue metallic, has been a distinctive aspect of M automobiles’ design for more than three decades. The color made a significant comeback in 2016 with the BMW M3 30 Years edition after making its debut on the BMW M3 E30 in 1986.
What color is associated with BMW?
Blue represents BMW, red represents motorsport, and violet represents the special union of the two, according to BMW M. This still remains true today if dark blue is used in place of purple. The BMW M colors are derived in a clever yet straightforward way.
BMW superior to Mercedes?
BMW remains the overall champion when it comes to luxury performance, even if the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is one of the best-performing large luxury sedans on the road right now. Customers should choose a BMW automobile if they want performance and style in one convenient package.
How is paint applied by BMW?
In 44 of the markets where BMW conducts business, Glasurit(r), BASF’s premium refinish brand, continues to be a suggested supplier of paint solutions. In 2020, all BMW authorized dealers and body shop networks will be able to refinish paint repairs on BMW and Mini vehicles using Glasurit.
The agreement covers the innovative bodyshop management systems and the dynamic paint, training, and digital color solutions portfolio of the Glasurit brand. According to Uwe Bauschulte, Global Key Account Management BMW Group, BASF Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions, “This new arrangement with BMW shows proof of Glasurit’s overall strength and reputation as a trusted business partner.” “We are convinced that the high standards of BMW’s devoted automobile buyers will be met by our complete paint and color knowledge.”
In the same time frame, BASF is authorized to supply BMW’s ColorSystem refinish paint system in specific Asian Pacific regions, including China and Japan.
Glasurit waterborne solutions provide great hiding power, simple application, and ideal process times for any vehicle and every color. The Glasurit 90 Line series is a top option among automotive coatings for solid, metallic, and special-effect colors, and it always provides the best refinishing solution.
Glasurit will train the spray painters and owners of BMW’s body shops in the use of its cutting-edge “Glasurit Know-how” online learning platform in order to maximize the brand’s color excellence and make sure that BMW body shops can provide their clients with the greatest refinish results. In Glasurit Know-how, you may find production details, technical data sheets, e-books, and more than 100 training videos that address typical body shop inquiries. No matter what the process entails—spraying pressure, temperature, proximity to the object, or paint system—Glasurit professionals thoroughly explain each step and break it down into manageable steps. “Every BMW body shop painter worldwide has access to world-class and reliable training thanks to the premium learning platform Glasurit Know-how. As the agreement spans 44 markets worldwide, it is crucial that our customers can reach us whenever they need to, from anywhere in the world, regardless of the job or color they are working on “the head of global marketing for Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions, Fabien Boschetti, stated.
Glasurit provides a variety of digital color management technologies, including the integrated Color Profi System, as part of its comprehensive offer to BMW. With Glasurit’s RATIO Scan 12/6 next-generation handheld spectrophotometer, which accurately measures and adjusts the color on the car fast and effortlessly, millions of color formulations may be recreated quickly, conveniently, and practically.
BMW advises Glasurit automotive refinish paints in the following markets and areas in Asia Pacific:
Under the Glasurit brand, BASF sells a wide selection of automobile refinishing paint solutions with a focus on high-solids and eco-friendly waterborne basecoats. The products fulfill the same quality criteria as solvent-borne paints in terms of look and durability when employing these systems, and all regulatory solvent-reduction requirements can be met globally. The business provides a wide range of services in this field to help its clients. Most of the world’s top automakers have chosen Glasurit Automotive Refinish Paints for their aftermarket repair needs due to its competence in color.