Last Updated on July 5, 2023
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, more popularly known by its abbreviation BMW, is a German multinational manufacturer of luxury automobiles, including vehicles and motorcycles.
BMW was founded on March 7, 1916, by Camillo Castiglioni, Franz Josef Popp, and Karl Rapp. The company is presently headquartered in Munich, Germany. However, it operates manufacturing plants in several other countries, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, China, and, India.
BMW originally specialized in the manufacture of aircraft engines. The company produced airplane engines from 1917 to 1918 and then again from 1933 to 1945.
They eventually found real success in the luxury automobile manufacturing sector. BMW’s vehicles are primarily marketed under the brands BMW, Rolls-Royce, and Mini, while its motorcycles are marketed under the brand name BMW Motorrad.
Although it began as a small-time luxury vehicle manufacturer, BMW has grown into a global automobile powerhouse. In 2017, the company produced 2.2 million vehicles. It emerged as the 14th-largest manufacturer of motor vehicles that year.
Aside from its reputation for producing high-end luxury cars, the BMW brand is also famous for its logo. But where did the BMW logo originate and how has it changed over time?
BMW Logo Appearance
Logo Shape
“Is it a propeller or not?”
The shape of the BMW logo has been a subject of debate for decades. A good number of car enthusiasts believe that the BMW emblem symbolizes an airplane propeller.
But as you’re about to find out, it’s all myth and misconception. You’ll also discover why, despite issuing statements denying any association of its emblem with a propeller, BMW doesn’t seem bothered by the debate surrounding its logo. In fact, the company’s executives would prefer that things remain as mysterious as they are now.
What does the BMW logo look like?
The iconic BMW logo is made up of a blue and white roundel placed in the middle of a white circle. A large outer circle inscribes the inner circle containing the blue-and-white pattern. Both circles feature silver contours, with the frame of the outer circle thicker than that of the inner one.
Between the two circles is the brand name BMW. The name appears in bold and is executed on top. It’s also in silver.
Logo Colors
The BMW logo utilizes three main colors – white, blue, and silver.
White and blue are used for the chequered pattern found in the small inner circle. White is also used for the negative space in the larger circle. However, this variation of white is a bit duller than the one appearing alongside the blue markings in the chequered pattern.
Lastly, silver is used for the wordmark and as the contours for the two circles. However, the silver color may change depending on the media and context the logo appears in. Sometimes, the silver color looks like light grey.
Logo Font
BMW’s logo uses Helvetica font. This is the font that the “BMW” inscription appears in.
Also known as Neue Haas Grotesk, Helvetica is a sans-serif typeface created in 1957 by Max Miedinger in collaboration with Eduard Hoffman. The font was inspired by famous 19th-century typefaces, such as Akzidenz-Grotesk.
Helvetica has been the go-to font for BMW’s creative designers for years. In fact, the automobile manufacturer has its own version of the typeface, called BMW Helvetica.
BMW Logo Symbolism
Symbolism of the White-and-Blue Roundel
The white and blue color scheme placed inside a circle that appears on BMW’s logo has been a matter of hot discussion for years. As we’ve already indicated, the pattern is widely associated with an airplane’s propeller.
However, the white-and-blue roundel was mainly adopted to pay tribute to Bavaria, the actual birthplace of the BMW brand. Bavaria (officially known as the Free State of Bavaria) is a federal state found in the south-east of Germany. The Bavarian flag also sports the same blue-and-white pattern found on BMW vehicles.
Around the time of BMW’s establishment, there was a popular movement for the Free State of Bavaria to declare independence from Germany. It turns out BMW simply wanted to identify with this movement.
Where did the propeller misconception come from?
According to BMW, this misconception stems from an advertisement published in 1929 when BMW was still producing airplanes. The advert depicted an airplane featuring BWM’s logo superimposed over the propeller. The misconception has since been perpetuated by the media.
Also, many people who associate BMW’s logo with an airplane’s propeller simply borrow from the fact that BMW initially manufactured airplane engines before venturing into the luxury automobile business.
Interestingly, BMW claims that it has never been bothered by the myth about its logo. That’s because the myth hasn’t done any harm to the brand’s reputation. On the contrary, it has helped propagate the BWM brand.
Symbolism of the Circular Frames
You now know that the circle containing the white-blue color scheme was mainly adopted to pay tribute to the Free State of Bavaria.
However, a circle is also a symbol of the globe. Like other automobile makers, such as Toyota, BMW likely embraced the circular image as an expression of its desire to penetrate global markets.
A circle also stands for completeness. That’s considering that this geometric shape has no beginning or ending. BMW might have used the circular design to portray its automobiles as perfect in every sense.
Last but not least, a circle evokes a sense of community. Companies that use this shape on their logo often tend to convey their desire to connect with their clients.
Symbolism of the Wordmark
BMW’s wordmark serves the same purpose as any other logotype – representing the identity of the brand behind it.
What does the abbreviation stand for?
We already pointed out that BMW is an abbreviation for Bayerische Motoren Werke. Bayerische Motoren Werke is German for Bavarian Motor Works.
Evidently, BMW’s name was also inspired by the Bavarian pro-independence agitations that were popular around the time the company was established.
Symbolism of the Colors
Blue symbolizes peace, serenity, work, and elegance, while white stands for innocence, purity, and balance. However, BMW chose these colors not for their deeper symbolism but for their association with the Free State of Bavaria.
Silver symbolizes affluence, glitz, and glamor. Note that BMW originally used gold for its wordmark before adopting the silver color. This might symbolize the company’s commitment to avail its luxury cars to the middle-class and not just members of the upper social class.
BMW Logo Evolution
BMW was initially established in 1913 as RAPP Motorenwerke (an aircraft engine manufacturer) before being founded on March 7, 1916, as BMW (a luxury automobile brand). Therefore, the company’s first logo featured its original name.
The original logo was composed of a circular medallion with a solid black framing. Two delicate white stripes surrounded the black framing, with two stars placed horizontally on opposite sides of the medallion.
A white inscription “RAPP MOTOR” appeared on the black framing. The phrase was split in two, with the first part set on the upper section of the medallion and the second one on the lower section.
Lastly, inside the circle was a black horse silhouette, whose head faced left.
1916 – 1933
The first version of the current BMW logo appeared in 1916. Gold was used for the wordmark as well as the contour of the roundel, while the circle containing the blue-and-white checkered insignia sported a solid black framing.
1933 – 1953
BMW’s checkered design remained the same. The wordmark and contour of the inner circle also retained their gold color. However, the color became bolder this time.
The thick black framing surrounding the chequered circle was kept, only that it now appeared surrounded by a gold contour.
1953 – 1963
BMW’s logo first appeared in silver color in 1953. The inner circle was also outlined in silver, while the thick black framing discarded its outlines. But perhaps the most noticeable changes were the different shades of blue in the checkered design.
1963 – 1997
During this period, the BMW wordmark appeared white (sometimes silvery or grey depending on the media).
The circular frames also sported white outlines and the blue color in the chess-like pattern changed its shade yet again, becoming bolder than in the previous version.
1997 – 2020
Most of the elements in the previous logo remained the same, except for minor tweaks in the color scheme. The colors became bolder, although the wordmark became a bit dull.
2020 – Present
The current version of BMW’s logo was unveiled in 2020. The thick black framing disappeared, leaving behind a white open space. Also, silver became the main color for the wordmark and the outlines of the two circles.