The REAL origins of the BMW Logo

[BostonBagger]

For years, I understood that the BMW logo evolved from the original BMW airplane motor, and that the blue & white cross was the aircraft propellers. WRONG...

 

I just saw this from the BMW archives on YouTube. Pretty interesting, and a must know tidbit for all BMW owners.

 

 

 

[StuGotz]

And since you own a Harley, what of that logo?

 

I hear tell that they originally owned it, sold it, and had to buy it back.

 

Can you verify this?

 

Sorry for the hijack.

 

MB>

[Linz]

Bagger... Where have you been?

 

You teased us with backlit roundels and then mysteriously disappeared.

 

What happened?

 

Linz

[tallman]

Actually, there is probably more specific info than "They chose the colors of the Bavaian flag".

 

The blue and white pattern of the emblem is very much like the flag in certain designs.

[Albert]

And here I always thought it represented the revolving door at my bank.

[AZKomet]

For me this did not explain much. It really does not explain the quadrants of blue and white in the triangular pattern. I still see the prop idea being reasonable even though they don't admit it.

[tallman]

Dave,

Long article in magazine(s) past years, maybe MOA, don't recall.

Logo used since X date and it had links to the Bavarian flag design and the logo.

Predates any prop reference which was taken to be gospel by many.

Prop makes a better story.

Best wishes.

[AviP]

I always thought it was the propellers! This review by Muzzy337 in the video link was funny.

 

Your motorcycle design engineers are AUTISTIC. The K bikes having the spin-on oil filter INSIDE the crankcase is one of the STUPIDEST DESIGN F***-UPS of all time. EPIC FAIL. Who designed that one- RainMan? Worse- who was the a**hole manager who actually signed off on the design? Have you ever tried to change the oil filter on your product? Duh. You f***ing idiots should start selling shoes instead of designing garbage.

 

I have to say there is an element of truth in it.

[AZKomet]

I had only heard the prop story....alas, my bubble is burst!!!!!!!!!!

[JohnnyJ]

So... this is the official story. At least until the NEXT official story comes out.

 

 

JohnnyJ

[cali_beemer]

The video did virtually nothign to explain the cente section other than where the colors come from, yet thats where the propellor theory is based on. If I remember correct, i used to have a VHS tape that BMW sent me once and it illustrated the blue and white as the propellors. It didnt look like the image in this video. It had proppelors rotating in several positions between the 2 blue sections. BMW used to send me this video every time I bough a new bike from them. This is where I learned of the propellor idea.

[Dick_at_Lake_Tahoe_NV]

There is no question the Blue/White is based on the colors in the Bavarian Flag. I think since, as the video states, the first time the logo appeared, it was on a manual that described their aircraft engines, the divided circle in fact does represent a spinning aircraft propeller, as it would appear when spinning in the sunlight. No myth as far as I'm concerned.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

There's probably some old, dead graphic designer that came up with a cool logo for BMW from his/her imagination and laughed silently to himself every time someone tried to explain it's origins.