bmw Logo - History, Design, and Meaning

BMW was founded in 1916 by Franz Josef Popp, Karl Rapp, and Camillo Castiglioni. It initially manufactured aircraft engines before pivoting to motorcycles and automobiles. The company name and logo were inspired by its aviation roots, though the logo actually represents the Bavarian flag's colors in inverse order.

Throughout the 20th century, BMW achieved significant milestones in the automotive industry. In the 1970s, it introduced sporty sedans that redefined the luxury car market. The creation of BMW M GmbH in 1972 led to high-performance models like the M1. The BMW 3 Series became a benchmark for compact executive cars.

Today, BMW is a global leader in premium vehicles and motorcycles, focusing on electrification, digitalization, and sustainable mobility. The company's new brand design, unveiled in 2020, reflects a more digital and customer-centric approach, aiming to connect with younger demographics while maintaining its heritage.

The BMW logo has evolved over time, but its core design of a circular emblem with blue and white quadrants has remained consistent. The logo is often mistaken for a spinning propeller, but it actually represents the colors of the Bavarian flag. The emblem symbolizes BMW's journey from aircraft engines to automotive excellence.

The font in the BMW logo has also evolved, from a thin serif font to its current bold, sans-serif design. This transformation reflects the brand's progression and commitment to modern, sophisticated design. The logo's colors - blue, white, and black (or silver in recent versions) - represent the brand's Bavarian heritage and premium status.

The RAPP logo, designed in 1913 was composed of a circular medallion with a thick black framing, where two delicate white stripes and two white stars were placed, separating the “RAPP MOTOR” wordmark in all capitals.

Inside the circle, there was a black horse silhouette in profile. The chess knight figurine was turned to the left.

The first version of the iconic blue and white checkered insignia was designed in 1916. It featured a thick black framing with a thin gold outline and “BMW” letters in a rounded serif typeface arched along its upper part.

The inner-circle was composed of a bright blue and white pattern, resembling of the plane's propeller, and representing the company's value of its legacy and roots.

The choice of colors is pretty easy to explain — blue and white is the official palette of the Bavarian Flag.

In 1923 the logo was modified and modernized: the contours were cleaned and made bolder. Now the framing became even thicker than it used to be due to the enlargement of the Golden outline.

As for the main change, it was definitely the typeface of the gold “BMW” lettering, which became sleeker and chicer now with smooth bold serif lines.

Gold was replaced by silver in 1936. As for the main blue and white pattern, it became lighter, and now the logo looked fresh, resembling something ice-cold. The black outline became a little more delicate due to the thin silver outline.

The gray lettering was now executed in a sharp straight serif font with distinct cuts and edges, reflecting a powerful and progressive brand. This logo stayed with the company for almost 30 years.

The contours of the badge were refined in 1963. The logo got a perfectly balanced modern look, and the color palette became a bit more intense and calm.

The “BMW” wordmark was now executed in white sans-serif font with clear looks lines, reflecting authority and value of quality and style.

The silver outline of the framing was also replaced by thin white lines, making the emblem flat, yet modern and very strong.

The additional logo version was designed for the famous German automaker in 1970 — it was a bright and colorful badge, where the official emblem from 1963 was placed in the middle of a bigger circle, composed of thick lines in different shades of blue, white and pink.

The most recognizable and distinct logo for BMW was created in 1997 and remained to be official until 2020. But even after the introduction of the new design in 2020, the previous badge still stays on the bonnets of the iconic German autos.

The version of 1997 is composed of a three-dimensional circle with a thick black frame in a silver-gray outline and white sand-serif nameplate. The inner blue and white patterns now have black lines, separating the propeller's segments from each other. This makes the logo look strict yet contemporary and professional.

In 2020 the company goes minimalist and redraws its logo in a 2D way, removing the black color. Now the circle with blue and white checkers boasts a thin gray outline and a thick white frame, where the gray “BMW” inscription in a modern slightly extended typeface is placed.

The logo looks fresh and cool, reflecting the progress of the brand and its willingness to move to the new era.

The symbolism of the BMW emblem, as interpreted by historians like Fred Jakobs of BMW Group Classic, transcends its apparent representation of a spinning airplane propeller. This emblem, a visual narrative of BMW's journey from an aircraft engine news provider to a titan of the automotive industry, also encapsulates the strategic prowess reminiscent of a chess game. Such strategic thinking, akin to the symbols of sovereignty and the opportunities of digitization, allowed BMW to navigate the tumultuous waters of the 20th century, outplaying competitors and emerging victorious against the backdrop of global conflict. The emblem, thus, is not just a badge or a BMW badge but a storied symbol that encapsulates the essence of the BMW M Motorsport and the entirety of the BMW world, including its adherence to local trademark law and its registration with the German Imperial Register of Trademarks.

The emblem of BMW, a marque synonymous with innovative mobility and a rich tapestry of history, stands as a beacon of myth and legend in the automotive world. Throughout its existence, the emblem—a circle bisected into quarters by a "chess" pattern with a black contour—has been a constant, symbolizing the brand's dedication to preserving its illustrious past while steering towards the future with little effort. The emblem, often mistaken for a rotating propeller, harks back to BMW's origins as an aircraft engine manufacturer for the German air force, a nod to the high rpms and the clarity of the skies it once conquered. This legendary logo, with its roots deeply embedded in the Bavarian flag's colors and BMW's home city of Munich, Germany, remains unchanged in form but ever-evolving in meaning, embodying the brand's resilience and commitment to excellence.

 

The font used in the BMW emblem has journeyed through time, from its inception with gold lines and serifs to its current iteration, which exudes visual restraint and sophistication. The transformation from a thin, serif font to a bold, golden inscription was a significant leap, symbolizing the brand's ambition and the clarity of its vision. As the times changed, so did the font, eventually adopting a uniform thickness and transitioning to a white (silver) color, echoing the colors of the Bavarian flag and the purity of BMW's design ethos. This evolution reflects the brand's adaptability and its pursuit of innovative mobility, with the white (silver) font now considered a classic hallmark of BMW's identity, emblematic of the brand's name BMW and its essence as captured by the interior and exterior designers, including collaborations with renowned design studio Italdesign.

The choice of color for the BMW emblem, primarily the blue and white hues, is steeped in tradition, directly reflecting the Bavarian flag's colors and symbolizing the brand's origins in Munich, Germany. These colors, while constant, have seen variations in saturation and tone, mirroring BMW's journey through time and its response to the changing tastes of car aficionados. The font color's transition from gold to white (silver) in the 1930s was a pivotal moment, marking BMW's intent to broaden its appeal and make its vehicles more accessible to the middle class. This shift not only highlighted BMW's adaptability but also underscored its commitment to innovation, as seen in the introduction of the new transparent variant of the emblem and the adoption of the M logo. Through these colors, BMW communicates its legacy, its innovations in mobility, and its vision for the future, making each emblem a canvas where the past and the promise of tomorrow blend seamlessly.