Everyone knows them, but not everyone knows what is hidden behind the logos of the car manufacturers. Today we tell you what the BMW logo should represent.
They mostly look like pretty details on cars: the logos of the manufacturers. Behind it are not just design ideas, but sometimes real stories. In our new series, we explain what is hidden behind the logos. Today: BMW.
BMW: Myth of a running aircraft engine
The BMW logo shows an aircraft engine in motion - this is the common opinion. But is that also true? Probably not like Dr. Florian Triebel writes live in an essay in the magazine Mobile Tradition from 2005. Accordingly, the propeller interpretation was a marketing idea from 1929.
This was apparently intended to support the aircraft engine division, which had a similar logo. Nevertheless, the interpretation should not be disregarded, since it has been part of BMW for 90 years .
Read also: Do you know the true meaning of the Mercedes star?
That is behind the BMW logo
The myth of aircraft engine has been cultivated over the decades. The BMW logo goes back to the predecessor company Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH . This showed the black silhouette of a Springer chess piece - i.e. a black horse - surrounded by a black ring with the company name Rapp Motor.
Instead of rapping, a four-part circle in the Bavarian colors followed in 1917 - among other things as a reference to the first part of BMW's name: Bayerische Motorenwerke. The state colors should also refer to Bavaria as a production location . Attentive observers notice, however, that the corporate colors are blue-white and not white-blue, as in the Bavarian emblem.
Find out here what the four rings in the Audi logo mean and what the horse in the Ferrari logo stands for.
This is most likely due to the fact that private companies were not allowed to use state emblems at that time. Therefore, the order of the colors was obviously changed . In addition, the previous lettering in the outer ring was replaced by the abbreviation of the Bayerische Motorenwerke - and the foundation stone was laid for BMW's worldwide reputation.
The new logo first appeared in 1918 on the operating instructions for the "Bavaria aircraft engine type BMW IIIa". It was not emblazoned on a road vehicle until 1923, more precisely on the BMW R32 motorcycle. In 1929 the first car with the BMW logo followed, the BMW 3/15 PS.
You never guessed: The Opel Blitz is actually not a Blitz and this is what the Skoda logo means.
Your opinion is asked
Also interesting: Why is there a horse on the Porsche crest?
offer
With new photos: Strange speed camera pictures - The craziest radar photos
To the photo gallery