What Does BMW Stand For?

Drivers that want a luxury vehicle tend to drift toward the BMW brand. So, what does BMW stand for? BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, which is German for Bavarian Motor Works. If you’d like to learn more about the BMW name or brand in general, check out our guide on BMW history at BMW of Gwinnett Place!

The Origins of the BMW Name

It all starts more than a century ago with a few different companies that manufactured vehicles and aircraft engines. Take a closer look at the start of BMW history:

• The Rapp Motorenwerke company, which originally manufactured aircraft engines, was founded in 1913 by Karl Rapp. This company, headquartered in Munich, Germany, decided to change the name to Bayerische Motoren Werke in 1917. This happened after Karl Rapp was no longer part of the company.
• “Bayerische” (Bavarian) indicates that BMW has its roots in Bavaria.
• The first iteration of the BMW logo was influenced by the design of the Bavarian flag, with its blue and white checkered diamond pattern.
• Not many people know this, but the full name of the company is BMW AG? What does the “AG” designation mean? The designation Aktiengesellschaft shows that BMW is an incorporation owned by shareholders.

History of the BMW Logo

There’s a rumor going around that the blue-and-white checkered pattern on the BMW logo resembles a turning propeller. While the brand did originate from an aircraft engine manufacturer, this rumor is untrue. The blue and white pattern has remained to honor the Bavarian flag. In fact, throughout the brand’s entire history, the logo has only been updated a handful of times.

In fact, one of these updates happened recently. Once again, it still maintains the tribute paid to the Bavarian flag. However, the outer circle of the logo is now clear rather than black. The font that spells out “BMW” was also updated for a more sleek and clean appearance.

What is the BMW Slogan?

1974 saw the debut of “The Ultimate Driving Machine” BMW slogan. It remained as such for decades but was replaced for a few short years in 2010 with the slogan “Joy.” In 2012, BMW brought back that original 1974 slogan.

Explore the BMW Brand at BMW of Gwinnett Place

Looking to learn more about the BMW brand? Check out our guides online! When you’re ready to experience one of our luxury models, browse our inventory online. Have questions in the meantime? Contact our team!