BMW M 50th Anniversary approaches

The letters BMW M GmbH look like things you would find floating in your alphabet vegetable soup. In its soup form, it’s the perfect antidote to a cold winter’s day. To those who follow motorsports and tuned vehicles, they stand for the ultimate in BMW Performance. The BMW M division will celebrate its 50^th anniversary in 2022. Napleton News is always up for a party and we thought we’d tell you about this one!

BMW party favors

BMW is in a celebratory mood and will share with customers who chose vehicles from the iconic M portfolio. These vehicles include the legendary M3, the M4 and X3 M SUV, among others. BMW M vehicles built from March to December 2022 will have historically-inspired front and rear emblems and similar emblems on the wheel hubs. Inspired by the classic BMW Motorsport Logo, these emblems will be optional on M models, including such performance models as the M340i, M440i, X3 M40i and more.

They will be available for ordering in January of 2022, with delivery occurring after March 2022.

The colors of BMW M

In addition to the M Performance BMW roundels, BMW will offer 50 iconic and historically significant color hues to make the latest batch of M models stand out from the rest. They include tints such as Dakar Yellow, Fire Orange, Frozen Marina Bay Blue, Daytona Violet, Macao Blue and Imola Red. These colors all played significant roles in BMW’s M racing history.

Origins of the M logo

The BMW M logo features shifted semicircles in Red, Blue and Violet that were first used in 1973 on the BMW Motorsport GmbH, established a year prior. It became a prominent feature in 1978 when it was used on the BMW M1. Featuring three slanted-color stripes, it was a feature that clearly identified the car as a BMW performance vehicle. The BMW M1 was the only vehicle to feature the semicircle-adorned roundel and the slanted stripe logos.

There is a method to the madness of color symbolism with the M logo. Blue signifies the BMW company, red symbolizes racing, and violet connects the two. Through the years, violet has given way to dark blue. Other changes came about in 1993 when BMW Motorsport GmbH began doing business as BMW M.

Changes are coming!

In addition to the 50^th-anniversary celebration, the M brand is aiming for a record sales year. A new, special model of the BMW M4 Coupe is on tap, as is the finalizing of the new BMW M2. And the brand has not even begun to divulge what’s in store for the upcoming electrification of the M brand. The first electrified M model in the brand’s history will be launched during the anniversary year.

As stated by Franciscus van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW M GmbH, “The M has been considered the strongest letter in the world, and in our company’s anniversary year it is stronger than ever.”