What Does BMW Stand For?

February 28th, 2019 by

close up of 2019 bmw x7 22 inch wheels with bmw logo

If you’ve ever seen a BMW zoom past on San Marcos roads, you may find yourself wondering what BMW stands for. BMW is a German acronym forĀ Bayerische Motoren Werke–in English,Ā Bavarian Motor Works. Explore more trivia on the Ultimate Driving Machine the BMW name at BMW of Escondido near San Diego, and contact us if you have any questions!

How Did BMW Get Its Name?

BMW grew out of aĀ few companies that started as aircraft manufacturers over a century ago, in Munich Germany.Ā Here is how the luxury car brand got its start:

  • The Rapp Motorenwerke company was founded in Munich by Karl Rapp in 1913 to manufacture aircraft engines.
  • In 1917, Rapp Motorenwerke was changed to Bayerische Motoren Werke when Karl Rapp left the company.
  • “Bayerische” (Bavarian) was chosen for the new name because Munich, still the company’s headquarters, is the capital city of Bavaria,Ā which is a federal state in southeastern Germany.
  • The BMW logo is a blue and white checkered circle designed in 1917 to resemble flag of Bavaria–a blue and white checkered diamond pattern.
  • BMW AG is the officialĀ fullĀ name ofĀ the company. “AG” stands for Aktiengesellschaft, which indicates that it’s an incorporation owned by shareholders.

What Does Bimmer Mean? What Does Beemer Mean?

While “Beemer” and “Bimmer” are sometimes used interchangeably to refer to either a BMW motorcycle or BMW automobile, some people do make a distinction between the terms. In the U.S., car enthusiasts maintain that “Beemer” should onlyĀ refer to motorcycles and “Bimmer” should only refer to cars. In Canada, they tend to use “Bimmer” for both motorcycles and cars, and not use “Beemer” at all.

What is the BMW Slogan?

“The Ultimate Driving Machine” BMW slogan originated in 1974 for North American ad campaigns. The slogan was replaced in 2010 with the slogan “Joy,” but the original and most famousĀ slogan was broughtĀ back in 2012 for good.

Experience a BMW at BMW of Escondido

When you are ready to get feel for the new BMW models near Poway visit BMW of Escondido. YouĀ can also turnĀ us forĀ automotive questions, like what the BMW warning lights mean, and keep your luxury car running smoothly on the roads.

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