BMW Paint Color name origins?

Erie Von Otto · 04-10-2013, 01:44 AM

Recently one of my coworkers asked me about the color of my car and where that name came from. I searched around the interwebz and found a track, Circuito de Jerez, in Spain. Thats about as close as a best answer I can think of where BMW designers got the name from.

So I wondered if anyone else knew of a site or book or something that can help explain how these names came to be.

For example, Estoril Blau (Autódromo do Estoril, Portugal?), Imola Rot (Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Italy?), Sepang (Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia) but then theres Techno Violet and Artic Silver ect...

It seems most come from some kind of circuit, but some are just regular descriptions thrown out there. Are the ones linked to racing strictly ///M colors? Also learned about the stripes today. Thought those were something completely different than what they actually are...

Anyway, just curious and if anyone has done the research already...

amanda hor$t · 04-10-2013, 01:46 AM

not sure, but i know the roundel is a spinning propeller (from bmw's airplane engine origins)

BMW F22 · 04-10-2013, 01:54 AM

The roundel is supposedly a spinning propeller against the Bavarian sky (hence the black and blue colors). That's pretty much it.

mfanatic325 · 04-10-2013, 02:34 AM

Don't forget Laguna Seca Blue.
Inspired by my home track

I believe only the ///Ms were available in racetrack-inspired colors, but not all colors were race-inspired.

M7NDP · 04-10-2013, 03:38 AM

Melbourne Red!!

danniexi · 04-10-2013, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Grubba Balls

not sure, but i know the roundel is a spinning propeller (from bmw's airplane engine origins)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW E90

The roundel is supposedly a spinning propeller against the Bavarian sky (hence the black and blue colors). That's pretty much it.

Myth. The colors of the BMW roundel were first made because of the Bavarian flag. The whole spinning propeller thing came years afterward in an advertisement. Great marketing, but its origins stem from the flag and nothing more.

Nate4641 · 04-10-2013, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danniexi

Myth. The colors of the BMW roundel were first made because of the Bavarian flag. The whole spinning propeller thing came years afterward in an advertisement. Great marketing, but its origins stem from the flag and nothing more.

This.

Xios135 · 04-10-2013, 08:37 AM

http://www.logoblog.org/bmw_logo.php

spliffmeister · 04-13-2013, 06:29 AM

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=znBnNJ1Fv08

Mahmood07 · 04-13-2013, 06:35 AM

'Sakhir Orange' comes from Sakhir desert in Bahrain where the Formula 1 track is located

Erie Von Otto · 04-13-2013, 06:43 AM

BLUF: Where do the paint color names originate from? And are the race track inspired ones only for ///M models?

Thanks for all the replies, but I think the question may have gotten misinterpreted. I was asking about the names of the paint colors themselves. Like Melbourne Red, Estoril Blue, ect. It seems like a lot of the colors for the cars are derived from race tracks. My question was if someone has researched this previously?
I went to the Welt this weekend and no one could answer that question either. Granted I only asked a few people as I was fully engrossed in the automotive history surrounding me and I forgot about it quickly... Either way, here is a photo showing the answer to the question about the ///M stripe colors:

e82m_van · 04-13-2013, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ottoblotto

BLUF: Where do the paint color names originate from? And are the race track inspired ones only for ///M models?

Thanks for all the replies, but I think the question may have gotten misinterpreted. I was asking about the names of the paint colors themselves. Like Melbourne Red, Estoril Blue, ect. It seems like a lot of the colors for the cars are derived from race tracks. My question was if someone has researched this previously?
I went to the Welt this weekend and no one could answer that question either. Granted I only asked a few people as I was fully engrossed in the automotive history surrounding me and I forgot about it quickly... Either way, here is a photo showing the answer to the question about the ///M stripe colors:

Not sure about other paint colors, but I remember reading somewhere that for M, light blue was the Bavarian color, red was color of Texaco who was a sponsor for BMW in racing, and purple blended them together.

michaelthepsycho · 04-14-2013, 01:35 AM

Your question really isn't a question... Or at least, you just answered part of it.
Car companies give colors names some pizazz. Why is there a need for a reason?
Take Mitsubishi's Octane Blue for example: gas isn't blue. But the blue they use is electrifying and energetic; like gasoline. No other special reason needed.
Alpine Weiss; Alpine mountains snowy; hence white? Don't get the question

Erie Von Otto · 04-14-2013, 09:17 AM

Just curiosity my friend... I like to know things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by e82m_van

Not sure about other paint colors, but I remember reading somewhere that for M, light blue was the Bavarian color, red was color of Texaco who was a sponsor for BMW in racing, and purple blended them together.

The answer to that is in the photo I posted that I took on Friday at the BMW Welt museum. Look up!

04-10-2013, 01:44 AM	#1
Erie Von Otto DT///M 149 Rep 1,370 Posts Drives: 2014 F31 Touring Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Rocket City, AL iTrader: (3) Garage List 2014 BMW Touring [0.00]	BMW Paint Color name origins? Recently one of my coworkers asked me about the color of my car and where that name came from. I searched around the interwebz and found a track, Circuito de Jerez, in Spain. Thats about as close as a best answer I can think of where BMW designers got the name from. So I wondered if anyone else knew of a site or book or something that can help explain how these names came to be. For example, Estoril Blau (Autódromo do Estoril, Portugal?), Imola Rot (Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Italy?), Sepang (Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia) but then theres Techno Violet and Artic Silver ect... It seems most come from some kind of circuit, but some are just regular descriptions thrown out there. Are the ones linked to racing strictly ///M colors? Also learned about the stripes today. Thought those were something completely different than what they actually are... Anyway, just curious and if anyone has done the research already... __________________ "With great power comes great responsibility." -El-Superbeasto Last edited by Erie Von Otto; 04-10-2013 at 02:24 AM..
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04-10-2013, 01:46 AM	#2
amanda hor$t Banned 84 Rep 208 Posts Drives: a380 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: ny ny iTrader: (0)	not sure, but i know the roundel is a spinning propeller (from bmw's airplane engine origins)
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04-10-2013, 01:54 AM	#3
BMW F22 Major General 3562 Rep 9,787 Posts Drives: ///M235i Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (8)	The roundel is supposedly a spinning propeller against the Bavarian sky (hence the black and blue colors). That's pretty much it.
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04-10-2013, 02:34 AM	#4
mfanatic325 ///M-fanatic 193 Rep 3,885 Posts Drives: '01 911 Turbo Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cupertino, CA. iTrader: (23)	Don't forget Laguna Seca Blue. Inspired by my home track I believe only the ///Ms were available in racetrack-inspired colors, but not all colors were race-inspired.
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04-10-2013, 03:38 AM	#5
M7NDP Private 5 Rep 55 Posts Drives: E89 Z4 sdrive23i M Sport H'Lin Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Scotland iTrader: (0)	Melbourne Red!!
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04-10-2013, 08:37 AM	#8
Xios135 First Lieutenant 24 Rep 365 Posts Drives: 2014 MB CLA Edition 1 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (0) Garage List 2010 BMW 135i Conve ... [1.00]	http://www.logoblog.org/bmw_logo.php __________________ GONE *135i Vert-Montego Blue M-Sport-6MT, BMS DCI, JB+, CF iCarbon Spoiler, Matte black grills, stock diffuser mod, Ink Black powder coated 264s,*
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04-13-2013, 06:29 AM	#9
spliffmeister New Member 1 Rep 28 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 335i Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Las Vegas, NV iTrader: (0)	http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=znBnNJ1Fv08 __________________ >: 4 8 15 16 23 42
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04-13-2013, 06:35 AM	#10
Mahmood07 Captain 86 Rep 856 Posts Drives: E92 M3 + F85 X5M Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Boston->San Diego->Bahrain iTrader: (0)	'Sakhir Orange' comes from Sakhir desert in Bahrain where the Formula 1 track is located __________________ ///M3 Mods: \| Eisenmann Race Exhaust \| Primary Cats Delete (TTP) \| ESS Tune \| 19" Advan RS \| Eibach Springs \| MS Air Filter \| BMW Perf. Spoiler \| BMW Perf. Splitters \| Euro LCI Tail lights \| Angel iBright v.3.0 \| 20% Tint \| Matte black Kidney Grills \| CF Side Gills \| Painted Reflectors \| Black M3 emblem
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04-13-2013, 06:43 AM	#11
Erie Von Otto DT///M 149 Rep 1,370 Posts Drives: 2014 F31 Touring Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Rocket City, AL iTrader: (3) Garage List 2014 BMW Touring [0.00]	BLUF: Where do the paint color names originate from? And are the race track inspired ones only for ///M models? Thanks for all the replies, but I think the question may have gotten misinterpreted. I was asking about the names of the paint colors themselves. Like Melbourne Red, Estoril Blue, ect. It seems like a lot of the colors for the cars are derived from race tracks. My question was if someone has researched this previously? I went to the Welt this weekend and no one could answer that question either. Granted I only asked a few people as I was fully engrossed in the automotive history surrounding me and I forgot about it quickly... Either way, here is a photo showing the answer to the question about the ///M stripe colors: Attached Images __________________ "With great power comes great responsibility." -El-Superbeasto
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04-14-2013, 01:35 AM	#13
michaelthepsycho Lieutenant Colonel 76 Rep 1,644 Posts Drives: 11 Montego Blue E90 335i Step Join Date: May 2009 Location: CA iTrader: (4)	Your question really isn't a question... Or at least, you just answered part of it. Car companies give colors names some pizazz. Why is there a need for a reason? Take Mitsubishi's Octane Blue for example: gas isn't blue. But the blue they use is electrifying and energetic; like gasoline. No other special reason needed. Alpine Weiss; Alpine mountains snowy; hence white? Don't get the question __________________ Former car 2011 BMW 335i Step - Montego Blue / Chestnut Brown
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