What Does BMW Stand For?

Did you know that BMW got its start more than 100 years ago? Bob Smith BMW takes a closer look at the beginning of the iconic BMW brand:

• In 1913, the Rapp Motorenwerke company, which was founded by Karl Rapp, started to produce aircraft engines in Munich, Germany. In 1917, when Rapp departed from the company, the name was officially changed to Bayerische Motoren Werke.
• “Bayerische” (Bavarian) indicates the company’s headquarters in Bavaria, a federal state in the southeastern part of Germany bordering Austria and the Czech Republic.
• The blue and white circular BMW logo was originally developed in 1917. You can see that it was influenced by the blue and white checkered diamond pattern of the Bavarian flag.
• The full name of the company is BMW AG. “AG” stands for Aktiengesellschaft, meaning an incorporation owned by shareholders.

“Beemer” and “Bimmer” are both slang for a BMW motorcycle or BMW automobiles in English, although not everyone agrees on the proper usage of these terms. There are some people who say that “Beemer” strictly designates motorcycles and “Bimmer” is the slang term used for cars. In Canada, “Bimmer” is most commonly used for both cars and motorcycles.

What is the BMW Slogan?

You have likely heard the slogan, “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” used in numerous BMW commercials and advertisements throughout the years. This slogan has actually been used for decades. “The Ultimate Driving Machine” BMW slogan made its North American debut in 1974. In 2010, the slogan, “Joy,” was used as a temporary replacement. In 2012, “The Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan was once again featured through BMW advertisements, and you will still hear that slogan being used today.