BMW M to celebrate 50th anniversary with historic logo and colours

Just as BMW’s M division turns 50, the brand is also readying its first electric concept – the XM – for debut next week.

Published On Nov 24, 2021 06:49:00 PM

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BMW will be celebrating the 50^th anniversary of its M performance division next year and the German carmaker is reviving a historic logo and some of its most recognisable colour schemes, to mark the occasion. Ahead of the anniversary on May 24 next year, the brand has revealed that buyers of M Sport and full-fat M cars can have the traditional BMW roundel replaced with a version of the original BMW Motorsport emblem.

BMW will be celebrating 50 years of M performance division next May
Carmaker is reviving their historic motorsport logo and colour schemes
BMW M logo first made its appearance in 1973

BMW M logo: a brief history

This logo first appeared in 1973 as the year-old BMW Motorsport division took to the track for the first time with its legendary 3.0 CSL. In 1978, a new logo featuring slanted stripes and a large M was introduced on the M1 supercar.

Originally, the dark-blue element of the logo was a violet, which connected the blue, which stands for BMW, and the red, symbolising racing.

‘Historic’ colours to be offered on M cars

Along with the retro logo, M car buyers can specify their cars in an array of historically significant colours from the brand's catalogue. Around 50 colours are on offer, including Dakar Yellow, Fire Orange, Daytona Violet, Macao Blue, Imola Red and Frozen Marina Bay Blue.

"With the classic BMW Motorsport emblem, we would like to share our joy about the anniversary of BMW M GmbH with the fans of the brand," M division boss Frank van Meel said.

"We have a great year ahead of us, which will be celebrated with unique product highlights and exciting performances. The M has long been considered the strongest letter in the world, and in our company's anniversary year, it's stronger than ever."

Upcoming BMW M car launches in the horizon

BMW has promised several important unveilings next year, including the new M3 Touring, a special model of the BMW M4 Coupé series (expected to be the hardcore CS) and the next-generation M2 Coupé.

BMW also plans to launch its first electrified M car, which we expect to see in concept form next week. The 'Concept XM' SUV has been previewed ahead of its unveiling, suggesting it will take the form of a radically styled performance SUV with a hybrid powertrain.

BMW M cars in India

In India, BMW offers quite an extensive array of full-blown M cars and M Sport models. The range starts with the 3 Series M340i sedan, followed by the M2 Competition, the M5 Competition and the full-fat M8 Coupe. BMW M’s SUV range in India comprises the X3 M, the X5 M Competition and X7 M50d. The carmaker also sells the Z4 roadster in India in the M40i guise, offering the full M experience in a range of body styles and characters.

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