Contrary to what many believe, the BMW logo is not based off of a propeller. That myth was started roughly around the time that the ad above was featured. It is believed that the logo was influenced by the Bavarian Royal family's logo placed upon its fine China and for that matter the Bavarian Flag. The design was then applied to Karl Rapp's logo. Rapp Motorenwerke became BMW after it sorta fell apart.

 

from the link,..

http://www.neatorama.com/2008/02/18/...-of-car-logos/



[QUOTE]In 1913, Karl Friedrich Rapp and Gustav Otto founded two separate aircraft factories that would later merge to form BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (Bavarian Motor Works). Rapp and Otto actually had little to do with BMW

 

The name-change to Bayerische Motoren Werke compelled management to devise a new logo for the company, therefore the famous BMW trademark is designed and patented at this time. However, they remained true to the imagery of the previous Rapp Motorenwerke emblem (which was designed by Karl's brother, Ottmar Rapp). Thus, both the old and the new logo were built up in the same way: the company name was placed in a black circle, which was once again given a pictorial form by placing a symbol within it. The inner area of the Rapp logo was decorated with the head of a black horse

 

Yeah cause wikipedia is a reliable source

 

Other than Porsche, I wonder what the iconographic significance of the circle is to German car company logos. That would be an area ripe for semiotic scrutiny.

 

i know wikipedia isnt the most accurate source, however if i could find that damn book i have (where oh where could it be...?!) then i think that would be worth citing. It named "The History of BMW" and i tend to think it would be accurate.

 

I've heard about this book, it's can be bought from a BMW dealer, it has a part number as well, isn't it?

 

Does it discuss the semiotics of the iconography?

 

Ya its got the whole story in it. I don't have it with me. Thought i did... but i'm at college and left it at home (1200 miles away) *sigh*

As for the guy who criticized me for using wikipedia...

Do you think neatorama is an accurate source? lol...

Maybe we should call up BMW.

 

Porsche & MB have the best badges!