Origins of the M Colors

MTROIS · 04-06-2009, 05:47 PM

Guys,

I just learned from the Roundel magazine the origins of the 3 M colors and was wondering if you knew that:

Left = Blue for BMW and (obviously) Bavaria

Right = Red for the oil supplier Castrol, a long time partner of BMW and Motorsports

and... Center = Mix between Blue and Red = Purple!!

I did not know before

rbk1115 · 04-06-2009, 05:48 PM

Interesting...

Big Windy · 04-06-2009, 05:56 PM

Reference?

dizman7 · 04-06-2009, 06:00 PM

I did not know that.

I need to read my Roundel, I've got two issues so far but haven't had time to read them.

Green///Hell · 04-06-2009, 06:10 PM

NO PURPLE!!!

Which is, don't have sex teens, in summer camps around the world.
We all know what happens when blue and red come together

FStop7 · 04-06-2009, 06:14 PM

Interesting, because I've heard this several times, including directly from BMW AG people:

The blue represents BMW. The red represents their (former) racing partner Texaco. The purple represents the mixture of the red and the blue into a unified force. Not Castrol.

SlammedR8 · 04-06-2009, 06:37 PM

interesting!
cool find!

MTROIS · 04-06-2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Windy

Reference?

Roundel, March 2009, Author: Mark Jon Calabrese (Exec. VP of BMW CCA), Page 109, end of the first column + start of the second column.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FStop7

Interesting, because I've heard this several times, including directly from BMW AG people:

The blue represents BMW. The red represents their (former) racing partner Texaco. The purple represents the mixture of the red and the blue into a unified force. Not Castrol.

The article says Castrol, not Texaco.

Pimp Star · 04-06-2009, 07:39 PM

That's really cool, didn't know it before.

And judging by their ALMS car it stands for Castrol.

3XTR3M3 · 04-06-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTROIS

Guys,

I just learned from the Roundel magazine the origins of the 3 M colors and was wondering if you knew that:

Left = Blue for BMW and (obviously) Bavaria

Right = Red for the oil supplier Castrol, a long time partner of BMW and Motorsports

and... Center = Mix between Blue and Red = Purple!!

I did not know before

Cool find, never knew that.

Im off to drive my BMW Castrol 3

Voltigeur · 04-06-2009, 10:01 PM

-

Didn't know the exact sponsor of the red; nor the notion of the union w/ Bayern Blau for the purple. Good to know. I love Roundel, best club mag by far.

ColoCane · 04-06-2009, 10:11 PM

Interesting... did wonder that. Are there no bounds to the knowledge of this forum?!?!?!?

RJD M3 · 04-06-2009, 11:50 PM

Maybe once upon a time it was Texaco, but as they are appealing to their present partner in Castrol they publish the colors with them instead?

TwoSaints · 04-07-2009, 12:07 AM

I just got my welcome package (4 months later) and it said the same thing about the colors as the OP. I thought it was interesting.

spyderco10 · 04-07-2009, 02:21 AM

you learn something new every day

Roccamurra · 04-07-2009, 06:04 AM

In Oct 07 when I went to the launch of the E92 M3 in NZ one of the BMW reps asked if we noticed anything different about the launch so far (we hadn't seen the car yet) and someone in our group piped up and said that purple isn't in the tri-colour anymore it had been changed to dark blue.

The rep then said good spotting! Can anyone confirm?

Robin_NL · 04-07-2009, 07:42 AM

I thought the colour purple is because Whoopi just ordered a X5M and Oprah a X6M.

SWOLE · 04-07-2009, 10:42 PM

Interesting...

I found a slightly different answer a couple of years ago...

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=118360

MTROIS · 04-07-2009, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWOLE

Interesting...

I found a slightly different answer a couple of years ago...

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=118360

ha, ha, I really loved the comments about the "freaking frogs"... go figure why!

footie · 04-08-2009, 06:04 AM

Castrol colours have always been Green and Red

where as Texaco has been always Red and White

I would guess that the most logical one would be the Texaco.

jamesisel · 04-08-2009, 06:28 AM

Interesting! I always wondered where the colors came from

Patricius · 04-08-2009, 07:31 AM

This fact was also on one of the TV shows about the new M3. I thought it was Chevron though and not Texaco. Could be wrong...

04-06-2009, 05:47 PM	#1
MTROIS Major 188 Rep 1,153 Posts Drives: on the wrong side of the Ocean Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Jersey, USA iTrader: (0)	Origins of the M Colors Guys, I just learned from the Roundel magazine the origins of the 3 M colors and was wondering if you knew that: Left = Blue for BMW and (obviously) Bavaria Right = Red for the oil supplier Castrol, a long time partner of BMW and Motorsports and... Center = Mix between Blue and Red = Purple!! I did not know before __________________ 2019 M2C MT (ED + PCD) \| 2008 M3 Coupé MT \| 1995 M3 LTW MT \| BMW CCA HPDE Instructor
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04-06-2009, 05:48 PM	#2
rbk1115 Lieutenant 14 Rep 527 Posts Drives: Acuras & BMWs Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Mazda3 i Touri ... [0.00] 2013 BMW 535i Sedan [0.00] 2009 BMW M3 Sedan [0.00]	Interesting... __________________ 2009 BMW M3 Sedan 2013 BMW 535i M Sport Sedan 2014 Mazda3 i Touring Sedan
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04-06-2009, 05:56 PM	#3
Big Windy Major General 152 Rep 5,124 Posts Drives: None Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Reference? __________________
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04-06-2009, 06:00 PM	#4
dizman7 Second Lieutenant 73 Rep 296 Posts Drives: 99 E36 M3 Cabio Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ iTrader: (0)	I did not know that. I need to read my Roundel, I've got two issues so far but haven't had time to read them. __________________ SOLD - 08 E92 ///M3 (bought a house) NEW - 99 E36 ///M3 Convertible
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04-06-2009, 06:10 PM	#5
Green///Hell Colonel 183 Rep 2,872 Posts Drives: 991 GT3, F15 X5, 1199S Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago iTrader: (5)	NO PURPLE!!! Which is, don't have sex teens, in summer camps around the world. We all know what happens when blue and red come together
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04-06-2009, 06:14 PM	#6
FStop7 I like cars 329 Rep 5,052 Posts Drives: M6 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Newbury Park, CA iTrader: (3)	Interesting, because I've heard this several times, including directly from BMW AG people: The blue represents BMW. The red represents their (former) racing partner Texaco. The purple represents the mixture of the red and the blue into a unified force. Not Castrol. __________________ My photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/racelap/
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04-06-2009, 06:37 PM	#7
SlammedR8 Major General 523 Rep 5,483 Posts Drives: 2019 X5 40i/2020 R8 V10 Spyder Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toronto iTrader: (2)	interesting! cool find! __________________ Current: 2019 BMW X5 40i - Carbon Black/Tartufo Individual Leather 2020 Range Rover HSE - Black/Black 2020 Audi R8 V10 Performance Spyder 6MT - Ascari Blue/Black
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04-06-2009, 10:01 PM	#11
Voltigeur MacroRisk 109 Rep 2,523 Posts Drives: M3 E92 ED'09 / 335d Sport DD Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: TX iTrader: (0)	- Didn't know the exact sponsor of the red; nor the notion of the union w/ Bayern Blau for the purple. Good to know. I love Roundel, best club mag by far. __________________ Just thinking of something not so witty ///M3 E92 '09 Jerez Black \| 6MT \| Ext Fox Red \| Tech \| Prem \| 19s \|Heated Seats \| iPod \|Smartphone \| Euro Deliv June 09 Sold: 540iT / 530i / 323i
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04-06-2009, 10:11 PM	#12
ColoCane Second Lieutenant 9 Rep 280 Posts Drives: 2009 E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	Interesting... did wonder that. Are there no bounds to the knowledge of this forum?!?!?!? __________________ '09 E92 ///M3 \| Jerez Black/Black Leather \| Sycamore Anthracite \| MDCT \| Premium/Tech/Cold Weather Packages \| 19" \| Moonroof \| Enhanced Premium Sound \|iPod/USB \| Smartphone '97 E36 M3 Sedan Hellrot Red/Black; '03 E46 330Ci Met. Gray/Black; '06 E46 330Ci ZPF Imola Red/Saddle
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04-06-2009, 11:50 PM	#13
RJD M3 Private First Class 18 Rep 192 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dover, DE iTrader: (2)	Maybe once upon a time it was Texaco, but as they are appealing to their present partner in Castrol they publish the colors with them instead? __________________ 2009 Jet Black E90 ///M3/Black Leather/Carbon Leather/M-DCT/Tech/Premium/Premium Sound/ Heated Fronts/Moon/19's/Eisenmann Race w/ Connecting Pipes/Matte Grills/Painted Reflectors/Euro LCI Tails/20% Tint C-17A Globemaster III
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04-07-2009, 12:07 AM	#14
TwoSaints Second Lieutenant 9 Rep 227 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Beaumont, Texas iTrader: (0)	I just got my welcome package (4 months later) and it said the same thing about the colors as the OP. I thought it was interesting.
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04-07-2009, 02:21 AM	#15
spyderco10 Colonel 63 Rep 2,426 Posts Drives: AW E92 M3 6MT Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Honolulu, HI iTrader: (0)	you learn something new every day __________________ “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16
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04-07-2009, 06:04 AM	#16
Roccamurra Roccamurra 2 Rep 17 Posts Drives: e90 M3 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chair iTrader: (0)	In Oct 07 when I went to the launch of the E92 M3 in NZ one of the BMW reps asked if we noticed anything different about the launch so far (we hadn't seen the car yet) and someone in our group piped up and said that purple isn't in the tri-colour anymore it had been changed to dark blue. The rep then said good spotting! Can anyone confirm?
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04-07-2009, 07:42 AM	#17
Robin_NL S0THPAW 8719 Rep 7,846 Posts Drives: HS M2 Competition Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Netherlands iTrader: (0)	I thought the colour purple is because Whoopi just ordered a X5M and Oprah a X6M.
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04-07-2009, 10:42 PM	#18
SWOLE Private First Class 12 Rep 113 Posts Drives: This week? Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Apex, NC iTrader: (5)	Interesting... I found a slightly different answer a couple of years ago... http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=118360
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04-08-2009, 06:04 AM	#20
footie Major General 1122 Rep 8,017 Posts Drives: i5M60 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: No where fast iTrader: (0) Garage List 2024 BMW i5M60 [0.00] 2022 BMW i4M50 [0.00] 2020 BMW M5 Competi ... [0.00] 2008 E92 M3 [0.00]	Castrol colours have always been Green and Red where as Texaco has been always Red and White I would guess that the most logical one would be the Texaco.
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04-08-2009, 06:28 AM	#21
jamesisel Major 17 Rep 1,035 Posts Drives: '09 Jerez/Fox Red E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wisconsin/ Tennessee iTrader: (0)	Interesting! I always wondered where the colors came from __________________ Eisenmann Race Performance/VRS front lip 1x1/VRS type II diffuser 1x1/VRS single side trunk with Fade/19" HRE C90's/RE SSK/H&R Sport springs /35% tint/Painted reflectors/Painted side markers with dark tint LED's/Tinted tail lights/Front grilles/Hardwire V1
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04-08-2009, 07:31 AM	#22
Patricius Lieutenant 17 Rep 532 Posts Drives: 04 325xi, 05 M3 cpe, 08 M3 cpe Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA iTrader: (0)	This fact was also on one of the TV shows about the new M3. I thought it was Chevron though and not Texaco. Could be wrong...
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