BMW M Colours: What the Light Blue, Dark Blue and Red Stripes Mean
BMW M colours explained: blue for BMW, red for motorsport and a link between them. Where the M stripes come from and how to spot them on M Power prints.
According to BMW M, the blue in the M colours stands for the BMW brand, the red for motorsport and the colour between them for the connection of the two. The middle stripe started out violet and has since become dark blue, which is why today's M stripes are light blue, dark blue and red.
The same three colours appear on M badges, on racing cars and on the M Power lettering of our clothing for BMW fans. Here is what they mean, where they come from and how to recognise them.
What each M colour means
| Stripe | Meaning according to BMW M | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Blue (light blue) | The BMW brand | The round BMW logo has carried blue and white, the colours of Bavaria, since 1917. |
| Violet, now dark blue | The connection between BMW and motorsport | A BMW historian describes it as a practical mix of the blue and the red. The violet later gave way to dark blue. |
| Red | Motorsport | Where the red came from is debated (see below). |
The blue links the stripes to BMW's own logo, the round badge often called the roundel. The popular reading of that logo as a spinning propeller goes back to BMW advertising of the late 1920s, which first showed it that way; BMW itself traces the blue and white to the colours of Bavaria.
Where the M colours come from
The M stands for Motorsport. In May 1972 BMW brought its racing activities together in a new company, BMW Motorsport GmbH, which was renamed BMW M GmbH in 1993. Its first racing project was the BMW 3.0 CSL, and it was on this car, in 1973, that the coloured stripes first appeared. The first emblem was round, with staggered semicircles in blue, violet and red around the BMW logo.
The familiar letter M with three slanted stripes came later: it first appeared on the BMW M1, presented in 1978.
Did the red come from Texaco?
One explanation for the red comes from a BMW Group Classic historian: it was probably inspired by the oil company Texaco, with which BMW held sponsorship talks in 1972. The deal never happened. A designer from that time has denied the link, and according to BMW there are no documents on it in the archive. So the Texaco story is a theory, not an established fact. BMW's own explanation remains blue for BMW and red for motorsport.
From violet to dark blue
Over the decades the middle stripe moved from violet to dark blue. In 2020 BMW M introduced a flat communication logo, made for brand communication rather than for the cars, which uses four colours: light blue, dark blue, red and a white M. If you see an older M emblem with a purple middle stripe and a newer one in dark blue, they are the same idea in two eras.
How to recognise the M colours on the M Power lettering
On our BMW garments the M Power lettering, often searched for as the M Power logo, is printed in white with three stripes in light blue, dark blue and red. The round BMW logo in blue and white sits on the chest. Where you find the stripes depends on the garment:
- Hoodie: the BMW M Power hoodie has the lettering and stripes along both sleeves and the BMW logo on the left chest.
- Joggers: the BMW M Power joggers carry it on the left thigh, above the knee, running vertically and reading from top to bottom, at the same size as on the hoodie sleeves.
- Tracksuit: both prints together: chest and sleeves on the hoodie, left leg on the joggers.
- Jackets and gilet: the BMW M Power softshell jacket, the BMW M Power winter jacket and the padded gilet have a small BMW logo on the chest and the M Power lettering printed large on the back, between the shoulder blades.
- T-shirt: the BMW logo T-shirt keeps it simple, with the round BMW logo on the left chest and no stripes.
The roundel and the stripes are two different things
It is easy to mix them up. The round BMW logo shows blue and white quarters inside a ring with the letters BMW. The M stripes are three narrow bands, light blue, dark blue and red, that go with the letter M or, on our garments, with the M Power lettering. On the hoodie you see both at once: the roundel on the chest, the stripes on the sleeves.
Which piece for which season
The hoodie (280 g/m², brushed inside, XS to 4XL) and the joggers (280 g/m², S to 3XL) suit training, travel and days at home. The softshell jacket (300 g/m², microfleece lining, S to 2XL) covers autumn and spring, the hooded winter jacket (S to 3XL) the cold months, and the padded gilet (290 g/m², S to 4XL) the weeks in between. All three outer layers are water-repellent and wind-resistant. The cotton T-shirt (145 g/m², S to 5XL) is the one for summer.
For the size, lay a garment that fits you flat and measure the width across the chest 1 cm below the armholes and the length from the highest point of the shoulder to the hem. Compare with the size table in centimetres on the product page: the hoodie in XL, for example, measures 63 cm wide and 73 cm long.
To look after the print, wash the garment inside out at 30 °C, skip the tumble dryer and do not iron over the print. Always follow the care label.
FAQ
What do the BMW M colours mean?
According to BMW M, blue stands for the BMW brand, red for motorsport and the middle colour for the connection between them. The middle stripe was violet at first and is dark blue today.
What does the M in BMW M stand for?
Motorsport. BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded in 1972 for BMW's racing activities and was renamed BMW M GmbH in 1993.
When did the M stripes first appear?
In 1973, on the BMW 3.0 CSL racing car. The letter M with the three stripes followed on the BMW M1, presented in 1978.
Is the red stripe from Texaco?
Possibly. A BMW Group Classic historian thinks the red was probably inspired by Texaco, with which BMW held sponsorship talks that came to nothing, but there are no documents to prove it. According to BMW M, the red stands for motorsport.
Which of your garments have the M Power stripes?
The hoodie (both sleeves), the joggers (left leg), the tracksuit, and the softshell jacket, winter jacket and padded gilet (back). The T-shirt has the round BMW logo only.
Every item is produced on the customer's individual order.