[M3E46]

I've always wondered on this matter.

Anyone willing to school me ?

[Hula-Hula]

Since we just posted some bits from BMW’s history, we decided to stay on the topic and talk about the ///M logo, the three stripes that make M branded cars even more recognizable. So, let’s see what we can learn about the “M” today.

The first Red stripe represented Texaco, the famous American oil retail brand, who had partnered with BMW during the early days of M racing. Blue represented BMW and Bavarian region. The purple was used to represent the partnership and to allow for a nice transition between the two colors, blending as some may call it.

Once the BMW/Texaco partnership ended, BMW had to buyout Texaco for the rights to the red.

For those of you that are in the imaging or graphics field, here is something that I dug out, the color names and codes used in the ///M stripes:

Pantone:
Blue — Pantone Process Blue
Purple — Pantone 268
Red — Pantone Warm Red

Paint:
blue violett GLASURIT-BMW 4000
light blue GLASURIT-BMW 5002
red GLASURIT-BMW 353

RGB:
Blue — 0 138 201 (Hex: 008AC9)
Purple — 43 17 90 (Hex: 2B115A)
Red — 241 26 34 (Hex: F11A22)

Pantone = color process (order) used by printing shops to define colors.

Paint = in this case it is refering to a GLASURIT paint code. Or a specific mix of auto paints.

RGB = Red, Green, Blue. The same process your computer monitor or TV uses to make colors.

Texaco..? I was hoping there would be an epic meaning behind it lol but just...Texaco...

[._.]

lol and they had to buy the rights to a red stripe.

[Sylon]

Originally Posted by my92

Texaco..? I was hoping there would be an epic meaning behind it lol but just...Texaco...

Yeah, to be honest, thats kinda lame. You would think it would be some awesome historic meaning, but no, its nothing more than a damn oil company.


And a greedy one at that. I cant believe they made BMW buy a damn color. I would have just changed the damn color to a different hue of red.

[raiste]

Originally Posted by my92

Texaco..? I was hoping there would be an epic meaning behind it lol but just...Texaco...

I thought it was Castrol?



.

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Good question. I was wondering the MB's AMG division uses them too.

[MJC///M3]

Originally Posted by raiste

I thought it was Castrol?



.

+1 i thought it was castrol as well.

[churro]

im hoping someone tell me that too!!!

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by MJC///M3

+1 i thought it was castrol as well.

Back in the days it was Texaco, atm it's Castrol (for already a decade or so?)

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by Hula-Hula

The first Red stripe represented Texaco, the famous American oil retail brand, who had partnered with BMW during the early days of M racing. Blue represented BMW and Bavarian region. The purple was used to represent the partnership and to allow for a nice transition between the two colors, blending as some may call it.

Once the BMW/Texaco partnership ended, BMW had to buyout Texaco for the rights to the red.

For those of you that are in the imaging or graphics field, here is something that I dug out, the color names and codes used in the ///M stripes:

Pantone:
Blue — Pantone Process Blue
Purple — Pantone 268
Red — Pantone Warm Red

Paint:
blue violett GLASURIT-BMW 4000
light blue GLASURIT-BMW 5002
red GLASURIT-BMW 353

RGB:
Blue — 0 138 201 (Hex: 008AC9)
Purple — 43 17 90 (Hex: 2B115A)
Red — 241 26 34 (Hex: F11A22)

Great post and exactly right on the histry. Cool to know the colour specs