BMW M marks 50th anniversary with historic logo and colours
M division celebrates the half-century by offering retro motorsport logo and a raft of heritage paint schemes
BMW's M performance division is reviving a historic logo and some of its most recognisable colour schemes to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022.
Ahead of the anniversary on 24 May 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.
This is said to be "a unique offer in the history of BMW M" and applies to UK cars ordered from March.
This logo first appeared in 1973 as the year-old BMW Motorsport division first took to the track 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, which symbolises racing.
As well as the retro logo, M car buyers can specify their cars in an array of "historically significant" colours from the brand's back catalogue. Some 50 colours are on offer, including Dakar Yellow, Fire Orange, Daytona Violet, Macao Blue, Imola Red and Frozen Marina Bay Blue. UK prices have yet to be confirmed.
M division boss Frank van Meel said: "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.
"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."
The brand is aiming for another sales record in 2021 and has promised several important unveilings next year, including the new M3 Touring, a "spectacular special model of the BMW M4 Coupé series" (expected to be the hardcore CS) and the next-generation M2 Coupé.
Also set for launch is the 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.