Origin of BMW grill?

[KEEPYOURDISTANCE!]

I saw a TV show about BMW and they said that the BMW grill was implemented as a tribute to Hitler, they represent his moustache?

Is this true? or what is the original reason for the design?

[JSN]

tv show that's brought to you by dodge, audi and Lincoln maybe..

[m3power]

Originally posted by KEEPYOURDISTANCE!
I saw a TV show about BMW and they said that the BMW grill was implemented as a tribute to Hitler, they represent his moustache?

Is this true? or what is the original reason for the design?

interesting... if this is true, i wonder what part of the human anatomy dtm style tips represent... :evil2

[RanGer498]

Originally posted by KEEPYOURDISTANCE!
I saw a TV show about BMW and they said that the BMW grill was implemented as a tribute to Hitler, they represent his moustache?

Is this true? or what is the original reason for the design?
what show did you see that on?

[DiScoTeknix]

Hitler modernized Germany, but he also killed a bunch of people... so he get's cancelled out. Damn racist bastard.

What channel was it on? was it the history channel? Those guys love Hitler.

[KEEPYOURDISTANCE!]

I really can't remeber where I saw it....It might have been the History Channel...

But I think it can of makes sense, given the time circustances, the involvement of BMW in the industry (plane engines and cars) they might have had a serious influence from the nazis at the time....similar in a way to the volskwagen story

[sza187]

i hope you guys arent beliving that. you are talking about the propellers right? white propellers in the blue bavarian sky...

[Cruzmisl]

The two kidneys

This is all I could find on it.

"Peter Shimanowski a designer for BMW was responsible for the now famous double kidney grill found on most BMW automobiles, the grill was first seen on the 303 (BMW's 1st 6 cylinder 1933)."

I guess if you want to know what made him think about it, you'll have to dig him out of the grave and ask.

Just a design revelation that stuck, I'm assuming.

[SilverBeam]

1933 was when hitler was very popular... but if you look at the early kidney grills they don't look anything like what they do today. I found a picture of the car, you decide if it does in fact look like a moustache. I think it could, but more like a crazy British hunter in africa in the 1920/1930's moustache, then that of the infamous dictator.

Car: http://bmwheaven.bmwsport.net/history/pics/303_black_front.jpg

Hitler: http://home.tiscali.dk/8x026834/images/hitler.jpg

[CrayzeeM3]

The BMW logo is a propeller spinning. BMW made war planes in Germany during WWI i believe?

[JSN]

wow, that picture of hitler is terrifying.

yes, bmw played a huge role in the nazi war machine. If they would have funded them a little better, who knows..

[sza187]

yes bmw has a pretty impressive history some at
http://www.automuseum.com/bmwhistory.html

the grills represent probpellers. the logo (the circle split into 4) is the symbol of the bmw white propellers over the blue bavarian sky. i thought you guys were enthusiasts..

[ibizam3]

Peter Shimanowski was Jewish.... And he as a creator of the BMW kidney grille design SURELY did not do so to appease Hitler. Nothing terrifying about that pic jsn, he actually doesn't look like a bad guy... but looks can be deceiving.

Anyways drawing parallels between the kidney grills and a person's moustache is like saying a man and woman born on the same day are meant to be, whereas a lot of people are born on the same day, and a lot of people had that kind of mustache in that time... I sure know my grandfather did, and he was a naval captain fighting the Nazis at the time.

EDIT:

I must admit though that it is interesting that the grille came out in 1933, same time that Hitler was elected... HMMM :95

[alphastorm]

Hey, at least propellers aren't as frightening as the fascist meaning of the Mercedes Benz logo. As I read it in the british magazine CAR, the 3 points of the Mercedes logo represents the domination of land, air, and sea.

Now THAT'S terrifying. :)

[Balthazarr]

Look at his eyes. Cold as steel.

And no, the grill looks nothing like a British hunter's moustache in Africa in the 20's or 30's.

[Balthazarr]

Originally posted by sza187
yes bmw has a pretty impressive history some at
http://www.automuseum.com/bmwhistory.html

the grills represent probpellers. the logo (the circle split into 4) is the symbol of the bmw white propellers over the blue bavarian sky. i thought you guys were enthusiasts..

How do the grills in any way look like a propeller?

[94is]

Originally posted by alphastorm
Hey, at least propellers aren't as frightening as the fascist meaning of the Mercedes Benz logo. As I read it in the british magazine CAR, the 3 points of the Mercedes logo represents the domination of land, air, and sea.

Now THAT'S terrifying. :)

Yeah, didn't Hitler drive a Mercedes too? :eek: I don't think he drove a BMW. :az:

[94is]

Originally posted by Balthazarr
How do the grills in any way look like a propeller?

The roundel is what the propellers depict.

[v.b.]

so can someone explain why pontiac has similar grill?

[///M LIFE©]

They copy BMW, everyone does.

[Balthazarr]

Originally posted by 94is
The roundel is what the propellers depict.

He said the grills represent the propellers.

The roundel depicts the prop in the sky. :confused:

[ibizam3]

Originally posted by v.b.
so can someone explain why pontiac has similar grill?
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=998420

No, that's the new 5 series! I mean Grand Prix! I mean the new 5 series! F*uck you Bangle!!!

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=892318

[beeze]

Is it possible that the grill changed in 1933 becuase it was there first 6 cyl car? Is it possible the middle part on the grill is a propeller and the sides are like the cooling?

it is wierd that it cam out in 1933 and Hitler was in power in 1933. If we knew the show we could contact them for there sorces though.