Learning your stripes

M3Post brings our attention to an M3 photoshoot featuring an original Imola Red E30 along with an Interlagos Blue E46 and a Laguna Seca Blue E92. A nice collection of M3s we’re sure you’ll agree.

Astute observers will also notice the colours of the three cars are reminiscent of BMW Motorsport’s iconic coloured stripes.

Did you know the red colour paid tribute to oil company Texaco who had a partnership agreement with BMW back in the day? The lighter blue is for Bavaria, home of BMW. And the purple colour, a mixture of the red and light blue, represented the harmony between the two companies.

We’re told BMW had to pay for the rights to continue using the red once the agreement with Texaco came to an end.

There’s more after the break and if you follow the source link below you’ll be treated to more photos.

[Source: MClub.LA via M3Post]

BMW Motorsport stripes

• RED represented Texaco who had partnered with BMW during the early days of M racing
  
• BLUE represented BMW (and Bavaria)
  
• PURPLE was used to represent the partnership and to allow for a nice transition between the two colors. (Once the BMW/Texaco partnership ended, BMW had to buyout Texaco for the rights to the red.)

Colour specifications

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

Paint:
Red GLASURIT-BMW 353
Light Blue GLASURIT-BMW 5002
Blue Violett GLASURIT-BMW 4000

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

• Pantone = industry standard colour matching system for commercial printing.
• Paint = in this case it is referring 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 colours.