Why Did Bayerische Motoren Werke Change Its Name to BMW?
2 Answers
Bayerische Motoren Werke was actually the original name when BMW first entered China, dating back to the 1990s. Initially, a transliteration approach was used, directly translating BMW into Bayerische Motoren Werke. The name "BMW" was a Hong Kong designation, with a very fitting and easily memorable meaning in Chinese. Therefore, starting from 1992, the mainland has also adopted this name to this day. Mercedes-Benz Name Change: The earliest Chinese name for Mercedes-Benz was also a direct translation, called "Mo Xie Tai Si Ben Ci" in Mandarin, which in Cantonese was described as "long and smelly"—not only was the name lengthy and hard to remember, but it also lacked grandeur. In Mandarin, it even sounded like "stupid to death." Later, it was renamed to Mercedes-Benz, where "Benz" immediately conveys the image of a fast-running car, full of grandeur, as if speeding down the road. Porsche Name Change: As many know, Porsche is colloquially called "Bo Zi" in Hong Kong. However, when it first entered the mainland, it was directly translated as "Bo Er She," which was very awkward to pronounce and carried no sense of prestige. In fact, Porsche is also a Cantonese transliteration by Hong Kong people, but compared to "Bo Er She," it is much more pleasant to the ear. Moreover, the characters "Bao" and "Jie" in the name carry auspicious meanings, and this name has been used ever since.
My buddy is a car salesman, and during a casual chat, he mentioned that the rebranding from 'Bayerische Motoren Werke' to 'BMW' was purely a marketing strategy. Back in the day, the name 'Bayerische Motoren Werke' was too cumbersome for consumers to remember and didn't convey the premium image of BMW. The branding team conducted research and found that 'BMW' (Baoma in Chinese) carries the connotation of 'precious horses and fragrant carriages,' which perfectly aligns with the luxury car vibe. So, in the late '90s, they decisively rebranded, and the results were immediate. 'BMW' sounds prestigious, giving owners a sense of pride, which directly boosted sales and brand loyalty. The rebranding wasn't just about a better name; it was about playing the emotional card in the Chinese market, leveraging cultural symbols to build connections. Looking back, it's a classic business case of nailing a brand name transformation.
