What you name your BMW issues.
My buddy Dave and I had a high-school acquaintance who was keen on recounting her weekend exploits throughout our shared lunch hour. We’ll name her Misty. Misty’s exploits have been largely restricted to working on the deli counter of a neighborhood grocery retailer, and/or visiting her sister in Calumet Metropolis. Calumet Metropolis is on the lake, and never all that far south of Chicago—and possibly a 60-minute drive from our suburban village. Oh, and Misty’s sister owned a BMW—that is necessary to my story.
Is it Bimmer of Beemer?
It’s Bimmer, proper?
Now, none of that is actually noteworthy, and the weekend recaps have been—at finest—repetitive—however there was one ingredient of Misty’s storytelling that, over time, turned grating. First, she lovingly referred to Calumet Metropolis as “Cal Metropolis,” and he or she at all times referred to her sister’s automotive as a “Beemer.”
Cal Metropolis
Now, a lot of individuals name Calumet Metropolis Cal Metropolis—although the implied familiarity appeared to counsel that this one-time bootlegger haven was now a weekend haven little shy of Monte Carlo or Las Vegas when it comes to its magnificence, majesty, and premium facilities. Although Dave and I have been unacquainted with the charms of Calumet Metropolis, we have been fairly certain the city was being oversold to us. No matter.
However the Beemer factor…
Who says Beemer?
Now, Dave and I have been critical automotive nuts, and skim each article in each situation of each automotive journal each month, and we have been fairly sure that the suitable nickname for a BMW was Bimmer. Folks, no less than guys, who referred to BMWs as Beemers have been, weirdo car-guy fakers simply seeking to be mocked. However Misty was a woman, and…how may we show we have been proper? Life earlier than the Web was difficult.
Bikes?
Little did Dave and I do know in regards to the duplicitous nature of BMW and its loyal fanbase.
And whereas BMW homeowners overwhelming referred to their automobiles as Bimmers, we had no concept {that a} sperate and distinct tradition of bike homeowners referred to their machines as Beemers. Actually, who knew?
Per BMW…
Per BMW, the precise firm, comes this:
“Strictly talking, it’s incorrect to speak a few “beamer automotive” (or “beemer automotive”). The proper time period for a BMW car is “bimmer” – “beemer” and “beamer” truly solely confer with a BMW bike.”
We’ll ignore the choice spelling choices advised above, and simply reaffirm: A BMW automotive is a Bimmer, a BMW bike is a Beemer.
Sorry, Misty
As for Misty, we’ll forgive the lapse in car-culture consciousness. Seemingly she was nonetheless in a daze following one other wonder-filled weekend in Cal Metropolis.
Hearken to the Automotive Stuff Podcast
Bimmer and Beemer Photos
Click on beneath for enlarged photos
