BP

BP, formerly the British Petroleum Company, is one of the three biggest petrol retailers in Europe (with Shell and Esso). Like those companies, its history is well documented and so will only be summarised on this website.

BP has sold a wide variety of branded maps, which are spread over several pages, as well as having acquired numerous other European Petrol Retailers.

BP branded maps and guides: Pre-war maps and Touring Service Maps of Europe (18) 1947-1977 Maps: standard designs (10) 1955-1977 Maps: national variations (27) Maps since 1978 (20) BP Touring Kits (32) Maps from Britain (30) Maps from Germany (24)         A 1930s Olex Guide to Bavaria (7) The 1926 BP Guide to Paris (14) Major Acquisitions: Amoco Maps1 (8) Aral Maps (Four pages - 79 images including Derop)         Gasolin Maps (21)         Leuna & Nitag Maps (13) Burmah & Trading Maps (12) Fanal Maps including Brenntag & Frisia (10) Mobil Maps (Three pages - 50 images including Auto-Gazo, CIP & Sphinx)2 National Benzole Maps (26) Lubricants: Castrol Maps (8) Duckham's Maps (15) Optimol Maps (8) Veedol Maps (7)

Of Europe but not for European motorists: L: A 1968 BP map of Europe issued to customers of the Kemwel group. Kemwel specialises in arranging automobile rental for US visitors to Europe, sometimes for longer than typical periods, with local car hire firms. Enlarge R:A 1977 BP map of Europe was overprinted for Trafalgar Tours, a specialist in coach tours for US tourists. This is perhaps more surprising as Trafalgar customers would be unlikely to need to buy their own fuel. Enlarge Both maps were produced by George Philip & Son at 1:1,250,000.

¹Although BP acquired Amoco in 1999, most of Amoco's European operations were sold to Tamoil or Elf between 1976 and 1990.
²BP initially merged its European downstream operations with those of Mobil in 1996, then acquired Mobil's interest in them after ExxonMobil was formed in 1998.