BMW history

"Freude am Fahren" or "driving pleasure" is the corporate motto of BMW.

If the German brand had wanted to advertise such a slogan less than a hundred years ago, it would have preferred: "The joy of flying." Initially, she was engaged in the production of aircraft.

In 1913 Karl Friedrich Rapp founded Rapp Motorenwerke AG. Three years later, the company was taken over by Gustav Otto, an aircraft and aero engine manufacturer, and changed its name to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, or Bavarian Aircraft Works. In 1917, the company was transformed into the joint-stock company Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, and a few months later the Austrian Franz Josef Popp joined it. It continues its BMW name, which is still relevant today. The current logo of the brand also comes from that period - a rotating airplane propeller on a blue background, symbolizing the sky. These colors are also featured on the Bavarian flag, which has been the seat of BMW since the beginning.

Gustav Otto, an aircraft manufacturer, took over Rapp Motorenwerke in 1916 and created the Bavarian Aircraft Factory (pictured), which would become BMW a few years later.

On June 17, 1919, Franz Zeno Diemer broke the altitude record in an aircraft powered by a BMW IV, gaining a height of 9 meters. 760 meters above the ground.

Premiere of the first BMW motorcycle. The R 32, presented in Berlin in 1923, made a big splash.

After the First World War, the production of aircraft in Germany was prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. Otto closed the aircraft factory and switched to the production of components for locomotives. In 1919, BMW also created the first motorcycle engine design. Four years later, the car on two wheels, the R32, is ready.

The first BMW car was the 3/15 PS, a model formerly produced by Dixi, which the German marque took over in 1928.

"BMW are the fastest motorcycles in the world." The German brand was proud of this term after Ernest Henne, driving a BMW in 1929, accelerated to 216 km / h.

The BMW 328 was one of the first cars built from scratch. The car performed great on the track. Over 1936 races were won in 40-120.

In 1928, BMW bought the Dixi brand, which produces cars under license from the British Austin Seven, and in 1933, the first cars, I6, 327, 328 and 335, were manufactured according to the original designs of German engineers. During the Second World War, the Bavarian plant again produces aircraft engines, as well as motorcycles - all for the needs of the army of the Third Reich.

In 1937, BMW engineers began research into the aerodynamics of automobiles. One of the fruits of these experiments was the prototype K1.

The BMW 501, like its successor, the 502, has been called the "Baroque Angel". However, it was only appreciated after many years.

“A car just for two” is Isetta. This grotesque little car saved the company's financial fortunes in the 50s.

The position of BMW after the end of the war was terrible - the bombing almost completely destroyed the plant in Munich. The permission to repair US military equipment in the city of Allah helped the company get on its feet. In the following years, he also made parts for agricultural machinery and bicycles, and in 1948 he resumed the production of motorcycles.

The 507 is an automotive work of art. The beautiful roadster, however, failed in the marketplace and almost killed BMW.

The 700 BMW 1959 was known as the "lion-hearted weasel". Maybe because in addition to an inconspicuous appearance, he also had solid characteristics.

The Dynamic 1500, introduced in 1963, was a great success. The same thing happened to its successor, the Model 1800 (pictured).

At the beginning of the 501s, BMW produced its first post-war cars, the 502 and 1955. In the 507, the Isetta emerged from the Munich plant, a tiny car on three wheels whose surprisingly good sales results saved the German marque's financial fortunes. . The commercial success of the Isetta was not repeated, for example, with the 1956 model introduced that year.

The roadster, which was considered an automotive work of art, turned out to be a failure from an economic point of view. In 1961, the brand introduced the 1500, which ushered in a new era later established by cars such as the 2000 CS or the New Sixes and New Class series. The latter laid the foundation for the current BMW model names. New Sixes is the ancestor of today's Series 3, and New Class is Series 7.

In 1968, the German brand introduced the 2500 (pictured) and 2800 models, the progenitors of today's 3 Series.

The first model of the 5-series, produced today, appeared on the market in 1972.

The BMW 2002 turbo is the first production car in Europe to be equipped with a turbocharger.

In the early nineties, the company began working with Rolls-Royce, which became its property in 1998. Prior to this, BMW fought for the British brand with Volkswagen. It wasn't until 2003 that the Bavarians acquired the rights to the design of the characteristic grille topped with the "Spirit of Ecstasy" figure and the RR logo. Currently, BMW also owns Mini. The company also owns the rights to the Triumph, which was taken off the market in 1984.

The 1975 series has been produced since 3 years - a huge success for BMW. For more than 30 years, the models of this series have found more than 7 million buyers.

Another chapter in the success story of the German brand is the exclusive Series 6. This is the longest (13 years) produced model in the history of BMW.

No, this is not a Lamborghini. This M1 is the ancestor of today's M3 and M5. However, the beautiful car, unfortunately, did not achieve the expected success.

From 1994 to 2000, BMW also owned Rover and Land Rover. The first of the brands was sold to the British consortium Phoenix Venture Holdings. Land Rover went to the Ford concern. Since 2005, BMW has been the owner of the BMW-Sauber F1 Formula 1 team, driven by the first Pole on the First League circuits, Robert Kubica. In addition to German cars, motorcycles are also successful in sports. BMW cars have won the Dakar Rally six times.

BMW cars proved their worth in the extreme conditions of the Dakar Rally. BMW, Belgian Gaston Rahier won the desert marathon in 1984 and 1985.

Another iconic car in the history of the German brand is the 1 Z1988. Thanks to innovative technological solutions, it was called the "project of the future".

In 2000, BMW returned to Formula One circuits as the BMW Williams F1 team. Its drivers at the time were Ralf Schumacher and Jenson Button.

In addition to factories in Germany, BMW cars are produced in the USA, Great Britain, South Africa and China. Further plants will be built in Greece or Cyprus (scheduled opening in 2009) and in India (opening in 2007).

The BMW Z8 became famous as the James Bond car in the 1999 film The World Is Not Enough. Pierce Brosnan led him on screen.

The luxurious 7 Series has been BMW's flagship since 1977. Today it is a car that competes with, for example, the Audi A8, the Mercedes S-Class or the Lexus LS460.

The M5 is the sporty version of the 5 series. The fourth generation of this model (pictured), introduced in 2006, is currently on the market.

The correct pronunciation of the brand name in German is "be em we". Interestingly, BMW is also the name of a popular drink in the UK, which includes Baileys, Malibu and Whiskey.

Added by: 15 years ago,

a photo: Press materials manufacturers