BMW, abbreviation of Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian motor works), is a German company and manufacturer of quality automobiles and motorcycles.
The 2003 BMW 3-series.
| Table of contents |
|
2 WWII 3 Aftermath of WWII 4 Post-war history 5 Models 6 Related companies 7 Motor Sport 8 BMW Motorcycles 9 External links |
The BMW logo is a circle divided into four quadrants of alternating white and light blue colour. This is a stylised representation of an aircraft propeller - the company was originally an aircraft engine manufacturer. The colors of the logo are those of the flag of Bavaria. The company was founded by Karl Friedrich Rapp in October 1913 in the Milbertshofen district of Munich. The location was chosen to be close to the Gustav Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik site.
In 1916 the company secured a contract to build V12 engines for Austria-Hungary. Needing extra finance, Rapp gained the support of Camillo Castiglioni and Max Friz, the company was reconstituted as the Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH. Over-expansion caused difficulties, Rapp left and the company was taken over by the Austrian industrialist Franz Josef Popp in 1917, and named BMW AG from 1918.
The Treaty of Versailles (1919) prohibited the production of aircraft in Germany. Otto closed his factory and BMW switched to manufacturing railway brakes.
In 1927 the tiny Dixi, an Austin Seven produced under license, began production in Eisenach.
BMW bought the company the following year, and this became the company's first car, the BMW 3/15.
By 1933 BMW were producing cars that could be called truly theirs, offering steadily more advanced 6-cylinder sports and saloon cars.
The pre-war cars culminated in the beautiful 327 saloon and 328 roadster, fast 2-litre cars, both very advanced for their time.
BMW was a major supplier of engines to the Luftwaffe and of engines and vechicles, especially motorcyles, to the Wehrmacht.
The aero-engines included the 801, one of the most powerful available. Over 30,000 were manufactured up to 1945.
BMW also researched jet engines, producing the BMW 003, and rocket based weapons.
The BMW works were heavily bombed towards the end of the war.
Of its sites, those in eastern Germany (Eisenach, Dürrerhof, Basdorf and Zühlsdorf) were seized by the Soviets. The factory in Munich was largely destroyed.
After the war the Munich factory took some time to restart production in any volume.
BMW was banned from manufacturing for three years by the Allies and did not produce a car model until 1952.
In the east, the company's factory at Eisenach was taken over by the state-owned Awtowelo group.
That company offered "BMW"s for sale until 1951, when the Bavarian company prevented use of the trademarks: the name, the logo and the "double-kidney" radiator grille.
The cars were then branded EMW (Eisenacher Motoren Werke), production continuing until 1955.
In the west, the BAC, Bristol Aeroplane Company, inspected the factory, and returned to England with plans for the 326, 327 and 328 models.
These plans, which became official war reparations, along with BMW engineer Fritz Fiedler allowed the newly formed Bristol Cars to produce a new, high-quality sports saloon, the 400 by 1947, a car so similar to the BMW 327 that it even kept the famous BMW grille.
The current BMW model line-up is split into what they call "Series", traditionally identified by a single digit - e.g. the 3 Series. More recently they also started to use letters as Series designations beginning with the Z1 roadster.
The M letter was used even prior to that to designate special "Motorsport" models beginning with the M1 supercar. Later the M letter was used as a prefix to top-of-the-range models which had received special treatment by the BMW Motorsport division. The first such car was the M535i of 1979. As these models started gaining popularity the Motorsport division was split into a separate company. BMW M GmbH now makes sporty models based on the production cars with very extensive chassis and engine upgrades. The M3 and M5 are based respectively on the 3 and 5 Series and are recognized by enthusiasts all over the world as truly excellent sports cars while retaining the practicality of their lesser siblings.
With the advent of the SUV, BMW also added the X5 - and in 2004 the X3 - to their model range to capitalize on this growing market. A possible future V Series will offer MPV practicality for large families, similar to the Renault Scenic.
Series with odd-numbers are sedans or estates (BMW calls those models Touring), while even-numbered models are two-door coupes or cabriolets. This convention was started with the replacement of the Z3 roadster - the Z4. In future 2-door derivatives of the 3 Series will be called the 4 Series.
BMW made many cars over the years which had a massive impact on the world of motoring.
BMW motorcycles were first produced in 1923 and had an unusual "boxer twin" engine, with two air-cooled cylinders protruding from opposite sides of the machine.
Final drive was by shaft contributing to the excellent reliability of the machine.
Essentially, the same basic design is still manufactured by the company today, but other designs were also introduced.
See also:
History before WWII
WWII
Aftermath of WWII
BMW headquarters in Munich, Germany,
one of the few buildings built from top to bottom.
BMW Z3 Sports Coupé
Post-war history
needs to be written
Models
Current and near future products
Out of production
Classics
Related companies
Motor Sport
needs to be written
BMW Motorcycles
External links
