BMW History

The Bayerische Motoren Werke (in English, Bavarian Motor Works) was created in 1916 through the merger of an aircraft maker and a manufacturer of aircraft engines.

BMW's first notable success in this sector was the 6-cylinder BMW IIIa engine, which in 1918 powered a biplane to 5000 meters altitude (16,405 feet) in just 29 minutes.

In 1922 the company signed a contract to produce a small engine for the Victoria motorcycle, which was made in Nuremberg. During this period, BMW also produced a big truck engine - with an overhead camshaft, a very advanced feature at the time.

With BMW already in the motorcycle-engine business, Max Friz wanted BMW in the motorcycle business too. Management approved production; the BMW R 32 motorcycle (as it was called) went into production in 1923. Its  technology survives to this day - and has been updated in the new R1100 series, introduced in 1993 and now including four models.

In late 1928, BMW got into the car industry  by acquiring the Eisenach Vehicle Factory, in the city of Eisenach, north of Munich. Eisenach had been making cars since 1899; when BMW took over, it was producing a single model, a license version of England's little Austin Seven.

This car would become the first BMW automobile, known as the 3/15 or "Dixi."

In 1932, a new, larger model called the BMW 3/20 was introduced. Then, only a year later, BMW's first model that could be called a sports sedan made its debut, a 6-cylinder model called the 303.

In 1934, the 303's engine was enlarged to 1.5 liter (from 1.2), and the model-naming system BMW still uses was instituted: It was called the 315. Then came a sports roadster, the 315/1. The 6-cylinder engine was progressively enlarged, to 1.9 and then to 2.0 liters, and finally to 3.5 liters. Aerodynamic racing versions of the 328 were still winning famous races - such as Italy's Mille Miglia in 1939 - when production for war brought this illustrious BMW era to a close.

When World War II ended in 1945, little was left of BMW but the name. The Eisenach plant, where all BMW cars had been produced, was now in the Eastern zone, which  would become East Germany.

BMW rebuilt its bombed-out Munich plant, and began production of motorcycles again. Then came tiny hybrid cars, powered by motorcycle engines: BMW's was called Isetta.

Just under a decade after the war's end, a stately new luxury sedan with the BMW logo and a powerful V-8 engine was cruising the new West German high-speed Autobahn network. It was called the 507, and today it is one of the most coveted postwar European collector cars of all.

BMW's contemporary period begins with the 1500 of 1962. In the European context the 1500 was a middle-class family sedan and BMW made it a performance car as well. The 1500 began BMW's modern sports-sedan tradition.

The BMW 1500 spawned a smaller 2-door version and one model, the 2002, introduced many Americans to BMW's sports-sedan concept. Then came a new 6-cylinder generation - cars like the Bavaria sedan and 3.0 CS coupe. In 1975, the first 3 Series was launched.

BMW's two motorcycle lines and four automobile series are a product offering rich in heritage, design and technology, with reputation and prestige that are respected the world over.

 As it has been throughout its history, BMW's philosophy is to build driving machines that respond faithfully and enjoyably to their driver's (or rider's) commands while also providing the safety, practicality, style, quality, reliability and durability that help make long-term ownership a rewarding experience.