BMW History

BMW traces back to 1913 when Karl Friedrich Rapp, who was a well known German aircraft engineer, formed Rapp Motoren Werke in a suburb of Munich. The company specialised in airplane engines, however Rapp found problems with the engines. Nearby, Gustav Otto, also an airplane specialist, set up his own shop building small aircraft.

Rapp Motoren Werke secured a contract with Austro-Daimler to build V12 Aero engines under license however they were not able to meet its demands. The company expanded too quickly and by 1918 Rapp resigned from the company because of financial troubles. Rapp then merged with Gustav Otto, to form Bayersiche Flugzeungwerke, shortly afterwards it was renamed Bayersiche Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works), or BMW.

In 1917, BMW’s first aircraft engine was produced, the 6 cylinder Type IIIa. In 1919, using an aircraft powered by its successor, the Type IV, Franz Zeno Diemer set an altitude record of 9,760 metres (32,013 ft). After the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the same year, prohibiting BMW from building aircraft engines, production switched to air brakes for railway cars. When BMW started once again to build aircraft engines in 1922, no fewer than 29 world records in aviation were set with them. The current BMW logo, introduced in 1920, was based on the circular design of an aircraft propeller.

BMW’s first motorcycle went into production in 1923. The motorcycle, the R 32 produced 8.5 horsepower at 3300rpm from its flat-twin engine. The 2-cylinder 494cc motorcycle could reach a top speed of 59mph. 3090 of them were manufactured during its three year life span.

It was 1928 that made history in terms of the BMW car. Produced at the Eisenbach factory, the Dixi 3/15 PS marked the beginning of BMW automobile production. It was built under license from Austin and was essentially the same model as the US Bantam and the Japanese Datsun. The first Dixis used an open roof and were powered by a 743cc 4 cylinder engine producing 15 horsepower. Top speed was in the region of 50 mph (80 km/h). In 1929 a new improved version was launched, the DA2, which employed an all-steel body and 4-wheel brakes, and in 1930 the Dixi scored its first wins in motor racing. Total production was 18,976 units.

1932 was the year that BMW’s first “real” car (AM 4) went into production, this model was the successor of the Dixi and the first production car to be built totally in house by BMW. The model had a 50 mph top speed, 4 cylinder engine with suspension valves and double driving camshafts.

The next year marked the introduction of BMWs first inline six-cylinder power unit a configuration that remains BMW’S typical choice even in contemporary cars. The 303 saloon was also BMW’s first model to have two kidney shaped radiator grilles, the 303 was a benchmark in technological achievements.

3 years later, in 1936, the BMW 328 was introduced. It was the most popular and remains BMW's most famous pre-war sports car, the successor to the 315/1 (1934-36). The 328 was built mainly for motor sport, where it proved itself successful by winning the Mille Miglia in Italy in its class in 1938, but quickly became a popular road car as well.

The Second World War had a disastrous effect on the BMW company. Their factories lay in ruins, they had either been destroyed or dismantled and a three-year ban on any production activities was imposed by the Allies in response to the production of airdraft engines and rockets by BMW during the war. The first post war model, the V8 equipped 501 luxury sedan produced in 1951 was a poor production choice for a country that was also devastated by the war. Demand was low and the 501 did not even com e close to meeting BMW's expectations.

It was a totally different approach that started to bring BMW back on its feet. In 1955, the Isetta 250 was launched and participated very successfully in the mini-car era of the 1950's. It was built under license from the Italian manufacturer Iso and used a motorcycle engine and a single door at the front. The engine was a single cylinder 245cc unit producing 12 horsepower at 5800 rpm and a top speed of 53 mph (85 km/h). During its 7 year production run a total of 161,728 Isettas were built.

Today, the Z3, Z8 and all of the 3, 5, 7 and Motor sport series models continue the BMW tradition of building excellent automobiles with a special emphasis on performance, style and technological advancements. 1992 was another year-to-be-remembered for BMW when it, for the first time, outsold Mercedes in Europe. Hopefully in the future the rivalry between these and other makes will persist and companies such as BMW will continue to build great cars.