BMW is probably one of the world’s most well-known acronyms in the automotive sector. BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, or simply Bavarian Motor Works, and it is a world-renowned maker of motorbikes, four-wheeled automobiles, and aircraft engines. The commitment to excellence and quality that has made BMW so famous and recognized in the automobile industry dates back over a century, to 1916. It was at this time that Bayerische Motoren Werke was established, and engines entered a new age. BMW began as an engine-focused corporation that researched and attempted to improve the performance of common engines – gradually but steadily, the company progressed from basic motorcycle engines to aviation engines that would revolutionize air travel.
It all began with Karl Friedrich Rapp’s desire to develop and reinvent engines, making them more powerful than they had ever been before – and it was Rapp who set the foundation for BMW. The need for high-performance aviation engines skyrocketed just before the First World War, and this is how Karl Friedrich Rapp’s career began. The BMW company was formed by the merger of three separate manufacturing companies: the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach in Thuringia, the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in Bavaria (which specialized in aircraft engines), and the Rapp Motorenwerke in Bavaria (which specialized in vehicle engines) – the latter of which became Bayerische Motorenwerke soon after.
As previously stated, BMW began as an airplane engine manufacturer and continued to do so for more than a decade; nevertheless, it was not until the late 1920s that BMW became a full-time automotive manufacturer with BMW servicing after purchasing one of the facilities described above (the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach). Rapp aimed to push the performance of its engines to new heights, and this is how, in the 1930s, the first line of luxury vehicles was born. These vehicles revolutionized the way people thought about automobiles and, most significantly, comfort. These luxury automobile lines, which had no less than six cylinders, were the forerunners of BMW’s first sports car, which immediately earned renown among sports enthusiasts due to its state-of-the-art engine combined with its aerodynamic design. Nonetheless, BMW’s delight as an automobile maker was short-lived, as the firm was forced to halt manufacturing of motorcycles and automobiles when World War II broke out, and the company was forced to resume production of aircraft engines.
BMW did not get back on track until the late 1940s, when it re-started production of motorcycles and vehicles. Given the great demand for four-wheeled cars, BMW began to focus more on automobiles than bikes. BMW had a tremendous deal of success in the motorcycle industry, as evidenced by the fact that it set the first world record-breaking speed with its 750cc bike, which reached a breathtaking speed of 216.75km/h at the end of the 1920s. BMW officially released its first roadster, the well-known 328 types, less than a decade later. BMW concentrated on luxury saloons a few years after resuming automotive manufacture, and they were extremely popular in less than a year. BMW grew stronger and more popular over the next few years, and it was eventually granted permission to begin producing automobiles under the prestigious and well-known Rolls Royce brand.
BMW’s Most Important Milestones
BMW has achieved a slew of firsts throughout its 99-year history, beginning with the founding of the BMW corporation as we know it today in 1916. The production of the first motorbike with the BMW insignia, the legendary BMW R32, in 1923, was the second most significant milestone. As previously stated, BMW ceased production of automobiles and motorcycles during WWII, and the first BMW automobile (the 501 models) was produced in 1951, signaling the start of a new and promising period for the company.
The BMW Motorsport GmbH was created in 1972, and the famed BMW museum and the company’s headquarters followed a year later. The corporation began expanding its operations into the United States of America in 1994, and it was also at this time that the Rover Group was purchased. Rolls-Royce would join the firm four years later, and the first BMW X-series sedan would be produced a year after. The BMW 1-series was introduced in 2004, followed by the BMW I-series in 2013, which was the world’s first line of electric cars that did not emit any greenhouse gases because they were powered exclusively by an electric motor.
Outside of Germany, BMW
BMW began to spread its horizons throughout Europe, Africa, and finally North America, even though it solely produced and sold aviation engines, motorbikes, and vehicles locally. In the 1970s, BMW established its first production factory in South Africa, which swiftly became one of the company’s foundations, producing tens of thousands of cars each year. More than two decades later, BMW constructed a new factory in South Carolina, which became known for two of the brand’s most popular models: the BMW X series and the BMW M series (X5 and X6 in particular). The production plant in South Carolina is one of the company’s most productive, producing more than 100,000 cars every year (approximately 600 automobiles each day). Last but not least, the British plants (particularly those at Goodwood and Oxford) should not be overlooked, as they specialize in producing high-end 4-cylinder BMW engines.
To summarize, here is a quick history of BMW automobiles and how they became famous over the years. BMW repairs are carried out in all countries where the company’s subsidiaries operate, and it is critical to use the services of a fully certified and expert BMW repair center like AP Autocare, as this is the only way to ensure that your current car parts are replaced with genuine, high-quality components that come with the BMW quality guarantee!
