| Karl Friedrich Rapp is the name of the | | | | weapons parts of the company were bombed. |
| founder of BMW - one of the biggest world | | | | Soviets razed to the ground most of the |
| wide car manufacturing companies. BMW or | | | | company located in eastern Germany and the |
| Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor | | | | base factory in Munich was almost completely |
| Works) was founded in 1916 as a successor to | | | | destroyed. |
| the Rapp Motor. | | | | |
| | | | After the war BMW was not able to quickly |
| Many people think that the logo of BMW comes | | | | recover because of the need to rebuild the |
| from a spinning white propeller seen in the | | | | factory in Munich. After that when the |
| background of the blue sky. This may be so | | | | restrictions from the Allies applied BMW was |
| but in fact it is known that it also comes | | | | banned for three long years in which the |
| from the white and blue flag of Bavaria - the | | | | company was forbidden from producing |
| largest state of Germany. The capital city of | | | | motorcycles until 1948 and cars until 1952. |
| the state is Munich and this is the place | | | | |
| where even today we can find the BMW | | | | In 1951 the Bavarian company was able to |
| Headquarters. | | | | regain all trademarks and it looked like it |
| | | | was finally able to recover and start again |
| In 1916 with the foundation of the company a | | | | from what was left. In 1959 Herbert Quandt |
| contract was secured for building V12 | | | | became the "wheel" which turned the BMW |
| engines. These engines were about to be used | | | | around because he denied a deal with |
| in the creation of the automobiles from | | | | Daimler-Benz and soon after that he increased |
| Austro-Daimler. These 12 cylinders V engines | | | | his share in the BMW Company up to 50%. |
| were at first used in aircrafts which is the | | | | |
| original plan of the BMW Company. Taking in | | | | The name of Kurt Golda is stated as the man |
| account the time when the company was founded | | | | who incited Quandt to do this step and in the |
| it was very likely for them to continue like | | | | same year BMW began production of the BMW 700 |
| that. | | | | which was based on the BMW 600. This small |
| | | | car used 2-cylinder, air-cooled engines and |
| However in 1919 after the World War I and the | | | | some years later it was renamed to "LS". |
| Treaty of Versailles the production of | | | | Coupe and some cabriolet series were also |
| aircraft in Germany was prohibited and that | | | | manufactured. |
| quickly changed the politics of BMW. They | | | | |
| began making brakes for the Rail transport. | | | | In 1963 BMW offered dividends to the |
| Soon after that BMW was able to design a | | | | shareholders of the company and in 1966 the |
| motorcycle engine which was used for the | | | | factory in Munich reached its maximum |
| creation of a motorcycle called with the | | | | capacity and BMW bought Hans Glas GmbH. This |
| model name Victoria. However Victoria was not | | | | deal enabled BMW to use factories in Landshut |
| built by BMW but by another company in | | | | and Dingolfing. |
| Nuremberg. | | | | |
| | | | With some new style provided by Bertone in |
| In 1924 BMW made a model of a motorcycle | | | | 1972 BMW began production of 5 new series and |
| which was the first one they built - the R32. | | | | in the years to follow the company made a big |
| This was a turning point in the BMW history | | | | progress in the market. For 6 years under the |
| because it was a major achievement and for | | | | leadership of Bernd Pischetsrieder BMW was |
| decades they used its technology - 500 cc | | | | able to expand its deal in the market by |
| engines cooled down by the air. Soon after | | | | buying from British Aerospace the Rover |
| that BMW added one new innovation - the | | | | Group. Rover Group's history starts in 1986 |
| driveshaft. It came to replace the chain for | | | | and till the moment when BMW owned it this |
| driving the rear wheel and became a mark of | | | | company was able to achieve many things like |
| BMW for quite some time. | | | | for example the Rover 400 in 1990. |
| | | | |
| In the German city Eisenach in 1927 began the | | | | However the Rover was sold to Phoenix Venture |
| production of Dixi - under license but only a | | | | Holdings and Ford Motor Company because of |
| year after that the Dixi Company was bought | | | | some years of losses for BMW. Jokingly the |
| by BMW and they began mass production | | | | press called the Rover "The English Patient" |
| together with the model Austin Seven. | | | | after the release of the namesake film. This |
| | | | however was not very hard on BMW and they |
| When the World War I began BMW took its place | | | | were spared from taking the blame. It looks |
| in it because of the German army's motorized | | | | like that even the British press was not very |
| division. They used BMW R75 together with BMW | | | | enthusiastic about the Rover. |
| R12. Because of the high need of engines BMW | | | | |
| note that period as highly profitable. BMW | | | | BMW began production outside of Germany in |
| was the main supplier and even today words | | | | 1994. New factories were made in South |
| like Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht brings many | | | | Carolina and even today the manufacturing of |
| memories. Some of the best planes in that | | | | BMW X5 and BMW Z4 is made there. There are |
| historical time used the BMW aero-engines and | | | | factories in some other places too like |
| till the 1945 more than 30 000 planes with | | | | Oxford, Goodwood and others. After some time |
| these engines were manufactured. | | | | of assembly BMW began production in South |
| | | | Africa. Today BMW exports more than 50 000 3 |
| BMW even made researches which enabled the | | | | Series vehicles yearly to Japan, USA, Africa, |
| company to make different jet engines for | | | | Australia and the Middle East. |
| weapons. With the use of some men power | | | | |
| consisting mainly by prisoners of the war BMW | | | | In order to serve the market in Eastern |
| made many rocket-based weapons that were used | | | | Europe and Middle East BMW are planning to |
| in the war. | | | | begin construction of a new plant located in |
| | | | Cyprus or Greece. A plant in Chennai, India |
| Soon after the creation of the rocket-based | | | | already opened production in 2007. |