BMW

24 entries

Bavarian engineering that began with aircraft engines and grew into one of the world’s big premium brands.

Name used since: 1917
Headquarters: Munich, Germany
Brands: BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad
Output, 2023: 2,555,341 vehicles

BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke. The name appeared in 1917, when Rapp Motorenwerke was renamed, and in 1922 it passed to the aircraft maker Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, the company known today.

After the First World War aircraft work was restricted, so BMW turned to motorcycles in the 1920s and later to cars. Its slogan is “The Ultimate Driving Machine”, and it has a long record in touring cars, sports cars and the Isle of Man TT.

1917Rapp Motorenwerke becomes Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH
1920sMotorcycles added; cars follow
1922Name and assets move to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, today’s BMW AG
1959Herbert and Harald Quandt invest and save BMW from bankruptcy
2023Ninth-largest motor-vehicle producer in the world