There is no such person around the world who has not heard anything about BMW. It is one of the best organizations that specializes in the production of German cars. Stamps BMW cars fascinate the male sex, starting from adolescence, moreover, even women do not remain indifferent to them.

Almost throughout the 21st century, the leaders and employees of the company pleased us with a diverse and high-quality production of machines. Due to this, the company gathered crowds of fans from all over the world. Branches of BMW organizations are located in many countries, each of them is a success. Have you ever wondered what a difficult path the managers and staff of this company have gone through in order to achieve the desired result, maintain it for many years and win over customers? Let's find out what is the history of bmw.

History of the BMW emblem

The history of the bmw company begins with its emblem, let's find out what this emblem means and why it is? BMW is one of the most popular companies that produces high quality bicycles, motorcycles and cars. The name can be deciphered as the Bavarian Motor Works (BMW). The head office is located in Munich. The emblem of BMW tells us about the distant past, when the company produced aircraft engines - this is an aircraft propeller that rotates against the blue sky. Shades of blue and white look good on the emblem, besides, these are the colors of the coat of arms of Bavaria. BMW leaders hide the origin and real decoding of the emblem, it is worth noting that over the years of the company's existence, the emblem has not changed much.

Where does the company get bmw titles for manufactured equipment? Even in the production of aircraft engines, the names were chosen as in ancient times. The German aviation corps was designated by Roman numerals to distinguish between aircraft engines. Under these figures, concepts about the functioning of engines were hidden. After some time, many manufacturers began to use this method until 1932. Cars and motorcycles had personal trade designations "bayern-motor", along with which they singled out their power indicator.

Thus, the names M4A1 and M2B15 were published, which have a mysterious look, but for motorists everything is quite simple. For example, the decoding of M2V15 is as follows: a two-cylinder engine of the B series with project 15. Over time, it was decided to make the names simpler and more accessible to people, so cylinders and numbers were no longer indicated in the designations. It was decided to simplify the system in the middle of 1920. The mention of the number of cylinders and the series had to be completely abandoned.

Location of numbers depending on the type of transport:

100-199 - denoted aircraft engines.

200-299 - motorcycles.

300-399 - cars.

The designations that had already been assigned had to be changed slightly to adhere to the new changes.

History of BMW

The founders of bmw - Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto (son of Nikolaus August Otto, inventor of the engine internal combustion). In 1913 Karl Rapp with his partner Julius Auspitzerbought out the company "Flugwerk Deutschland" and organized their own aircraft engine company "Karl Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH"". Gustav Otto also had his own design factory. In 1914, the First World War began, the state of Germany was in great need of aircraft. For this reason, the two firms had to merge together. In 1917, as a result of such a merger, a company appeared, which was registered under the official name BMW. Although the history of BMW and this topic cause a lot of discussion to this day, most people believe that the company began its existence long before official registration.

In 1919, Franz Diemer set the first world record at BMW. He climbed 9760 meters from the ground in an airplane powered by BMW. After the war ended, the German state accepted defeat, and the founders of BMW were in for a failure, as it became forbidden to produce aircraft engines. All production activities had to be stopped, but thanks to the perseverance and perseverance of the leaders, the plant did not stop its work, but, on the contrary, stood on new level. Now BMW specialized in motorcycle technology, and set to work on the production of two-wheelers. The BMW R32 is one of the first motorcycles to make history and was released in 1923.

In 1926, 5 world records were made on a seaplane in which a BMW engine was installed. In 1927, a total of 87 records were recorded in aviation, and 29 of them were set precisely on aircraft with BMW engines. In 1928, the company took up the purchase of an automobile plant in Eisenach and received permission to manufacture passenger cars.

Dixi is the very first vehicle produced at the BMW factory. Affordable price and reliability of the car bring companies large financial income.

In 1929, Ernst Henne competed with a motorcycle from BMW and became the leader of the race, which brought him fame as the most successful motorcyclist in the world. The Second World War, like the first, undermined the production of the company, BMW returned to the production of aircraft again. The production of motorcycles was moved to Eisenach, but it was more difficult with cars, their production had to be frozen due to a ban on the production and sale of cars. In 1945, the Second World War ended, the BMW organizations were destroyed, and the factories in Eisenach, Dürrerhof and Basdorf were also lost. During this period, the company gained experience and became the first of the firms around the world to engage in the production of jet engines.

When the war ended, BMW was again on the verge of collapse, a certain share of the companies was occupied, and besides, they declared a taboo on any production, due to the supply of aircraft engines during the war. The leaders, who impress with their perseverance, made the decision to start all over again.

In 1954, BMW became the world leader in sidecar competition and maintained its title for 20 years. In 1956, the company added two sports cars 503, 507. In 1959, the "700" car model increased the popularity of BMW vehicles. Due to the high demand for motorcycles, BMW in 1969 resumed the production of two-wheeled vehicles. Motorcycles were made in Berlin.

The first models differed significantly in design from the previous ones, in their originality. Together they released the R24 motorcycle, followed by the 501 passenger car. In 1995, the company produces several models of the R50, R51 motorcycles, and then an unusual three-wheel hybrid for everyone. Due to unstable income, the company goes bankrupt, then the option of selling it to Mercedes was considered, but the shareholders in every possible way prevented this and disrupted the deal. In the 1970s, the first models of the 3-series, 5-series, 6-series and 7-series, famous to this day, were produced. In 1983, the Formula 1 race was attended by a BMW car, which won. In 1995, airbags were installed in absolutely all cars.

Today, BMW is a world-famous company that, despite many difficulties, was able to achieve results and become a powerful manufacturer. Now the company's income has become regular and increases annually. The company consists of 5 organizations located throughout the German state and 22 subsidiaries located throughout the world.

Owners and executives of BMW

Karl Friedrich Rapp is the most important and the first founder of the company. Under his control, aircraft engines were produced.

In 1917, Karl Rapp's place was taken by Franz Joseph Popp from Austria, under his leadership the company began to produce cars.

In 2011, the shares were distributed among the shareholders:

Stefan Quandt - 17.4%.

Susanne Klatten (sister) - 12.6%.

Johanna Quandt (mother) - 16.7%.

The remaining 53.3% are traded on the market.

Norbert Reithofer is the current Chairman of the company (2016).

BMW activities

In 2008, 1,203,482 cars were produced and produced. This number is significantly less compared to last year's production. In 2007, 7.6% more motor vehicles were produced. The number of employees who worked in the company in 2008 is 100,041. Sales proceeds for 2008 are 53.2 billion euros, taking into account all costs incurred (taxes, materials for production, etc.) the net financial profit of the company is 330 million Euro. The main organizations are located in Germany (Munich, Dingolfing) and America (Spartanburg). AT Russian Federation BMW production can be found in Kaliningrad.

Main markets for sales of BMW cars:

1. Germany - approximately 80 thousand.

2. America - 30 thousand.

3. Great Britain, England, Italy, France, Japan, China, Russia - 20 thousand.

All official figures are for the year of sales.

A special museum of BMW products has opened in Munich, where all car enthusiasts who admire BMW products can learn about the history of the company's creation. In addition, it contains models of cars and motorcycles that have been produced over the entire period of the company's existence.

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BMW - how much is contained in these three letters. There is not a single person in the world who does not know that this is one of the best German car companies. Cars of this brand excite the minds of teenagers, adult men and even women. It all started back in 1913, when two young people created two firms for the production of engines for aircraft. Soon they will merge into one enterprise, which is proudly called the "Bavarian Motor Works". Since that time, BMW cars are called Bavarian, and some official dealers receive the prefix "Bavaria" in the title. The official year of foundation of the company is 1917. In five years, the company will be almost 100 years old. A whole century of unique and diverse cars, various innovations and a mass of fans around the world. Here is the main achievement of BMW. After the end of the First World War, the company is on the verge of bankruptcy and decides to focus on the production of motorcycles and engines for them. Note that BMW still produces the most modern two-wheeled vehicles that are sold in countries such as North Ossetia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, South Ossetia, Abkhazia , Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Europe (European Union (EU)), Bulgaria, UK, Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro , Austria, Switzerland, Australia, Israel, India, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Iran, China, Japan, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya.

The German company develops the most various engines for motorcycles and motorcycles themselves, while thinking about the production of cars. In 1928 BMW buys a license to manufacture his first car. He gets the name Dixi. The novelty immediately begins to conquer Europe, and the Bavarians are slowly increasing their popularity around the world. In those years, BMW distinguished the sporty character of their creations. As you can see, these features can be traced in the company's cars so far.

In the 30s of the last century, the first BMW 328 was produced, which will become one of the most successful in history. The main difference between "treshki" in its aggressive nature. The 3-series car wins a number of awards and honorary titles, which only underlines the correctness of the chosen BMW line.

After the Second World War and the collapse of Germany, the company begins to experience not the most rosy times. BMW again decides to focus on the production of aircraft engines. However, the Germans are still thirsty for innovation and create a mixture of motorcycle and car. The three-wheeled “miracle” (and there is no other way to call it) is gaining success in the homeland, but just a few months later, people begin to be interested in other cars and BMW is approaching the verge of bankruptcy. The question arises about the sale of the company, and the main competitor of Mercedes is even trying to buy out the Bavarian company. BMW carry out a capital restructuring and begins to continue its production. In fact, this is the beginning of the formation of a company that has won the hearts of motorists around the world. It should be noted that today this allows Bavarians to successfully sell their cars for such world currencies as the Russian ruble, US dollar, Australian dollar, Belarusian ruble, British pound, Kazakhstani tenge, Canadian dollar, Chinese yuan, Ukrainian hryvnia, New Zealand dollar , Swiss frank.

Naturally, many banks in the world are happy to cooperate with the reputable German brand. Among them we can highlight the banks of Belarus, Banks of Russia (VTB Bank, Sberbank, Alfa Bank), Banks of Europe, Banks of Ukraine, Banks of the USA, Banks of Switzerland.

The German concern is gradually opening new factories around the world, producing the first car with a turbocharged engine, and also creating an anti-lock braking system, known as ABS. All of the above achievements by leaps and bounds bring BMW closer to the world automotive leaders. In the 70s of the last century, the still popular models of the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 6th series were created, without which it is impossible to imagine the German brand today.

Meanwhile, other automakers do not stand still: VAZ, UAZ, Renault, Audi, Toyota, Kia, BMW, Nissan, Ford, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, Mercedes.

BMW cars are increasingly mentioned in various media in Russia and the CIS, foreign media, among which are: The Guardian, The Financial Times, The New York Times, Forbes.

The company does not forget about the production of motorcycles, which are also gradually gaining their popularity, as well as Yachts, Cars, Phones, Dogs, Diamonds, online games, real estate.

In 1994, BMW buys the British industrial group Rover, which owns the Rover, Land Rover and MG brands. This acquisition allows the company to increase its share of the SUV and compact car market. Four years later, the Germans get the British premium brand Rolls Royce.

The number of cars produced is constantly growing. Today, BMW is a very prestigious brand, so employees of embassies, consulates, travel and insurance companies often travel in cars of a German company. In addition, cars attract the attention of such personalities from the world of show business as Alla Pugacheva, Anastasia Volochkova, Ani Lorak, Kristina Orbakaite, Ksenia Sobchak, Philip Kirkorov, Nikolai Baskov.

To a person who is not particularly interested in cars, it may seem that there are a large number of independent automakers in the world. In fact, among car brands, one can single out giant concerns and alliances that include several automakers. So let's see who belongs to whom among car brands.

ConcernVolkswagen

The parent company of the group is VolkswagenAG. Volkswagen AG wholly owns the intermediate holding Porsche Zwischenholding GmbH, which owns the luxury car manufacturer PorscheA.G. Well, 50.73% of the shares of Volkswagen AG itself belong to the Porsche S.E. holding, owned by the Porsche and Piech families, the descendants of the company's founder Ferdinand Porsche and his sister Louise Piech. The Volkswagen Group also includes companies Audi(bought from Daimler-Benz), SEAT, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Plus truck and bus manufacturers MAN(Volkswagen owns 55.9% of the shares) and Scania (70,94%).

CompanyToyota

Japanese Toyota motor corp. is Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the founder of the company. The Master Trust Bank of Japan owns 6.29% of the company's shares, Japan Trustee Services Bank 6.29%, Toyota Industries Corporation 5.81%, plus 9% treasury shares. Among Japanese Toyota manufacturers owns the largest number of brands: Lexus(the company was created by Toyota itself as a manufacturer of luxury cars), Subaru, Daihatsu , Scion(cars with youth design for sale in the USA) and hino(produces trucks and buses).

CompanyHonda

Another Japanese automaker Honda owns only one brand, and then created by Honda itself for the production of luxury cars - Acura.

ConcernPeugeot-Citroen

Image with PSA Peugeot

The concern is the second largest automaker in Europe after Volkswagen. The largest shareholders of the concern are the Peugeot family - 14% of the shares, the Chinese automaker DongFeng - 14% and the French government - 14%. With regard to the relationship of companies within the concern, Peugeot SA owns 89.95% of the shares of Citroen.

AllianceRenault-Nissan

The Renault-Nissan Alliance was founded in 1999 and is a strategic partnership between companies in the field of engineering development. In terms of company owners, Renault is 15.01% owned by the French government and 15% by Nissan. The share of Renault in Nissan, in turn, is 43.4%. Renault partially or wholly controls the following brands: Dacia (99,43%), SamsungMotors (80,1%), AvtoVAZ(more than 50% of shares).

Nissan controls only its division Infiniti, engaged in the production of prestigious cars, and the brand Datsun which is currently producing budget cars for sale in India, Indonesia, South Africa and Russia.

ConcernGeneralMotors

The American concern General Motors currently owns the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daewoo, GMC, holden, Opel and Vauxhall. In addition, GM's subsidiary, GM Auslandsprojekte GMBH, owns a 41.6% stake in the GM-AvtoVAZ joint venture, GM-AvtoVAZ, which produces Chevrolet Niva cars.

The concern is currently controlled by the state (61% of shares). The remaining shareholders of the concern are the United Automotive Workers Union of the USA (17.5%), the Government of Canada (12%). The remaining 9.5% of the shares are owned by various large creditors.

CompanyFord

Ford is currently controlled by the Ford family and owns a 40% stake. William Ford Jr., great-grandson of the legendary Henry Ford, serves as chairman of the company's board of directors. Prior to the 2008 crisis, Ford owned brands such as Jaguar, Lincoln, Land Rover, Volvo and Aston Martin, as well as a 33% stake in Japanese Mazda. In connection with the crisis, all brands, with the exception of Lincoln, were sold, and the share of Mazda shares was reduced to 13% (and in 2010 - to 3% in general). Jaguar and Land Rover were bought by the Indian company Tata Motors, Volvo was bought by the Chinese Geely, Aston Martin was sold to a consortium of investors, in fact, turning into an independent brand. As a result, at the moment, only the brand is owned by Ford Lincoln, which produces luxury cars.

Concernfiat

The Italian concern has collected in its collection such brands as AlphaRomeo, Ferrari, Maserati and Lancia. Plus, in early 2014, Fiat bought the American automaker outright. Chrysler along with brands Jeep, Dodge and Ram. The largest owners of the concern today are the Agnelli family (30.5% of shares) and Capital Research & Management (5.2%).

Concernbmw

In the late 1950s, the Bavarian concern BMW was at a great loss. At this time, one of the shareholders of BMW, industrialist Herbert Quandt, bought a large stake in the company and actually saved it from bankruptcy and sale to its eternal competitor, Daimler. The Quant family still owns 46.6% of the concern's shares. The remaining 53.3% of the company's shares are traded on the market. The group owns such brands as Rolls-Royce and MINI.

ConcernDaimler

The main shareholders of the concern are the Arab investment fund Aabar Investments (9.1%), the government of Kuwait (7.2%) and the emirate of Dubai (about 2%). Daimler produces cars under the brands Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and Smart. The concern also owns a 15% stake in the Russian truck manufacturer, the company " Kamaz».

ConcernHyundai

largest automaker South Korea, in addition to its own brand, also owns a 38.67% stake in the brand KIA(the company is part of the Hyundai Motor Group).

Independent automakers

Among the popular brands that are not members of any alliances, and do not own other brands, there are three Japanese automakers - Mazda, Mitsubishi and Suzuki.

However, today's realities show that it will be more and more difficult for independent automakers to survive in the future. To sell your cars worldwide, you need to have a solid "foundation", which is provided either by partners or a batch of several brands. Thirty years ago, legendary CEO Lee Iacocca, once president of Ford and chairman of Chrysler Corporation, predicted that by the turn of the 21st century, there would be only a handful of automakers left in the world.

On December 3, 1896, in the city of Eisenach, Heinrich Ehrhardt founded a factory for the production of cars for the needs of the army and, oddly enough, bicycles. Already the fifth in the district. And, probably, Erhardt would have produced dark green mountain bikes, ambulances and mobile soldiers' kitchens if he had not seen the success that accompanied Daimler and Benz with their motorized sidecars.

And it was decided to make something light, not military, and, of course, different from what competitors have already done. But to save time and money, Ehrhardt bought a license from the French. The Parisian car was called Ducaville.

So there was what today is called BMW. And then this monster was called the "Wartburg motorized carriage", and it was not its own development. A couple of years later, in September 1898, the Wartburg arrived on its own at an automobile exhibition in Düsseldorf and took its place on a par with Daimler, Benz, Opel and Durkopp.

And a year later, Erhardt's motorized carriage won the main car races of that time - Dresden - Berlin and Aachen - Bonn. The golden double helped Wartburg win twenty-two medals throughout his career, including one for elegant design.

Wartburg's life was cut short in 1903: exorbitant debts, a decline in production. Ehrhardt gathers his shareholders and makes a speech, which he ends with the Latin word dixi ("I've said it all!"). This is how the ancient Roman orators ended their speeches, though not so tragic.

However, help came unexpectedly - from one of Erhardt's shareholders. Exchange speculator Yakov Shapiro really did not want to part with the motorized carriage he loved so much. Shapiro, at that time, had enough control over the British factory in Birmingham, which produced Austin-7 (Austin Seven). This miracle of the British car industry was very popular in London and its environs. And Shapiro, without thinking twice, but having managed to calculate all the possible benefits, buys a license for Austin from the British.

Now what started to roll off the assembly line in Eisenach was named Dixi. According to the last word of Herr Erhardt. True, the first batch of cars went to the people with a right-hand drive. This was the first and last time that a passenger was seated on the left side in continental Europe. Speculator Shapiro, it should be noted, did not lose.

From 1904 to 1929, the revived Ehrhardt factory produced and sold 15,822 Dixi. However, it's time to make your own car. Still, the realization that Birmingham was looming behind him was haunting. And in 1927, the Heinrich Ehrhardt plant, already an integral part of BMW, began to produce its own Dixi - Dixi 3/15 PS.

More than nine thousand cars were sold during the year. The most sophisticated, by the standards of that time, Dixi cost three thousand two hundred Reichsmarks. But he accelerated to seventy-five kilometers per hour.

And then Karl Friedrich Rapp broke into the history of BMW, who dreamed of the sky and aircraft engines. Rapp founded a small company and went to work somewhere on the northern outskirts of Munich. His goal is not cars. His goal is airplanes. He had both desire and enthusiasm, but, unfortunately, not backed up by luck.

In 1912, at the first imperial exhibition of aviation achievements, Karl Rapp presented his biplane with a ninety-horsepower engine. However, his plane never took off.

Considering the failure as temporary, Rapp planned for the next (two years later) exhibition another biplane with an engine with a capacity of one hundred and twenty-five "horses". But in 1914, instead of the imperial show, the First World War began.

In general, there was a plus in this for Rapp - the war brought orders for aircraft engines. But Rapp's motors were incredibly noisy and suffered strong vibration, and therefore, due to complaints from local residents, the authorities of Prussia and Bavaria banned the flights of aircraft with Rapp's engines over their territory. Things were getting worse. Even despite the fact that Rapp's enterprise had a very loud name.

On March 7, 1916, his company was registered under the name Bavarian Aircraft Works (BFW). And here a new character enters the scene - the Viennese banker Camillo Castiglioni. He buys out Rapp's share in the company and, thereby, brings the capitalization of the then still BFW to almost one and a half million marks.

But this did not save Rapp from the reputation of a loser and bankrupt. But it saved his company. Of the last strength, she was able to hold out until the arrival of another Austrian - Franz Josef Popp (Franz Josef Popp).

Popp, retired lieutenant of the Austro-Hungarian marines with a higher engineering education, was an expert at the Imperial Ministry of Defense and was engaged in keeping track of all the latest technical achievements. But at that time he was most interested in power plants 224B12, produced in Munich. He came here in 1916 to start his life's work from scratch.

The first thing Popp did was to hire Max Fritz. Brilliant, as it turned out later, the engineer was fired from Daimler for demanding an increase in his salary to fifty marks a month. Old Daimler would not have been greedy then, and, perhaps, BMW could have had a completely different fate.

With regard to Fritz, Rapp took a tough stance. And when the former Daimler engineer finally came to work, Rapp resigned. But even after his departure, the company retained a reputation as a half-ruined company that failed to achieve anything. And Popp decides to rename the brainchild of Rapp.

On July 21, 1917, a historical entry is made in the Munich registration chamber: "The Bavarian aircraft factories Rapp" are now called the "Bavarian Motor Works" (Bayerische Motoren Werke). BMW took place. Moreover, the main products of the Bavarian Motor Plants are still aircraft engines.

There was still a year before the end of the First World War, and the Kaiser still had hopes of at least a draw. It didn't work out. Moreover, according to the Treaty of Versailles, the victorious powers banned the production of aircraft engines in Germany. However, the stubborn Franz-Josef Popp, despite any prohibitions, continues to invent and implement new engines.

On June 9, 1919, pilot Franz Zeno Diemer (Franz Zeno Diemer), after eighty-seven minutes of flight, climbed to an unprecedented height - 9760 meters. His DFW C4 was powered by a BMW Series 4 engine. But no one has recorded a world altitude record. Germany, according to the same Versailles Treaty, was not among the member countries of the International Federation of Aeronautics

The banker Castiglioni, who once almost saved Rapp, does not lag behind Popp. In the spring of 1922, he buys the last surviving aircraft engine factory for BMW. From now on, the "Bavarian Motor Works" has another direction.

In addition to engines for aircraft, Munich is setting up the production of very small engines - two-cylinders, with a volume of just nothing - 494 cubic meters. see And a year later, small engines justified themselves - in 1923, first at the Berlin and then at the Paris car exhibitions, the first BMW motorcycle - R-32 - becomes the main sensation.

Six years later, BMW finally decides on its future destiny: motorcycles, cars and aircraft engines. Two years since the company releases its own Dixi. This is a completely restyled model, brought by Popp himself to the full satisfaction of German taste.

In the same twenty-ninth BMW Dixi wins the International Alpine Race. Max Buchner, Albert Kandt and Wilhelm Wagner raced to victory at an average speed of 42 km/h. So fast and so long at such a speed then no car could go.

In 1930, BMW produces another hit of the season. Popp and his comrades suddenly decide to go back as much as thirty-four years ago and call the new car Wartburg.

The shadow of the motorized sidecar of the last century has regained real shape, embodied in the DA-3. With the windshield down, the Wartburg accelerated to almost 100 km/h. It became the first BMW car to grab a compliment from Motor und Sport magazine. Quote: “Only a very good driver can own a Wartburg. A bad driver is not worthy of this car.” The name of the author is still unknown, but what he said discourages all the desire for self-criticism.

In 1932 Dixi became history. Austin's production license has expired. About five years ago, Popp, probably, well, if he hadn't been upset, he would have started looking for ways to escape ... or a way out.

But at that time, BMW only thought about the future. And the future is the Berlin Motor Show. Here, the BMW 303 won applause - the very first "three-ruble note". It had the smallest 1173 cc six-cylinder engine ever made under the hood. see Manufacturers guaranteed a speed of 100 km/h. But only if the client can find the right street.

Whether the first test drive of the 303 took place, alas, is unknown. And one more thing, no less important than speed. "Three hundred and third" for a long sixty-nine years determined the appearance of BMW - a bewitching smoothness of lines, not yet predatory, but already with a hint of appearance and nostrils with a white and blue propeller.

Then there was the 326 Cabriolet. She became a hit in the thirty-sixth year and adequately completed the parade of the first threes. Between 1936 and 1941, the BMW 326 won almost sixteen thousand hearts. And this best indicator company throughout its history.

In the mid-thirties, BMW finally explains to both competitors and its customers: if the name of the company contains the word “motor”, then this is the best engine to date. The final doubts, and they certainly were, are dispelled by Ernst Henne (Ernst Henne) in 1936.

In the Nürburgring race among 2-litre cars, the small white BMW 328 roadster comes first, leaving behind the big cars with compressor engines. The average lap speed is 101.5 km/h. Well, they don't like turbocharged engines in Munich. Rather, they love, but not very actively.

A year and a half later, the same Ernst Henne, only now on a five hundred cc motorcycle, sets a new world record. He accelerates the two-wheeled monster to 279.5 km / h. All questions are removed for at least fourteen years.

Prior to World War II, BMW tried to participate in the limousine race. Finally, it was simply impossible to refuse to compete with the Opel Admiral or Ford V-8, Maybach SV 38. Moreover, in a small, but such an attractive niche, there were still empty seats.

And on December 17, 1939, BMW presented the new 335 in Berlin in two versions - a convertible and a coupe. Both experts and the public, having appreciated what was created, blessed the limousine for a long life.

Alas, 335 lasted less than a year. The war forced BMW to switch mainly to the production of aircraft engines. Moreover, the German authorities have banned the sale of cars to private individuals. However, at the very beginning of World War II, the Munich people still managed to put an end to the dispute for the best engine and the car equipped with it.

In April 1940, the BMW-328 roadster, driven in turn by Baron Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Walter B?umer, won the thousand-mile Mille Miglia. Their 166.7 km / h still allowed the competitors to finish the race. And very comfortable. That's just a little later than the official finish.

In any case, it was on the eve of World War II that the principle of BMW was formed, and is valid to this day: always fresh, aggressively sporty and forever young. Cars for people who, at first glance, may look relaxed, but, in fact, have achieved a lot in this life. That's why they are relaxed.

"One people, one Reich, one Fuhrer... one chassis!" - this powerful propaganda campaign of the Third Reich was addressed to the automobile factories of Germany. We do not want, and we have no right to condemn those who worked for the war from the other side. Accusations are good and timely if they are made on the eve of events.

Be that as it may, the rear service of the German General Staff demanded from the automotive industry an ordinary military vehicle of three types. The development of the lightest version was entrusted to Stuever, Hanomag and BMW. Moreover, all three plants were strictly forbidden to somehow indicate that the car belonged to a particular company.

BMW began to create its participant in the movement on military roads later than everyone else, in April 1937. And by the summer of the fortieth, the Bavarian Motor Plants provided the army with more than three thousand light vehicles. All of it went under the name BMW 325 Lichter Einheits-Pkw, but without its already famous nostrils and blue and white propeller.

No matter how cynical it sounds, the products of the Munich factories were the most popular in the army. Even despite the fact that the "beamers" produced for the war did not have the necessary combat qualities. Under the crazy idea of ​​\u200b\u200b"blitzkrieg" the 325s were absolutely not suitable. They had enough fuel for only two hundred and forty kilometers.

And yet, for current BMW fans, the following must be said: all BMWs imprisoned for the war were removed from service long before the winter of 1942.

The defeat of Germany in the war almost equally meant the destruction of BMW. The enterprises in Milbertshofen were turned into ruins by the allies of the USSR, and the factories in Eisenach came under control Soviet army. And then according to the plan: the equipment - what survived - was taken to Russia. Repatriation. The winners decided how to dispose of the catch. But they tried to restore the remaining equipment in order to establish the production of cars. In general, it succeeded. However assembled by BMW straight from the conveyor went to Moscow. Therefore, the surviving shareholders of the Bavarian Motor Works concentrated all their efforts, financial and human, around two relatively suitable enterprises in Munich.

Yet the first official post-war BMW product was a motorcycle. In March 1948, the 250 cc R-24 was presented to the public at the Geneva Exhibition. By the end of the following year, almost ten thousand of these motorcycles had been sold.

Then it was time for the R-51, a little later - the R-67, and then the hour of the six hundred cc sports R-68 with a maximum speed of 160 km / h struck. "68th" became the fastest car of its time. By 1954, almost thirty thousand people could boast of a BMW motorcycle.

However, such an insane popularity of two-wheeled monsters played a cruel joke with their creators. The motorcycle, no matter how fast it was, even with the proprietary propeller on the tank, remained the most accessible means movement for the poor. And by the mid-fifties, people with money were already dreaming aloud of a sedan worthy of their position.

First bmw attempt to meet those who wished turned into a financial collapse. Although at the premiere in Frankfurt, the BMW 501 was greeted with enthusiasm. Even Pinin Farina, rejected with his body project for the 501st, appreciated the work done by the Bavarians design bureau. It would seem that this is what you need. However, the production of the BMW 501 turned out to be the most expensive.

Only one front wing required three or even four technical operations. And all this, oddly enough, was done in order to compete with the "220th" Mercedes.

The fifties were generally not the most successful for BMW. Debts skyrocketed, and sales plummeted as well. Neither 507 nor 503 justified themselves. These cars, in principle, were intended for the American market. However, they waited for an answer from across the ocean in Munich.

Neither new developments nor seemingly competent advertising campaigns helped. As, for example, with the BMW 502 Cabriolet. In order to push this car to the market, marketers decided on outright flattery against women.

The 502 was not intended for the harsh male world. The brochures began with the words: “Good afternoon, madam! Only twenty-two thousand marks, and not a single man can pass by you without turning around. You will catch their loving glances, casually putting your hand on steering wheel ivory".

In 502, everything was made for delicate female hands. Even the soft folding top. It was easy to fold or unfold. This fact was especially emphasized in BMW. And, of course, the woman who bought the 502 did not care that she had a 2.6-liter engine with a hundred horsepower under the hood. Most importantly, the Becker Grand-Prix cassette player quietly plays the beloved Glenn Miller from his In the Mood. For two years, BMW tried to torture its chic brainchild. But no new orders have been received.

In 1954, the Munichers went to the other extreme - to the smallest. The BMW Isetta 250 appeared on the roads of Germany, or, as the manufacturers called it, a motorcycle coupe. In the people this something has received the name "egg on wheels". Under the so-called hood was an engine from an R-25 motorcycle. All this pulled exactly twelve "horses". Most likely "pony".

Two years later, BMW, impressed by the unexpected popularity of the three-wheeled little car, laid another "egg" - Isetta 300. Well, this was almost a car. And the 298 cc engine. cm - this is not two hundred and forty-five for you. Another one came to the twelve "horses". New.

Whatever it was, but Izett sold almost one hundred and thirty-seven thousand. They were especially loved in England. The local laws allowed the owners of the "egg" to drive it, having only the rights to a motorcycle. After all, there is only one wheel in the back.

In the winter of 1959, a financial crisis broke out in Germany. Those fifteen million marks that the Bremen king of the timber industry Herman Krags poured into the company two years ago have become just pleasant memories.

The Board of Directors of BMW, I want to believe, with a sharp pain in the heart decides to merge with Mercedes. However, small shareholders and, oddly enough, official dealers of the company spoke out quite harshly against this. They were able to get BMW's main shareholder Herbert Quandt to buy out most of it. The rest received compensation, but the company was still saved.

The new board of directors makes a decision that the company followed for the next few decades - "We produce medium-class cars and aircraft engines."

Three years later, also in winter, but now it was more pleasant than ever, the BMW 1500 rolled off the assembly line. This car became a new class among four-wheelers and, most importantly, turned the Germans away from american cars middle class.

1500 with a "herd" of eighty "horses" accelerated to 150 km / h. The newcomer scored a hundred in 16.8 seconds. And that automatically made it a sports car. The demand for it was phenomenal. The factory assembled fifty cars a day. Just a year later, almost 24,000 BMW 1500s were rushing along the autobahns.

The younger, but more powerful "brother", was born in 1968. By Christmas, the BMW 2500 found its first owners. There were more than two and a half thousand of them. After nine years of production, 95,000 cars have dispersed to all corners of Germany. One hundred and fifty "horses", if there were only two passengers in the car, accelerated the BMW 2500 to 190 km / h. In the same year, a slightly redesigned 2500 won the Spa 24 Hours.

In 1972, after much deliberation, BMW returned to the "five". And from now on, all cars produced by the Bavarians had a serial number depending on the class. BMW 520 1972 release was the first post-war "five".

But here's what was weird. The new Bavarian middleweight was powered not by a six, but by a four-cylinder engine. It took five years for all the other "fives" to receive a six-cylinder implant. Naturally, 115 horses were not enough for a weight of 1275 kg. However, she took 520 to others: it was offered to customers as mechanical box, as well as automatic. The dashboard was illuminated with a dim orange light. Moreover, the car was equipped with seat belts. So a year later, 45,000 people honestly buckled up every morning before living thirteen fast seconds to a hundred.

All in the same 1972, BMW creates a paradise for engineers and mechanics who are in love with motorsport. BMW Motorsport begins its triumphal procession. And again we repeat the banal: "If only..." So, if at that moment Lamborghini had not caved in under the financial crisis, BMW would have used the services of Italians. But the Bavarians reacted instantly.

And in 1978 at the Paris car exhibition The “project M1” or E26 was presented to the world - for internal use. Designed the first "emku" Giorgio Giugiaro (Giorgio Guigiaro). Therefore, there is a bad feeling that it is kind of like a Ferrari, but something is missing. Let it be. But 277 “horses” were removed from three and a half liters (455 is a racing version), and the car accelerated to a hundred in six seconds.

And then Bernie Ecclstone (Berni Ecclstone) and BMW Motosport chief Jochen Neerpach (Jochen Neerpach) agreed to hold on the M1, on Saturdays, before the start of the European Grand Prix, Procar test runs. They were attended by those who took the first five places on the starting grid.

While the athletes enjoyed the M1, BMW did not forget about ordinary buyers. Launched in 1975, the first new "three-ruble note" with engines of 1.6 and 2 liters came to the Germans to taste. And now, three years later, Munich releases the BMW 323i, which has become the leader of its class and its time.

The injection six-cylinder engine allowed the car to reach a maximum speed of 196 km / h. The first hundred 323 caught up in nine seconds. However, among the competitors-classmates, the “three” turned out to be the most “gluttonous”: 14 liters per hundred kilometers. And after 420 kilometers, 323 sadly stopped, but Mercedes and Alfa Romeo ... And still, from 1975 to 1983, the BMW 316, 320 and 323 gave pleasure to almost 1.5 million people with their behavior.

In 1977, it was time for the seventh BMW series. They were equipped with four types of engines with a capacity of 170 to 218 "horses". For two years, the "seven" regularly found their customers. And then in 1979, Mercedes-Benz introduced its new S-Class.

From Munich they answered immediately. The volume is 2.8 liters. And the "herd" of 184 thoroughbred "horses", tightened under the blue and white propeller, predatory flared nostrils. The new 728 instantly drew buyers from the Stuttgart region of Germany. In principle, there was something to peck at. A one and a half ton car was traveling at a speed of 200 km/h. And all this pleasure cost a little cheaper than a Mercedes.

“There is no need to look for some unusual car for yourself. Just decide what you need in this life. The advertising appeal was addressed to those who saw the BMW 635 CSi for the first time. The E24 body quickly broke into the automotive world in 1982. After the fans of the "sixth" series have already managed to enjoy 628 and 630.

BMW realized that people who buy a sports coupe do it in order to engage in automotive discrimination on the roads. 635 stuffed with the latest technical advances. For example, electronics that allowed using manual box reduce engine speed to 1000 rpm. And a year later, the wizards from BMW Motosport worked on the 635, bringing the engine power to 286 “horses”. The “gas to the floor” mode drove the M6 ​​into a frenzy, and after thirty seconds the “emka” went to the point of 200 km / h. Ten seconds faster than the "500th" Mercedes. But that was not all.

In 1983, the first F1 championship for turbocharged cars was held. And who would doubt that the first champion will be Renault, the first to master this technology for the first Formula.

In South Africa, in the town of Kyalami, Alain Prost (Alain Prost) has already seen himself covered in champagne. However, the Branham BMW car, driven by the Brazilian Nelson Piquet, covered the Renault diamond with a white and blue propeller and nine letters: BMW M Power.

At peak power, the M 12/13 engine produced 1280 "horses" at 11,000 rpm. BMW, for the first time in the history of the competition of engines, became the very first F1 world champions among turbocharged cars. And what is most offensive for the French, no one was surprised by this victory.

And this race was started by Mercedes in 1990. The Stuttgarters launched their 190 with a sixteen-valve 2.5-liter engine into the series. Munich did not hesitate to respond. Therefore, in defiance of 190, BMW Motorsport rolled out the M3 Sport Evolution. The same famous M3 in the back of the E30.

The emka who sat behind the wheel could choose the type of suspension himself, depending on road conditions. You choose sport, and the car bites into the track. Plus normal and comfort.

The Munich Evo catapulted to a hundred in 6.3 seconds, and after another twenty the “emka” rushed at a speed of 200. But what most of all bribed the true fans of speed, deprived of racing cars, was the red three-point seat belts. They say that a nasty buzzer annoyed a little when the emka picked up its maximum speed - 248 km / h.

Three years before the release of the M3 Evo, BMW returned to the idea of ​​its own roadster. It was called Z1 and presented to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This toy cost 80,000 marks. But long before the start of official sales, dealers had already placed five thousand orders for Z. And the last letter of the Latin alphabet, which the car was called, means in Germany a neatly curved wheel axle. The biggest disadvantage of the BMW roadster was the small trunk. The biggest plus is 170 "horses" and 225 km / h in addition.

In 1989, BMW finally entered the territory of luxury cars occupied by Mercedes. The 8th series rolled off the assembly line. Under the hood of the 850i was a twelve-cylinder engine with a capacity of 300 “horses” borrowed from the 750 (in 1992, its return was increased to 380).

However, the six-speed manual proved to be less popular than the automatic. "850th", unlike other high-speed models, did not begin to supply an electronic speed limiter at 250 km / h. This was the maximum speed.

By this time, almost a year had passed since the most famous “five”, which still in spite of everything inspires respect for the E34, traveled across various continents, including Russia. But, knowing the insidiousness of BMW, they expected something from the “Wow!” series. And they waited.

First, in April 1989, the three hundred and fifteen strong M5 appeared. But in 1992 they finally waited. The M5 E34 appeared, "charged" with 380 horsepower. Up to a hundred "emochka" fired in six and a half seconds. How much she squeezed the maximum, so no one ever knew. Almost immediately, another "emka" came out, performed by touring.

And American journalists called this car the "Car of the Century." And in order not to disappoint his fans, he has undergone the most "insignificant" changes. His 286 horsepower engine, which he received in 1992, was overclocked to 321 in 1995.

All this consumed only 12 liters of gasoline per hundred kilometers, while accelerating to hundreds in five and a half seconds. But the M3 in the back of the E36 for some reason was not considered a sports car.

In 1996, it was time to update the "sevens". The technically perfect BMW 740i in the back of the E38 replaced the “brother” from the E32. Everything has changed. Appearance. attitude towards the owner. No, the face of the new "seven" cannot be called friendly. But it's for strangers.

Elastic, with a volume of 4.4 liters, eight-cylinder engine spun to the maximum already at 3900 rpm and allowed to go to the point in six and a half seconds. That's just the trick "sat down, but went" with the "740th" did not work. The instruction manual for the "seven" differed from the instructions for behavior in the space shuttle quite a bit. The BMW book was thinner.

There were two boxes to choose from. Moreover, a sixth, lowering, was added to the manual version. It choked the engine, reducing its thrust by seventeen percent. As a result, the consumption is only 12.5 liters per hundred kilometers. Experts in the assessment of 740 were unanimous: the dots on the "i" are dotted.

In the same year, they waited for their update and the "five". E39 burst into the automotive world. Seven engine options for every taste. And for the unhurried, and for those who are faster, but for the most unstoppable, BMW rolled out the 540th. Eight-cylinder, with a volume of 4.4 liters, the engine made it possible to accelerate the “thirty-ninth” to only 250 km / h. Bosch intervened again with its electronic limiter. Everything in this car was done to ensure that the pilot at any speed feels safe and comfortable at the same time.

In general, the end of the nineties was incredibly productive for BMW. New "fives", "sevens", the undeniable success of the Z3, all this did not make it possible even for a short break.

The new brainchild of BMW Motorsport - M Roadster - was released in 1997. There was simply a need to improve everything that was invested in the Z3. Here's an M, besides a roadster. Try to tame 321 "horses"! And keep in mind, the “emka” is lighter than the Z by one hundred and twenty kilograms and, therefore, it accelerates to a hundred in 5.4 seconds.

“Mistakes are rungs on the ladder to success,” summed up Chris Bangle after the new generation of threes was released. BMW spent more than two and a half million man-hours on their development. 2400 different parts have been completely redone. The new “three-ruble note” endured all this and in 1998 appeared before the public in all its glory.

The most powerful modification- 328 - gained a hundred kilometers in less than seven seconds. " Phenomenal Power and incredible grip" - it's all about her.

In 1997, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, people stomped around the BMW stand in obvious bewilderment. Z3 Coupe causes an unpredictable reaction.

“You either accept it or forgive it,” Bangle replied. And really, how do you feel about a car that looks like a roadster from the front? And in the back like a new "three-ruble-touring"?

Z3 Coupe was equipped with only two types of engines: 2.8 liters, 192 horsepower and 321-horsepower M-engine. They say that from the second glance at the "Munich runner" they fell in love with him forever.

"Wolf in sheepskin”- this is how the first M5 in the 39th body was described. In general, they are right. Moreover, the first photographs of the "emka" were taken in a blue haze. You look at it: well, yes, four pipes. Well, the mirrors are different. But the foglights are very oval. But this is when you don’t know what the letter M with a five on the right is.

M5 is 400 “horses” that accelerate a four-door sedan to hundreds in just five point and three tenths of a second. Only a plane or a sportbike is faster, at worst. One problem - M5 have their regular customers since 1985, and only a thousand people a year can afford to "tame the Munich wolf."

Inspired by the success of the Z3, in 1999 the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA fired again. And although the X5 is made in America, it is completely german car. The second attempt to conquer the New World market was a success. Moreover, Munich's breakthrough into the niche of the so-called parquet SUVs was so swift that only a few months after the premiere, competitors realized that the X5 was presented in the heart of the American car industry - in Detroit. Confusion and whispers passed through the rows: “BMW made a jeep!”

The then market leader, Mercedes ML, braced for the worst. And it was from what. Bayern succeeded. Anti-slip system, dynamic stability control sensors and other BAM high-tech developments recent years did not disappoint fans of speed and comfort. In addition, the X5 showed its best side and off-road. Plus ten airbags. In general, there is nothing to worry about.

The X5 was equipped not only with the well-known eight-cylinder engine. Both six-cylinder and diesel engines were offered to choose from. direct injection fuel.

Finally, a quote from the German magazine AutoMotor und Sport: "This car flies one lap around the Nürburgring in less than nine minutes." Faster only Z7. In 2000, the Z7 made one revolution around the eminent track a minute faster.

In 2002, the concern BMW Group achieved a record number of sales - 1,057,000 cars, and also became the winner of the "Car of the Year in Russia" contest. In 2003, the most luxurious model of the BMW 7 Series, the BMW 760i and 760Li, appeared. new sedan BMW 5 Series.

BMW is one of the few automotive firms that doesn't use robots in its factories. All assembly on the conveyor goes only manually. At the output - only computer diagnostics of the main parameters of the car.

The concern is the founder of the international award in the field of avant-garde music Musica Viva, supports the holding of theater festivals and innovative exhibitions. The desire for a creative combination of art and technology is most vividly embodied in the unique collection of BMW art cars.

The BMW empire, which has been on the verge of collapse three times in its history, has risen and succeeded each time. For everyone in the world, BMW is synonymous with high standards in the field of automotive comfort, safety, technology and quality.

Many manufacturers offer compact hatchbacks as their most inexpensive models. BMW, of course, knew about the passion of the inhabitants of small European cities for compact hatchbacks. Of those more or less suitable in terms of these parameters, the company could only offer a third-series coupe, which with a creak fit into the middle class, not to mention some kind of accessibility of the car. The basic version of the projected first series was supposed to be half the price of the third series coupe, but at the same time remain a fast luxury car.

And so it happened: in 2004, the BMW 116i with a 1.6-liter engine and 115 horsepower, respectively, started in Germany with a mark of 20 thousand euros. Modest, but not cheap. The cost of the three-liter 130i, burning with heat 265 "horses" was approaching the price of the 5 series, not to mention the extreme tuning options with heavy-duty engines. Some studios even offer versions with 8-cylinder engines. Success in the release of the first compact hatchback was definitely on the side of BMW.

The increased demand for luxury sports cars has pushed the Bavarian concern to revive the legendary sixth series. The uproar over what exactly BMW's next historic model would be was quickly silenced as 3.0 and 4.5-liter engines roared inside the coupé's impressive size. For those who did not understand, they showed a five-liter V10, fraught with 507 horsepower. It was already M6.

In 1913, on the northern outskirts of Munich, Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto, the son of the inventor of the internal combustion engine, Nikolaus August Otto, set up two small aircraft engine companies. The outbreak of the First World War immediately brought numerous orders for aircraft engines. Rapp and Otto decide to merge into one aircraft engine plant. Thus, an aircraft engine factory was established in Munich, which in July 1917 was registered under the name Bayerische Motoren Werke ("Bavarian Motor Works") - BMW. This date is considered to be the year founding BMW, and Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto as its creators.

Though exact date The appearance and moment of the founding of the company is still the subject of controversy between automotive historians today. And all because officially industrial BMW company was registered on July 20, 1917, but long before that, in the same city of Munich, there were many firms and associations that were also involved in the development and production of aircraft engines. Therefore, in order to finally see the “roots” of BMW, it is necessary to travel back to the last century, to the territory of the GDR that existed not so long ago. It was there that on December 3, 1886, the involvement of today's BMW in automotive business, and it was there, in the city of Eisenach, in the period from 1928 to 1939. was the headquarters of the company.

Heinrich Ehrhardt and the Wartburg Motorized Carriage

On December 3, 1896, in the city of Eisenach, Heinrich Ehrhardt founded a factory for the production of cars for the needs of the army and, oddly enough, bicycles. Already the fifth in the district. And, probably, Erhardt would have produced dark green mountain bikes, ambulances and mobile soldiers' kitchens if he had not seen the success that accompanied Daimler and Benz with their motorized sidecars.

And it was decided to make something light, not military, and, of course, different from what competitors have already done. But to save time and money, Ehrhardt bought a license from the French. The Parisian car was called Ducaville.

So there was what today is called BMW. And then this monster was called the "Wartburg motorized carriage", and it was not its own development. A couple of years later, in September 1898, the Wartburg arrived on its own at an automobile exhibition in Düsseldorf and took its place on a par with Daimler, Benz, Opel and Durkopp.

1917: Rapp Motor Company is renamed BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke

One of the local sights of Eisenach was the reason for the appearance of the name of the first car ("Wartburg"), which was released in 1898 after the company created a number of 3- and 4-wheeled prototypes. The first-born Wartburgs were the most horseless wagon equipped with a 0.5-liter 3.5 hp engine. There were no hints of the presence of front and rear suspensions. Such a simplified design became a good incentive for the more progressive work of local engineers and designers, who a year later created a car that accelerated to 60 km / h. Moreover, in 1902, the Wartburg appeared with a 3.1-liter engine and a 5-speed gearbox, which was enough to win the race in Frankfurt that year.

A very important moment in the history of BMW and the plant in Eisenach was 1904, when cars called "Dixie" were exhibited at the Frankfurt Motor Show, testifying to good development enterprise and a new level of production. There were two models in total - "S6" and "S12", the numbers in the designation of which indicated the amount of horsepower. (By the way, the "S12" model was not discontinued until 1925.)

1919: Franz Zeno Diemer (center) with his record-breaking aircraft

Max Fritz, who worked at the Daimler plant, was invited to the position of chief designer at Bayerische Motoren Werke. Under the leadership of Fritz, the BMW IIIa aircraft engine was manufactured, which in September 1917 successfully passed bench tests. The aircraft equipped with this engine set a world record at the end of the year, having risen to 9760 m.

At the same time, the BMW emblem appeared - a circle divided into two blue and two white sectors, which was a stylized image of a propeller rotating against the sky. It was also taken into account that blue and white are the national colors of Bavaria.

After the end of the First World War, the company was on the verge of collapse, because, under the Treaty of Versailles, the Germans were forbidden to produce engines for aircraft, namely, engines at that time were the only products of BMW. But the enterprising Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto find a way out - the plant is converted to the production of motorcycle engines first, and then the motorcycles themselves. In 1923, the first R32 motorcycle leaves the BMW factory. At the 1923 motorcycle show in Paris, this first BMW motorcycle immediately gained a reputation for speed and reliability, which was confirmed absolute records speeds at international motorcycle races of the 20s-30s.

1923: The first BMW motorcycles

In the early 20s, two influential businessmen appeared in the history of BMW - Gothaer and Shapiro, to whom the company went, falling into the abyss of debts and losses. The main reason for the crisis was the underdevelopment of automotive production, along with which the enterprise, by the way, was engaged in the production of aircraft engines. And since the latter, unlike cars, brought the bulk of the means of subsistence and development, BMW was in an unenviable position. The “cure” was invented by Shapiro, who was on a short footing with the English car manufacturer Herbert Austin and was able to agree with him on the beginning mass production"Austinov" in Eisenach. Moreover, the release of these machines was put on the conveyor, which by that time, except for BMW, only Daimler-Benz could boast.

1928 Austin 7

The first 100 licensed "Austins", which enjoyed incredible success in Britain, left the assembly line in Germany with a right-hand drive, which was new for the Germans. Later, the design of the machine was changed in accordance with local requirements, and the machines were produced under the name "Dixie". By 1928, more than 15,000 Dixies (read Austins) were made, which played a decisive role in the revival of BMW. This first became noticeable in 1925, when Shapiro became interested in the possibility of producing cars of his own design and began to negotiate with the famous designer and designer Wunibald Kamm. As a result, an agreement was reached, and another talented person was involved in the development of the now famous automobile brand. Kamm has been developing new components and assemblies for BMW for several years.

1929: First BMW car: BMW 3/15 PS.

In the meantime, the issue of approving a branded trademark was resolved positively for BMW. In 1928, the company acquired car factories in Eisenach (Thuringia), and with them a license for subcompact car Dixi. November 16, 1928 "Dixie" ceased to exist as a trademark - it was replaced by "BMW". Dixi is the first BMW car. During the period of economic difficulties, the small car becomes the most popular car in Europe.

On April 1, 1932, the premiere of the first "real" BMW was scheduled, which subsequently earned recognition. automotive press and became the starting point for the production of a machine of its own design. The same car, with a well-thought-out body received from the outside, was a combination of new ideas and developments with those already well known and used on Dixie models. The engine power was 20 hp, which was enough to drive at a speed of 80 km / h. A very successful development was a four-speed gearbox, which was not offered on any other model until 1934.

By the beginning of World War II, BMW was one of the most dynamically developing companies in the world, producing sports-oriented equipment. She has several world records to her credit: Wolfgang von Gronau crosses the North Atlantic from east to west in an open seaplane Dornier Wal powered by BMW, Ernst Henne sets the world speed record for motorcycles - 279.5 km / h, not surpassed by anyone over the next 14 years.

Production receives additional impulse after the conclusion of a secret agreement with Soviet Russia on the supply of the latest aircraft engines to it. Most of the Soviet record flights of the 1930s were made on aircraft equipped with BMW engines.

1933: Beginning of the BMW six-cylinder tradition: BMW 303.

In 1933, the production of the 303 model began - the first BMW car with a 6-cylinder engine, which made its debut at the Berlin Automobile Exhibition. His appearance was a real sensation. This inline "six" with a displacement of 1.2 liters allowed the car to move at a speed of 90 km / h and became the basis for many subsequent BMW sports projects. Moreover, it was used on the new model "303", which became the first in the history of the company, which was equipped with a radiator grille with a corporate design, expressed in the presence of two elongated ovals. The "303rd" model was designed at the Eisenach factory and differed primarily tubular frame, independent front suspension and good handling characteristics, reminiscent of sports.

"BMW-303" was perfect for the "autobahns" then actively built in Germany. Immediately after the presentation, a run was made on it across the entire country, and in this action the car proved itself only on the good side. People were willing to pay the price set by the manufacturer for this car. Moreover, wealthy BMW fans chose the “303rd” model with a sports two-seater roadster body.

For two years of production of the BMW-303, the company managed to sell 2,300 of these cars, which, by the way, were later followed by their "brothers", who differed more powerful motors and other digital designations: "309" and "315". Actually, they became the first samples for the logical development of the BMW model designation system. On the example of these machines, we note that the number "3" denoted the series, and 0.9 and 1.5 - the displacement of the engines. The designation system that appeared then successfully exists to this day, with the only difference being that it was replenished with such numbers as "520", "524", "635", "740", "850", etc.

"BMW-315" was far from the last in a series of outwardly similar cars, as the brightest and most notable among them were the "BMW-319" and "BMW-329", more related to sports cars. The maximum speed of the first, for example, was 130 km / h.

Along with all the previous cars, the 326 model, which appeared at the Berlin Automobile Exhibition in 1936, looked simply gorgeous. This four-door car was far from the world of sports, and its rounded design already belonged to the direction that came into force in the 50s. The open top, good quality, chic interior and a large number of new changes and additions put the 326th model on a par with Mercedes-Benz cars, whose buyers were very wealthy people.

With a mass of 1125 kg, the BMW-326 model accelerated to a maximum of 115 km / h and at the same time consumed 12.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. With similar characteristics and with its own appearance car is on the list best models company and was produced until 1941, when BMW production amounted to almost 16,000 units. With so many produced and sold cars "BMW-326" became the best pre-war model.

Logically, after such a resounding success of the “326th” model, the next logical step should have been the appearance of a sports model made on its basis.

1938: The BMW 328 dominates racing.

1940: Mille Miglia wins again: BMW 328.

In 1936, BMW produced the famous "328" - one of the most successful sports cars. With its appearance, the BMW ideology was finally formed, which to this day determines the concept of new models: “The car is for the driver.” The main competitor, Mercedes-Benz, follows the principle: "The car is for passengers." Since then, each company has gone its own way, proving that its choice is the right one.

The winner of a great many competitions - circuit races, rallies, hill climbs - the BMW 328 was addressed to sports car connoisseurs and left all mass-produced sports cars far behind. The two-door, two-seater, truly sporty "BMW-328" was equipped with a six-cylinder engine and accelerated to 150 km / h. This model allowed the company to take part in many pre-war races and win recognition in a new quality. With the "328th" model, BMW became so famous in the second half of the 30s that everyone subsequent cars with a two-color brand name were perceived by the public as a symbol of high quality, reliability and beauty.

The outbreak of war leads to the suspension of the production of cars. Priority is once again given to aircraft engines.

1943: The Arado 234 is one of the first aircraft to be powered by the BMW 003 jet engine.

In 1944, BMW was the first in the world to launch the BMW 109-003 jet engine. There are also tests rocket engines. The end of World War II was a disaster for the concern. Four factories that ended up in the Eastern zone of occupation were destroyed and dismantled.

The main plant in Munich was dismantled by the British. In connection with the production of aircraft engines and missiles during the war, the winners issue an order to ban production for three years

World War II took a toll on German car manufacturers, and BMW was no exception. The plant in Milbertshofen was completely bombed, and the enterprise in Eisenach ended up on the territory controlled by the USSR. Therefore, the equipment from there was partially exported to Russia as repatriations, and what remained was used to produce the BMW-321 and BMW-340 models, which were also sent to the USSR.

The only more or less "livable" were two factories in the city of Munich, around which the shareholders of BMW and concentrated their main efforts. By the way, the support of the German National Bank came: thanks to it, the company brought the concept of the BMW 328 sports car back to life and in the period from 1948 to 1953. released several new sports models on its basis.

The company was not in the best position, but in 1951 it introduced a prototype of the future car "BMW-501", which was distinguished by a large four-door sedan, drum brakes and a 65-horsepower engine that had a working volume of 1971 cc. The novelty was received in two ways - with interest and with surprise. The second, most likely, was due to the fact that the company could not even financially ensure the mass production of the “501st” model, in connection with which only 49 cars were assembled in 1952. By 1954, production reached 3410 copies, bought only by real and wealthy adherents of the BMW brand.

But what is most surprising is the idea that at that time was ripening in the minds of BMW designers and designers. They planned to release a luxury model.

In the same post-war years, BMW thought about the lack of necessary motors. This was especially evident after the presence of weak and low-torque engines began to affect car sales. As a result, designers have developed long term project on the release of a new eight-cylinder power unit. The first samples appeared in 1954 and had a volume of 2.6 liters and a power of 95 hp, increased to 100 hp. in the 60s.

Simultaneously with the installation of an eight-cylinder on the BMW-501, the appearance of the car also changed a little: chrome-plated side moldings appeared that added elegance to the car. Equipped with a new engine, the 501st could accelerate to a maximum speed of 160 km / h. Naturally, the fuel consumption of a car with an eight-cylinder engine was significantly different from pre-war figures, but this worried BMW management the least.

"Isetta" (Isetta): a link between motorcycles and cars. Over 200,000 were built.

1955 saw the launch of the R 50 and R 51 models, inaugurating a new generation of fully sprung motorcycles. undercarriage, the small car "Isetta" comes out, a strange symbiosis of a motorcycle with a car. A three-wheeled vehicle with a forward-opening door was a huge success in impoverished post-war Germany. At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1955, she became the absolute opposite of the models produced at that time. The tiny BMW Isetta looked like a bubble with small attached headlights and side mirrors. The rear wheelbase was much smaller than the front. The model was equipped with a single-cylinder engine of 0.3 liters. With a power of 13 hp "Isetta" accelerated to a maximum of 80 km / h.

Along with the little Isetta, BMW introduced two luxury coupes, the 503 and 507, based on the 5 Series sedan.

1956: Today it's a rare collector's car: the BMW 507.
Both cars were at that time referred to as “sufficiently sporty”, although they had a “civilian” appearance. For example, the maximum speed of the 507th varied somewhere between 190 and 210 km / h. A similar result was achieved thanks to a 3.2-liter engine with a compression ratio of 7.8: 1, maximum power 150 HP at 5000 rpm and 237 Nm at 4000 rpm. All wheels were equipped with drum brakes with a servo drive, and average consumption fuel per 100 km was 17 liters.

But because of the ensuing passion for large limousines and the resulting losses, the company is on the verge of collapse. This is the only case in the history of BMW when the economic situation was incorrectly calculated and the cars thrown onto the market were not in demand.

Models belonging to the 5th series did not improve the position of BMW in the 50s. On the contrary, debts began to grow rapidly, sales decreased. To correct this situation, the bank that provided assistance to BMW and was one of the largest shareholders of Daimler-Benz offered to establish the production of a small and not very expensive Mercedes-Benz car at the factories in Munich. Thus, the existence of BMW as an independent company producing original cars with its own name and brand was threatened. This proposal was actively opposed by BMW's small shareholders and dealerships throughout Germany. By common efforts, a certain amount of money was collected, which was required for the development and launch of a new middle-class BMW model, which was supposed to significantly improve the position of the company in the 60s.

By restructuring the capital structure, BMW manages to continue its activities. The third time the firm starts all over again. The middle class car was supposed to be family car for "average" (and not only) Germans. as the most suitable option a small four-door sedan, a 1.5-liter engine and independent front and rear suspensions were considered, which at that time were not present in all cars.

It was almost impossible to put the car into production by 1961 and then present it at the Frankfurt Motor Show: there was simply not enough time. Therefore, under pressure from the sales department, several prototypes were urgently prepared for the exhibition, designed to attract future customers. The bet was made and in many respects justified itself. During the exhibition and over the next few weeks, about 20,000 orders for the BMW-1500 were made! Try to imagine the situation in which the company found itself, releasing only 2000 cars in 1962! In general, the production of the model "1500" for the entire time of its existence on the assembly line amounted to 23,000 copies. This was the beginning of the rise to the top of the automotive industry.

At the height of the production of the 1500 model, small engineering firms began to refine the car and increase engine power, which, of course, could not please the BMW management. The response was the release of the model "1800" with a 1.8-liter engine. Moreover, a little later, a version of the "1800 TI" appeared, corresponding to cars of the "Gran Turismo" class and accelerating to 186 km / h. Outwardly, she did not differ much from basic version, but, nevertheless, has become a worthy addition to the already replenished family.

"BMW 1800 TI", although it was released in the amount of only 200 copies, still became an extremely popular model. By 1966, on the basis of the car, the designers created a worthy follower - the BMW-2000, which today is perceived as the ancestor of the 3rd series, which has been released to date in several generations. At the same time, a coupe with a 2-liter engine and 100-120 “horses” hidden under the hood was a subject of particular pride for BMW.

In fact, "BMW-2000" in the basic and other versions is one of the most successful models in the history of BMW. It takes a long time to count the number of body options that appeared then and power units different power and with different maximum speeds. Together they formed a series that received the designation "02". Its representatives could satisfy the needs of almost all motorists, who were offered a choice from the simplest and most modest coupes to "fancy" high-speed convertibles with alloy wheels, boxes - "automatic" and motors of 170 "horses".

The world's first mass-produced car with a turbo engine: the BMW 2002 turbo.

The last 30 years has been 30 years of victories for BMW. New factories are being opened, the world's first serial turbo model "2002-turbo" is being produced, an anti-lock braking system is being created, which now all leading automakers equip their cars with. The first electronic engine control is being developed. Almost all the models of the 60s that brought the automaker so much popularity were equipped with four-cylinder engines. However, BMW management still remembered the powerful and reliable units, which they intended to revive by 1968 simultaneously with the release of a new model, the BMW-2500. The single-row "six-cylinder" used in it, which was constantly being upgraded, was produced over the next 14 years and managed to become the basis for the same reliable and more powerful 2.8-liter engine. Along with the latest four-door sedan moved into a range of sports cars, because. only a few production cars in standard equipment, they could exceed the speed mark of 200 km / h.

BMW headquarters near the Olympic Center in Munich.

The headquarters building of the concern is being built in Munich, and the first control and testing ground is opened in Aschheim. A research center was built to design new models. In the 1970s, the first cars of famous BMW series- 3rd series, 5th series, 6th series, 7th series models.

After the production of the 2500 model and its main successors, the next significant event for BMW was the appearance of the 6 series, the first representative of which in 1978 was the luxurious 635 Csi coupe. Its 3.5-liter engine has become a new symbol technical excellence and even began to be installed on machines of the 5th series. The "Five", equipped with such an engine (power 218 hp), received the designation "M", confirming the exclusivity and sportiness of the car. Moreover, this motor really showed itself on the 5th series of the second generation, on the so-called. transitional models that saw the light in 1983.

In the year of German reunification, the concern, having founded BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH returns to its roots in the aircraft engine industry with the introduction of the new BR-700 aircraft engine in 1991. In the early 1990s, the third-generation 3 Series compact sports cars and the 8 Series Coupé hit the market.

1989: New BMW 850i coupe.
A good step for the company was the purchase in 1994 for DM 2.3 billion of the industrial group Rover Group (“Rover Group”), and with it the UK's largest complex for the production of cars of the Rover, Land Rover and MG brands. With the purchase of this company, the list of BMW cars was replenished with the missing midget cars and SUVs. In 1998, the British company Rolls-Royce was acquired.

Since 1995, an airbag for the front passenger and an anti-theft engine blocking system have been included as standard on all BMW vehicles. In March of the same year, the station wagon (touring) of the 3rd series is launched into production.

BMW factory
Among the latest motorcycle models of the 90s, the R100RT Classic touring motorcycle, equipped with luggage cases and heated handlebars, should be highlighted. Another model from this family, R100GS PD, is also intended for tourists. These motorcycles won four victories in the international rally Paris - Dakar. The F650, released in 1993, became a popular model. In addition, it turned out to be quite competitive compared to Japanese counterparts. In 1993, BMW begins development of the new R1100RS "opposers". (for this motorcycle, for the first time, not only the height of the steering wheel and footrests, but also the saddle was regulated), R1100GS (one of the most powerful motorcycles in the world). In 1994, identical R850R and R1100RT models were released. The most popular of the 4-cylinder BMW motorcycles was the K1100RS, a touring motorcycle with a sport-type fairing. But the most representative and equipped motorcycle is the K1100LT model, equipped with a huge electric fairing, adjustable windshield, large luggage bags and an anti-lock brake system.

Since 1995, the BMW plant in Spartanburg (USA) has been producing the BMW Z3.

In general, the end of the nineties was incredibly productive for BMW. New "fives", "sevens", the undeniable success of the Z3, all this did not make it possible even for a short break.

All these machines and motors have one thing in common: they prove that serial engines BMWs are built so solidly, so designed for their power and so balanced already in their basic concept that they can withstand any load on any track in the world.

The beginning of 1999 marked the debut of the BMW X5, which became the world's first Sports Car for Active rest(Sports Activity Vehicle): a vehicle that combines elegance and practicality in a unique way, thus opening up a new dimension of mobility.

And one more first place: The BMW Z8, the great sports car, celebrated its premiere in 1999 and delighted James Bond fans in The World Is Not Enough.

In 1999, BMW also surprised automotive enthusiasts at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the futuristic Z9 gran turismo concept.

Today, BMW, which began as a small aircraft engine plant, manufactures its products at five factories in Germany and twenty-two subsidiaries scattered around the world. This is one of the few automotive companies that does not use robots in factories. All assembly on the conveyor goes only manually. At the output - only computer diagnostics of the main parameters of the car.

Over the past 30 years, only the concerns of BMW and Toyota have been able to operate with annually increasing profits. The BMW empire, which has been on the verge of collapse three times in its history, has risen and succeeded each time. For everyone in the world, the BMW concern is synonymous with high standards in the field of automotive comfort, safety, technology and quality.

sources

http://www.bmw-mania.ru

http://www.bmwgtn.ru

http://bikepost.ru

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