BMW Group history.

BMW traces its roots back to Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto. In 1916, a company known as Flugmaschinenfabrik Gustav Otto merged into Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG (BFW) at the German government's behest. Elsewhere, in 1917, the Rapp Motorenwerke company morphed into Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, which duly became an AG (public limited company) in 1918. BMW AG subsequently transferred its engine construction operations – including the company and brand names – to BFW in 1922. The date of BFW's founding, 7 March 1916, has therefore gone down in history as the birthdate of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG.

The success story of BMW motorcycles started at the Berlin Motor Show in 1923. The aero-engine manufacturer presented its first motorcycle with the BMW R 32. The quality of the machine was a major factor for success. All the parts likely to need repair were encapsulated and the drive shaft was easier to service than standard chains or belts. The Boxer engine with cylinders mounted transverse to the direction of motion remains a characteristic feature of BMW motorcycles to this day, alongside the cardan shaft. The very successful overall design of the R 32 was penned by Max Friz and is regarded as a milestone in motorcycle history.

BMW's first post-war car was the 501, built from 1952. A large sedan capable of seating up to six people, it was powered by an evolution of the six-cylinder engine used in the pre-war BMW 326. Although not a commercial success, this luxury model restored BMW's status as a manufacturer of high-quality, technically exciting cars.

BMW presented its 1500 model at the 1961 German Motor Show, filling a gap in the market in the process. This was the model that re-established BMW as a successful modern carmaker. The design of the four-door mile-eater immediately generated excitement and orders far exceeded production capacities. By 1963, the company was back in profit. DISCOVER THE HISTORY

BMW embarked on a new era of electric mobility with the presentation by the new BMW i brand of the BMW Group’s first all-electric series-production model – the BMW i3. Propelled by an electric motor (and thus entirely emission-free) the i3 delivered an all-new driving experience of compelling agility and unbridled fun. Never has sustainability been so electrifying.