History of BMW Australia

The History of BMW

BMW’s reputation and current fame as one of the world’s greatest automakers can be attributed to the models it has produced over the past two decades. However, its history stretches back nearly 90 years. It contains many achievements that have made the marque a benchmark.

BMW traces its roots back to 1913 when Karl Friedrich Rapp founded Rapp Motoren Werke, a Bavarian engineer who was well-known in an aircraft company in Germany. Rapp Motoren Werke specialized in aeroplane engine design, but Rapp discovered that the engines were problematic, and had excessive vibration. Gustav Otto also a specialist in aeroplanes, opened his own Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik to build small aircraft.

Rapp Motoren Werke, due to the defective engines, secured a license with Austro-Daimler to manufacture V12 Aero engines. Rapp Motoren Werke expanded too rapidly, but by 1916, he resigned due to financial problems. Franz Josef Popp, a German, and Max Friz (an Austrian) took his place. Rapp Motoren Werke and Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik merged in March of the same year to form Bayerische Flugzeungwerke. The company was renamed Bayerische Motoren Werke, or BMW shortly after.

BMW produced its first aircraft engine, the Type IIIa, in 1917. Franz Zeno Diemer 1919 set an altitude of 32,013 feet using an aircraft powered by the successor to the Type IV. In 1919, after the Treaty of Versailles, which prohibited BMW from building aircraft engines was signed, production shifted to air brakes used on railway cars. In 1922, when BMW began building aircraft engines again, 29 aviation world records were broken. In 1920, the current BMW logo was designed using a circular propeller.

In 1923, the first BMW motorcycle was produced at the newly built Eisenach factory, located next to Munich’s airport. The R 32 had a transversely mounted flat-twin engine producing 8.5 horsepower when cranked at 3300 revs. The 2-cylinder 494cc bike could reach speeds of up to 59 mph. BMW produced 3090 during the 3 years.

The BMW automobile was born in 1928. The Dixi 3/15PS, produced at the Eisenbach plant, marked the start of BMW automobile manufacturing. The car was produced under license by Austin, and it was almost identical to the US Bantam or Japanese Datsun. The first Dixis had an open roof and a 4-cylinder 743cc engine that produced 15 horsepower. The top speed was around 50 mph. In 1929, a new version, the DA2, was introduced, which featured an all-steel chassis and four-wheel brakes. The Dixi won its first motor racing races in 1930. Total production: 18,976 vehicles.

The BMW AM 4 (Ausfuhrung munchen 4 Gange, or Munich Version 4 Speeds), also known as the BMW AM 4, was introduced in 1932. BMW’s “real” first car was put into production. The AM 4, or 3/20 PS as it was also known, was BMW’s successor to the Dixis. It was also the first car produced entirely by BMW. The engine was a 782cc 4-cylinder unit with suspended valves. A double chain drove the camshafts. It produced 20 horsepower at 3500rpm, giving the saloon a top speed of 50mph.

Next year, the 303 saloons were introduced and BMW launched its first inline-six-cylinder engine. This configuration is still BMW’s standard choice in modern cars. The 303 is also the first BMW with twin kidney-shaped radiator grilles. The 303 set a new standard in technology with its welded steel tubular frame, independent suspension at the front and rack-and-pinion steering. The 1173cc motor produced 30 horsepower, and the top speed was 56 mph.

The BMW 328 debuted 3 years later in 1936. BMW’s 315/1 (1934-1936) was replaced by the BMW 328, which became the company’s most popular pre-war sportscar. The 328 was originally designed for motorsports, and it won the Mille Miglia race in Italy in 1938 in its class. It quickly became popular on the road. The hood, doors, and tail were made of light alloy and an extra-light tubular frame. This resulted in a curb weight of 1830 lb. The 328 was powered by a 1971cc, inline-6-cylinder engine that had three carburettors and produced 80 horsepower at 5000 revs. This allowed it to reach a top speed of 93mph (150km/h). A total production of 462 units was made.

BMW made another record in 1935, but this time with two wheels. Ernst Henne, riding a 500cc compressor with 108 horsepower and a power-to-weight ratio of 282 lb, set the motorcycle world record in 1937 at 173.7 mph (279.5 km/h). The record stood for almost two decades.

BMW’s success was short-lived. The company was in ruins after the Second World War. The Allies had destroyed or demolished its factories and placed a ban of three years on all production in response to BMW’s production of rockets and aircraft engines during World War II. The V8-equipped 501 luxury sedan, produced in 1951, was an unwise production decision for a nation that had also been devastated by war. The 501 was not in high demand and did not meet BMW’s expectations.

BMW’s recovery began with a completely different approach. The Isetta 250, launched in 1955, was a very successful mini-car during the 1950s. The Isetta 250 was produced under license by the Italian manufacturer Iso. It had a motorcycle motor and only one door in the front. The engine was a 245cc single-cylinder unit that produced 12 horsepower at 5800 revs and had a top speed up to 85 km/h (53 mph). A total of 161,728 Isettas have been produced during its 7-year production run.

BMW introduced one of its most iconic models a couple of years after the launch of the BMW 507, despite still not having a solid financial base. BMW 507, launched in 1956, quickly gained fame. Albrecht Graf Foertz’s light-alloy 2-door soft top bodyshell, with its retractable soft roof, is timeless, as the Z8 demonstrates, which takes unmistakable cues from it. The 507 was powered by a large V8 engine with dual downdraught fuel carburettors. It produced 150 horsepower and a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h). However, it wasn’t enough to beat its main competitor, the Mercedes 300SL. Only 252 of the instantly recognisable 507 were produced. It remains a symbol of BMW’s struggles and ultimately triumphs in the 1950s after the war.

In 1962, BMW launched the next stage in its evolution. This was the precursor to the cars that we know and love today. BMW was saved by the 1500s which was developed during the crisis in the 1950s. The 1500 was characterized by its excellent suspension, striking design and low waistline. It also had a low-slung rear lid and engine compartment. It was powered by a 1499cc four-cylinder engine that produced 80 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and had a top speed of 92 mph. During its two-year production run sales amounted to only 23,807 units; however, between all of the models in its range (1500,1600,1800,2000) production totalled 334,165 cars. The E12 was the basis for the first 5 series generation, which was launched in 1972, 10 years after these cars. Three years later, the 3 and 7 series were introduced in 1977.

BMW re-entered aircraft engine production in 1990 after forming BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH with Rolls Royce. After extensive talks regarding the sale of Rolls Royce in 1998, BMW purchased the rights to Rolls Royce’s name and logo. The transition was expected to occur in 2003. BMW purchased Rover Group PLC in 1994. In 2000, after years of losses, Rover was sold to Ford. BMW owned the rights to the Mini, and the hot hatch went on sale early in 2002.

The Z3, Z8, and all 3, 5, 7, and Motorsport models of today continue BMW’s tradition of producing excellent automobiles that place a particular emphasis on performance and style, as well as technological advances. 1992 was another year-to-be-remembered for BMW when it, for the first time, outsold Mercedes in Europe. In the future, we can only hope that the rivalry will continue between BMW Mercedes and other car manufacturers.