Bayerische Motoren Werke AG

History

BMW was born from fusion, on March 7th, 1916, of two companies of mechanics of Munich, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and Otto-Werke. It was in the beginning a manufacturer of engines of plane. It is what the emblem of the mark points out: a Propeller moving on bottom of the colors of Bavaria: blue and white.

Following the defeat of Germany at the time of the First World War, it was to him interdict to produce planes as well as engines for its country, and thus it was forced to reconvert itself.

It diversified and produced engines for motor cycles (1922, with a twin-cylinder flat drawn by max Friz), trucks and cars.

The production of motor bikes took importance, with an important investment in the competition. In 1929, a BMW reaches 216,75 km/h, controlled by Ernst Henne.

Apart from a clandestine record of altitude in 1920 (9 760 m), the production of engines of planes included in the years 1930, initially with manufacture under license of engines Pratt & Whitney, then with the radial engine BMW 801 which equipped the Focke-Wulf FW 190. In 1939, it equips the Junker 52. In 1944, BMW develops the first Turboréacteur in the world.

In 1928, BMW repurchases the factories Dixi, German manufacturer located at Eisenach and launches out in the assembly of tiny the Austin Seven English of which Dixi had obtained the rights. Thus in 1929 is born the 3/15 PS. It gains the cut of the Alps in 1929.

In 1930, leaves a model named Wartburg, 748 Cm3.

In 1933 the 303 leave, equipped with one 6 cylinders with 1773 Cm3 and the 315 of 1.490 Cm3.

The motorcylcists activities continue, since the 100 000e motor bike leaves in 1938, and that the speed records pass to 279,5 km/h in 1939. The R75 model with motorcycle combination will equip the army.

Karl To summon, an officer S working at the administrative and economic Office as from 1942, mentioned BMW top of the list of the companies having practiced the slavery of prisoners in Nazi Germany, within the framework of the d'" project; extermination by the travail". BMW admits to have used between 25 000 and 30 000 prisoners whose ridiculous wages were transferred with the treasure S. The German section of Ford, Fordwerke, would have resorted to the same practices before its systematization by the government Nazi.

At the end of the Second world war, the Soviets vandalisèrent the factories and seized the technology of BMW, following the example British, who produced the model Bristol 400, with the brilliant career, starting from plans stolen at BMW. The company had to be reconverted into the production of Bicyclette S and domestic and household equipment. It is only into 1952 that the production of cars began again, with models making pale figure beside their direct competitor, Mercedes-Benz.

At that time, BMW will manufacture one as well 8 cylinders (502) that the Isetta under license Iso (200 000 sold specimens).

The resumption in hand of the management of the company by Herbert Quandt, which became one of the principal shareholders, radically reorientated the strategy of the company, centered on more accessible models and nearer of the existing request. It made clean slate of the preexistent hierarchy in the company and instituted a mode meritocratic in the culture of the company, which enabled him to make great strides without precedent.

BMW 1500 was launched to the mechanical Living room of 1961 in Frankfurt, which turned a page in the history of BMW, released from its past.

Then, it manufactured vehicles: motor bikes and cars. These last saved with the mark its notoriety during sporting confrontations.

In 2007, BMW account 23 production sites in the world (with MINI and Rolls-Royce), in 13 country out of 4 continents:

Munich, inaugurated in 1950
Ratisbon
Dingolfing
Oxford (factory of the MINI )
Swindon (MINI factory)
Hams Hall (MINI factory)
Spartanburg (North Carolina, the USA), inaugurated in the Nineties
Leipzig, inaugurated in 2005
Rosslyn, South Africa
Berlin, factory dedicated to the motor bikes
Its cross-country are manufactured by Magna Steyr in Austria with Graz

( to supplement )

In 2007, BMW repurchases with the group Cagiva the manufacturer of Swedish motor bikes Husqvarna.

Models

Motor bikes

BMW starts to produce engines of motor bikes following prohibition to produce engines of Avion following the treaty of Versailles.

At the beginning, BMW copies the engines Douglas, flat twin (Boxer) with Soupape S side transversely assembled. These engines are sold with assemblers like Victoria or Photogravure.

BMW repurchases Helios, and completely redraws the motor bike, with an engine 500 cm ³ assembled longitudinally, with a transmission shafting without Cardan joint (there is no suspension postpones), a front suspension by leaf springs, and not of Frein before: we are in 1923, and it is R32.

In 1924, R37 leaves, with collapsed engine.

This machine is very modern for the time, where one mainly meets driving with side valves and mechanical components functioning with the free air.

In 1925, leaves one-cylinder R39, one 250 collapsed (there will be the one-cylinder ones from 200 to 400 cm ³).

In 1928, the R 63, one leaves 750 cm ³.

In the pre-war period, BMW marketed several models 250 and 350 cm ³ one-cylinder, always 4 times, with tree and Cardan joint, with framework tubes or out of buckled plate.

BMW will be the first mark to equip its motor bikes with a telescopic Fourche in 1935.

During the war, BMW will be famous for its famous Afrika Korps (very inspired of the Belgian side FN Herstal), motorcycle combination with driving wheel of the side, copied after the fall of Germany, by Soviet Ural.

After the war, the French firm CEMEC will manufacture copies of BMW more or less modified for the French administrations.

From 1950 to 1972, BMW will continue its flat-twins with Cardan joint, with Series 2, recognizable with its Fourche Earles. The color is the black, sometimes white, seldom red.

BMW does not give up the one-cylinder ones immediately, with 250 cm ³ with Cardan joint: R25 in 1953 (telescopic fork) and R27 in 1964 (Earles fork), until 1966.

The telescopic fork will return only with series 5 (declined into 500,600 and 750 cm ³), of 1969 to 1973.

Series 6 will see appearing one 900 cm ³, and a prestigious version, the R90S, with a head of fork (1973 to 1976) and disappearing the 500.

Series 7 will comprise four 1000 cm ³, the R 100/7, nonducted, the R 100 S with the head of fork tourism of the R 90 S, the R 100 RS, with integral careenage sport and the R 100 RT with integral careenage great tourism (1976 to 1995).

Thereafter, " will be seen; petites" BMW, always in flat twin, 450 and 650 cm ³ (R45 and R65) and the R 75 to pass in 800 cm ³ (R 80/7).

BMW will propose another thing only a flat twin that with the series K, in 1983: the K75 (3 cylinders 750 cm ³) and K 100 (4 cylinders 1 000 cm ³). This engine had the characteristic to be one 4 cylinders in line longitudinal with tree, horizontally lying.

C1: one of the first scooters (but more only) whose control does not impose the port of the helmet because it is provided with a roof, side protections and of a safety belt.

BMW will continue to innovate as regards suspensions, with GS 1150 and 1200, provided with a telescopic fork, associated with a compound shock absorber located in front of the engine.

BMW will be also the first to assemble a ABS in series, on its K1.

Since 2007 of new technological innovations of foreground appeared on the new models of the mark: an electronic system of anti-ice-skating (ASC) such as one finds it on the cars, and making it possible in full safety to face very bad conditions of adherence, a system of adjustable suspensions electrically while rolling (ESA) and a control system of the pressure of inflation of tires (DRC).

Cars

It should be known that the models of the mark were identified by a number of 3 digits the first correspondent with the category of vehicle, the two others with the cubic capacity of the engine (except exceptions) follow-up of a letter indicating the fuel used or the type of transmission. The current principal series are:

BMW series 1: “compact Truck”. This model profits since 2007 from several innovations decreasing its consumption and thus its pollution: controlled shutters of automatically closing air when the requirements in cooling for the vehicle are reduced, recuperation of the energy of braking, tires with resistance reduced to the bearing, function of stopping and automatic restarting of the engine.
BMW series 3: “family truck”
BMW series 5: “road truck”
BMW series 6: “cut Great Tourism”
BMW series 7: “truck of prestige, top-of-the-range”
BMW series 8: “cut Great Tourism”
BMW X3: “Any ground of luxury of intermediate size”
BMW X5: “Great Whole ground of luxury or SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle)”
BMW M: “Sporting of prestige” on Series 3,5,6 and Z prepared by BMW Motorsport GMBH become BMW M, subsidiary of BMW.
BMW series Z: “crossed and/or roadsters”: Z1, Z3, Z4, Z8,…

The last two figures representing (often, but not always) the cubic capacity:

for example:

* 3 20 = series 3 2,0 Liters

* 7 40 = series 7 4,0 liters

* 3 30 = series 3 3,0 liters

However, BMW for certain models of the of the same engines having rolled but of different power, this diagram is not always respected, thus for series 1:

* 1 18 D = series 1 2,0 liters, power 143 ch

* 1 20 D = series 1 2,0 liters, power 177 ch

The models with 4 driving wheels are indicated by the letter X , for example: 330 X I. The half-compartments are indicated by the letter C , for example: 325 C I.

The fuel of predilection of the mark was initially the gasoline. For these models, a “ I ” in end means, with injection . When a “ D ” or a “ td ” comes to associate at the end of the number of the model, it is that it is about a model with Diesel engine.

Since 1990, BMW worked much on CO2 reduction of its vehicles. The average consumption of its trucks was decreased by almost 30%. Today, about a BMW on two sold in Europe emits less than 140 grams of CO2 per kilometer

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