BMW, the company that makes the cars and bikes we love to drive, celebrated its birthday yesterday, on March 7, 2016. A big birthday. You might call it “The Big One.” We know that’s what we would call our birthday if we ever made it to 100.
As part of its celebration, BMW has sifted through its archives and created a fascinating list of some rather important dates in BMW history. It calls the list 100 Facts from 100 Years. Many BMW enthusiasts will recognize many of the events and milestones that BMW considers significant. Some of our newer converts to the marque might be interested to see how the “Ultimate Driving Machine” of 2016 evolved from the “pretty good airplane engine” of 1916.
As BMW fans and BMW CCA members gather during BMW's centennial, especially when we get together for the big BMW 100th celebration in Monterey in August, we can discuss which of these 100 facts were the most important, and perhaps which facts didn’t make the list, but should have.
Here are BMW’s 100 Facts from 100 Years, straight from Munich. Enjoy.—Scott Blazey
7 March 1916
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG is established as the successor to aircraft manufacturer Gustav-Otto-Flugmaschinenfabrik with its registered office at Lerchenauer Straße in Munich. In 1922, engine construction, the name, and the brand logo of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG are transferred to this company. This is therefore regarded as the date of establishment of the “New BMW AG.”
21 July 1917
The aero-engine maker Rapp-Motorenwerke GmbH, founded in 1913, is entered in the Commercial Register with the name of Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, and soon afterwards, new manufacturing facilities are set up at Moosacher Straße in Munich.
10 December 1917
The roundel logo with the letters BMW and the stylized propeller designed in the Bavarian national colors of blue and white is entered under the number 221388 in the Trademark Registry of the Imperial Patents Office. At the end of the 1920s, this livery appears for the first time in advertising as a stylized rotating propeller, which has since then formed the basis for the interpretation of the logo.
17 June 1919
Test pilot Zeno Diemer reaches an altitude of 32,021 feet in his aircraft manufactured by Deutsche Flugzeugwerke and powered by the BMW IV inline six-cylinder engine, setting a new world altitude record.
6 July 1922
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG takes over the company name of Bayerische Motoren Werke, the brand logo, and engine construction from the current owner, Knorr-Bremse AG.
28 September 1923
At the German Motor Show in Berlin, the BMW R32 is presented: the first motorcycle produced under the BMW brand, developed under the management of Max Friz, and powered by a horizontally opposed twin-cylinder, four-stroke Boxer engine. BMW still makes motorcycles using this engine configuration and others.
2 February 1924
Engineer and racing driver Rudolf Schleicher achieves the fastest time riding a BMW R32 motorcycle in the hill climb on the steep Mittenwalder Gsteig—and brings home the first victory to BMW in the history of motorsport.
1 October 1928
BMW takes over automaker Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach in Thuringia where the Dixi 3/15 PS small car is manufactured as a licensed version of the British Austin Seven. This makes BMW a manufacturer of automobiles.
22 March 1929
The first BMW 3/15 PS rolls off the assembly line in the production building rented from coachbuilder Ambi-Budd at the old Berlin-Johannisthal airfield.
22 June 1931
The “Rail Zeppelin” powered by the BMW VI twelve-cylinder aero-engine built by railway designer Franz Kruckenberg reaches a speed of 142.9 miles per hour and thereby achieves a new world speed record for rail vehicles.
1 March 1932
BMW ends the license agreement with Austin and soon afterwards presents the company’s first in-house automobile design: the BMW 3/20 PS with a new four-cylinder engine and a two-door, all-steel body.
22 July 1932
Pilot Wolfgang von Gronau takes off in the Dornier “Wal” (whale) flying boat, powered by two 600 horsepower twelve-cylinder BMW VIIa engines, and goes on to complete the first circumnavigation of the world covering a total distance of 27,837 miles.
11 February 1933
The BMW 303 is presented at the International Motor Show in Berlin as the brand’s first six-cylinder automobile and also the first model to be styled with the BMW signature kidney-shaped radiator grille.
21 December 1934
Construction of aero-engines is spun off to a dedicated company that becomes BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH, with a retroactive effective date of 1 January 1934.
15 February 1936
The BMW 326 is presented at the International Motor Show in Berlin as the new mid-range model powered by an inline six-cylinder engine, designed with a box-section frame, aerodynamically contoured body, and hydraulic brakes.
14 June 1936
The two-liter BMW 328 sports car is presented in public for the first time racing in the Eifel Race at the Nürburgring. Ernst Jakob Henne immediately achieves a clear start-finish victory driving the new model.
28 November 1937
The BMW works driver Ernst Henne starts on the last of many world record rides and achieves a record speed of 173.67 mph on a fully faired, supercharged BMW motorcycle —a record that stands for 14 years.
8 June 1939
Georg “Schorsch” Meier is the first non-Briton to win the Senior-TT on the Isle of Man riding a BMW supercharged motorcycle.
30 September 1939
BMW AG takes over all the shares in Brandenburgische Motoren Werke GmbH in Berlin-Spandau. BMW had already been working with the company on the development of air-cooled aircraft engines.
28 April 1940
Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Walter Bäumer achieve overall victory in the Mille Miglia endurance race in Italy driving the BMW 328 Touring Coupé, and they also win the team placing in all classes for BMW.
30 April 1945
Soldiers from the 7th US Army reach the so-called shadow plant and the camp in Allach near Munich. From December 1939, prisoners of war, convicts, forced laborers, and concentration camp inmates have been used there and at other locations to produce aero-engines.
17 December 1948
Motorcycle production is started up again in Munich. A BMW R24 powered by a single-cylinder engine is manufactured there as the first vehicle from BMW AG in the post-war era.
11 March 1954
The BMW 502 presented at the Geneva Motor Show is powered by an eight-cylinder engine, the world’s first V8 all-alloy engine to be fitted in a volume-produced automobile.
12 September 1954
After their victory in the final race in Monza, Wilhelm Noll and Fritz Cron achieve their first World Championship Title in sidecar-combination racing on a BMW. By 1974, BMW had succeeded in collecting 19 riders’ and 20 constructors’ World Championships in this discipline.
1 October 1954
BMW acquires the license to build a two-seat microcar with a unique front door from Italian manufacturer Iso. The BMW Isetta has many refined details; it is powered by BMW motorcycle engines and marketed as a “Motocoupé,” the best-selling model sold by BMW during the 1950s.
15 January 1955
A new model motorcycle series is presented at the Brussels Motor Show with the BMW R50 and the BMW R69 manufactured with a full swing arm suspension. The series defined the BMW motorcycle program until 1969.
22 September 1955
The BMW 507 made its first public appearance at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. This roadster had been penned by designer Albrecht Graf Goertz with a 150 horsepower, eight-cylinder engine and it is celebrated in the press as the “Dream from the Isar”.
9 June 1959
The Board of Management of BMW AG presents the new BMW 700 Coupé to international journalists at a press launch. This car was to lay the foundations for profitable large-scale production of automobiles.
9 December 1959
At the Annual General Meeting of BMW AG, a group of small shareholders prevents a takeover by Daimler-Benz AG. Major shareholder Herbert Quandt decides to make a bigger commitment, which secures the independence of BMW.
30 November 1960
A restructuring plan for the realignment of the company is approved at the Annual General Meeting of BMW AG, charting the company’s the trajectory for a successful future.
21 September 1961
The BMW 1500 celebrates its world premiere at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and thus begins the trailblazing success of the “New Class.”
29 June 1964
Business is good enough that a resolution is approved at the Annual General Meeting of BMW AG to pay shareholders a dividend for the first time since the end of the war.
18 June 1965
BMW AG sells its remaining shares in BMW Triebwerkbau GmbH to MAN AG and brings its involvement in aero-engine production to an end for the time being.
7 March 1966
The two-door BMW 1600 is presented to guests in front of the Bavarian State Opera House as part of the celebration of BMW’s 50th anniversary.
2 January 1967
BMW AG takes over the company Hans Glas GmbH, which produces a number of vehicles including the Goggomobil microcar, numerous other models, and agricultural machinery.
25 September 1968
The new six-cylinder models BMW 2500 and BMW 2800 are presented at a press reception on Lake Tegernsee. After a break of several years, this constitutes BMW’s return to manufacturing luxury automobiles.
31 December 1968
BMW AG concludes another record year. More than 100,000 automobiles are produced for the first time in one year.
13 May 1969
Motorcycle production at the BMW main plant in Munich comes to an end. Production is relocated to the site in Berlin where the new BMW /5 Series starts rolling off the production line in September 1969.
16 March 1971
The company enters the financial services business with the establishment of BMW Kredit GmbH.
20 October 1971
The new BMW test track and trial facility is opened in Aschheim near Munich.
24 May 1972
BMW Motorsport GmbH is established. It is responsible for all motorsport activities and for the development of racecars and particularly sporty street-legal automobiles.
31 August 1972
BMW AG founds BMW (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd and keeps a majority shareholding in this sales and production company. The plant at Rosslyn in South Africa becomes the first BMW production facility outside Germany.
10 September 1972
At the Olympic Games in Munich, a BMW 1602 Elektro is used as a support vehicle for the marathon race. This is the first pure electrically powered automobile from BMW.
12 September 1972
BMW launches a new structure for model designations with the first BMW 5 Series as the successor to the “New Class.” This gives BMW clearly defined model designations that are easy to remember, and the principle underlying the system continues to this day. The first digit represents the series and the two subsequent digits specify the model based [generally] on the capacity of the engine.
8 January 1973
When the BMW subsidiary is established in France, the company begins to take control of sales activities in the international markets.
18 May 1973
The new administrative building and the BMW Museum are officially opened. Construction of the structural shell of the “Four-Cylinder” building and the “Museum Bowl” had been completed in time for the Olympic Games the year before.
27 September 1973
Production starts up in the extensively expanded and modernized Dingolfing Plant. Initially, the models of the BMW 5 Series are manufactured there.
14 June 1975
A BMW 3.0 CSL designed by American artist Alexander Calder is the first BMW Art Car and starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This is the beginning of a fascinating and unique Art Collection, which BMW continues to this day.
30 June 1975
In Munich’s Olympic Stadium, the Board of Management of BMW AG presents the BMW 3 Series, which is launched as the successor to the successful BMW 02 Series with new technology and new model designation.
3 February 1976
BMW Motorsport GmbH is commissioned to establish a “driving school” which has since become known as the BMW Driving Experience and the Mini Driving Experience. The programs offer training for more driving fun and safety. The first official courses start on 22 April 1977.
11 March 1976
The coupés of the new BMW 6 Series are presented at the International Motor Show in Geneva.
5 October 1978
The BMW M1 is presented at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris. Developed by BMW Motorsport GmbH, the M1 is a mid-engined sports car that generates 277 horsepower. Its racing version creates a sensation at races including the Procar Series in the supporting program for Formula 1 in Europe in 1979 and 1980.
21 June 1979
Ground-breaking ceremony for the engine plant in Steyr, Austria, which today serves as a center of competence for the development and production of a variety of engines including BMW diesel power units.
20 January 1981
French racing driver Hubert Auriol wins the Paris-Dakar Rally riding a BMW R80 G/S and further confirms the reliability of the Enduro model launched the year before, which is powered by a Boxer flat-twin engine.
13 June 1983
BMW presents the first series of automobiles in the company’s history powered by a diesel engine, the BMW 524td with an inline six-cylinder turbo diesel engine generating 115 horsepower.
15 October 1983
At the South African Grand Prix, Brazilian racing driver Nelson Piquet becomes Formula 1 World Champion driving the Brabham BMW—just 630 days after the premiere of BMW in the blue-ribbon event. He is also the first F1 champion in a vehicle with a turbocharged engine.
1 January 1985
BMW Technik GmbH is established as an autonomous think tank and innovation incubator. Its task is to develop visionary vehicle and parts concepts.
12 September 1985
BMW presents its first all-wheel drive model at the International Motor Show, the BMW 325i all-wheel drive. The show was also the premiere of the extremely sporty BMW M3.
5 March 1987
The BMW 750i is presented at the Geneva Motor Show, the first twelve-cylinder model to roll off a German production line since the end of the war.
22 May 1987
The new BMW Plant Regensburg is officially opened. The first model manufactured is the BMW 3 Series Sedan.
11 September 1987
The BMW Z1 roadster developed by BMW Technik GmbH is presented at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt.
15 November 1987
Italian racing driver Roberto Ravaglia becomes the first Touring Car World Champion driving a BMW M3 with the Schnitzer Motorsport team.
27 April 1990
The Research and Engineering Centre (FIZ—today known as the Research and Innovation Center) is officially opened with a gala ceremony in the Milbertshofen district of Munich. Around 7,000 researchers, engineers, designers, managers, and technicians work there in a close-knit network.
1 July 1990
BMW AG joins forces with its partner Rolls-Royce Plc to establish the independent company Rolls-Royce GmbH for the development, construction, and sale of aircraft turbines. This joint venture takes the BMW back to its origins. In the wake of the realignment of the company, BMW AG sells its shares in Rolls-Royce plc at the end of 1999.
10 March 1992
The new plant of BMW Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH is opened at the traditional heritage site in Eisenach. Pressing tools are manufactured there for the company’s production network.
1 August 1993
BMW Motorsport GmbH, established in 1972, changes its name to BMW M GmbH Gesellschaft für individuelle Automobile.
29 January 1994
With the signing of the purchase contract, BMW AG takes over the British Rover Group, which includes the brands Rover, MG, Mini, and Land Rover.
8 April 1994
BMW Group Mobile Tradition is established to handle all requirements relating to company and product history. In 2008, it becomes BMW Group Classic.
8 September 1994
Vehicle production begins at the BMW Plant Spartanburg in the U.S. state of South Carolina. A BMW 318i is the first model to roll off the production line. The official opening of the new location is held on 15 November.
8 June 1998
The company announces the continuation of the Mini brand—acquired through the purchase of the Rover Group—as an independent brand.
14 June 1998
The BMW 320d is the first vehicle powered by a diesel engine to win the 24 Hour Race at the Nürburgring.
10 January 1999
BMW presents the vehicle concept of the Sports Activity Vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show. The BMW X5 combines sportiness typical of the brand with the versatile qualities of an all-wheel-drive vehicle, and thereby establishes a new market segment with this concept.
1 October 1999
BMW AG and the Rover Group are merged in the BMW Group. The new structure emphasizes the Group function of the company that serves as an umbrella for several brands.
29 October 1999
The BMW Tower known as the “Four-Cylinder” and the neighboring BMW Museum are designated as heritage sites and become subject to protection.
9 May 2000
BMW AG sells the Rover Group without the brands Mini and Land Rover to the Phoenix Venture Group. Two weeks later the Ford Motor Company takes over Land Rover. Only Mini remains part of the BMW Group.
26 April 2001
A few months after the relaunch of the brand, the first Mini rolls off the assembly line at the comprehensively modernized production plant in Oxford, United Kingdom, which is also the original home of the classic Mini.
13 September 2001
World premiere of the new BMW 7 Series at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. BMW introduces its revolutionary iDrive control system for the first time in the fourth generation of its flagship luxury sedan.
31 December 2002
The BMW Group closes the business year with a new sales record. For the first time, more than one million cars of the BMW and Mini brands are sold within one year.
3 January 2003
Since the beginning of the year, the Rolls-Royce brand has been officially part of the BMW Group. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited goes on to present the first model of the new era at the company’s new registered office in Goodwood: the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
20 May 2004
The Dadong production plant is opened in Shenyang in the northeast of China. The plant is operated together with the joint-venture partner Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd.
25 September 2004
The sheer driving pleasure typical of the brand is experienced for the first time in the compact segment through the BMW 1 Series that is presented at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris.
13 May 2005
The BMW Plant Leipzig designed by star architect Zaha Hadid is opened. The first cars produced there are vehicles in the BMW 3 Series, and other models follow.
7 September 2005
The BMW Group is listed for the first time in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the world’s most sustainable automobile manufacturer.
13 September 2006
When production is launched for the new model generation of Mini, the British Mini Production Triangle officially starts operating with sites in Swindon, Hams Hall, and Oxford.
27 September 2007
The Board of Management of BMW AG presents the new Number ONE corporate strategy with the objective of long-term, profitable growth.
17 October 2007
BMW Welt is opened. The futuristically designed building with multifunctional use offers a unique brand experience. Customers from all over the world can take delivery of their new car in an atmosphere that is typical of the brand.
19 November 2008
The Mini E is presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show. This is a pure electrically powered small car for field tests in routine everyday traffic. It is a product of the i project created by the BMW Group for the development of sustainable mobility solutions.
21 February 2011
The new BMW i sub-brand is presented in BMW Welt. The innovations developed by the company for the sub-brand include electrically powered automobiles and innovative mobility services.
1 April 2011
The DriveNow premium car-sharing service starts operating as a joint venture between the BMW Group and Sixt AG in Munich.
1 September 2011
The carbon-fiber plant located at Moses Lake in the U.S. state of Washington comes on line as a joint venture between the BMW Group and the SGL Group. The plant supplies the starting material for production of carbon-fiber reinforce plastic that will be used to produce the passenger cells in the BMW i3 and BMW i8.
15 January 2012
The German X-raid private team drives the Mini ALL4 Racing to victory in the Dakar Rally. The car was designed from the Mini Countryman and was specially developed for endurance rallies.
29 April 2012
After 18 years, BMW returns to the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) in Hockenheim on 21 October in a victory with three titles. Canadian Bruno Spengler becomes DTM Champion in the BMW M3 DTM, and BMW also wins the constructors’ and team championships.
24 May 2012
The Tiexi Plant is opened in Shenyang as the second production facility in China operated by the BMW Group and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd.
18 September 2013
Production of the BMW i3 electric car starts up at BMW Plant Leipzig. This gives the BMW Group to put the first premium electric vehicle designed from scratch for this type of power unit.
26 February 2014
BMW Group Classic announces its move to a new site. This represents a return to the historic roots of the company. The purchase of the parcel of land in Moosacher Straße, Munich, from Knorr-Bremse AG brings some of the company’s first production facilities back under BMW ownership.
5 June 2014
The first BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports cars are handed over to customers at BMW Welt in Munich.
10 June 2015
The new BMW 7 Series is presented in BMW Welt. The sixth generation of the luxury sedan offers unique innovations, including the body structure with carbon core, BMW gesture control, and remotely controlled parking.
6 December 2015
BMW i is granted the “Momentum of Change” Award by the United Nations at the UN Climate Conference in Paris for commitment to expanding the public charging infrastructure. This is the apogee of a unique series of national and international titles in the automobile sector, including the “Grünes Lenkrad” (Green Steering Wheel) for the BMW i3 and the “World Green Car Award” earned consecutively by the BMW i3 and the BMW i8. These awards were already given to the BMW i brand and its vehicles during the market launch phase.
6 January 2016
The company uses the study BMW i Vision Future Interaction as the basis to present pioneering innovations in the areas of control and autonomous driving at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
7 March 2016
The 100th anniversary of the company is celebrated at a gala event in Munich’s Olympiahalle multipurpose arena.
[Text and photos courtesy of BMW AG.]
