25+ Fantastic BMW Facts
BMW is one of the biggest names in the automotive industry. The company was found in 1916 as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. BMW was founded by Karl Rapp. BMW is very much popular for its quality, luxury, and dependability. They also produces motorcycles. For many BMW is a symbol of class. BMW is also tremendously successful in racing sports. BMW has been named the world's most sustainable automotive company every year since 1999 by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
BMW has a long history of innovation, technology, and versatility. The company always surprised its customers with many mindblowing new things. BMW introduced many automobile technologies throughout there history. There are many less known facts about the company. Let's check out some cool facts about BMW.
BMW was founded as an aircraft engine maker. The first product built by the company was the BMW IIIa, a straight-six aircraft engine.
The second thing BMW ever built was motorcycles. During World War I BMW started making motorcycles for different armies.
BMWs first motorcycle was the R32. It had a 494 cc side-valve air-cooled flat-twin engine that was first produced as a portable industrial engine.
BMW first produced a car after twelve years of its formation. The first BMW ever made was a BMW Dixi.
During World War II BMW was forced to make aircraft engines against the wishes of its director Franz Josef Popp.
After World War II BMW was banned from making any engines. But the company survived by making bicycles, pans, and pots.
Three years after World War II, BMW started making motorcycles again in 1948. And also resumed its automotive lines in 1952.
With a legacy of 104 years BMW is one of the few companies that survived two World Wars.
Many know the BMW badge is a propeller, which is a myth. The logo was originally derived from the flag of the free state of Bavaria.
Mini and Rolls Royce are also owned by BMW.
In the year 2019 BMW sold 2,205,841 BMW branded cars, 352,729 mini branded cars, 5,455 Rolls Royces, and 187,116 motorcycles.
BMW is one of the earliest producers of electric cars. The company made its first electric car in 1972.
Some parts BMW still makes are produced form World War II.
BMW headquarter is designed Like a BMW Four-Cylinder Engine.
Once BMW made a car with Lamborghini. This collaboration later paved the way for the BMW M1 supercar.
BMW is distinctively recognizable for its unique grill styling. This styling is called the kidney grills.
BMW has been using different forms of the KIdney grills for around nine decades now. This styling was first used in the BMW 303.
There are some BMW models which don't rock a kidney grill. Even the legendary BMW 700 which saved the company from being bankrupt didn't have a kidney grille.
The X5 was the first BMW SUV ever.
The E87 from the 1 series of BMW was the first hatchback made by the company.
BMW designed the interior for Airlines such as Singapore Airlines.
BMW has also designed train interiors. BART partnered with BMW Group DesignworksUSA in 2011.
BMW is considered as a leader in Aerodynamics Design. They even named their car after aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm. 1940 328 Kamm Coupe was named after him.
In 1937 BMW created a 500cc supercharged motorcycle. This motorcycle was ridden by Ernst Jakob Henne in 1937 and stetted the World Record Top Speed Of 173.7 mph.
The BMW M1 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the same guy who designed the VW Golf, Lotus Esprit, and the Nikon D4 camera.
BMW started making cars because it was banned from making airplane engines after World War I by the Treaty of Versailles.
1959 BMW faced a critical financial crisis and was almost acquired by rival Daimler-Benz.
BMW has a three-decade-old company slogan that is "The Ultimate driving machine"
In Jule 1919, a Deutsche Flugzeugwerke made aircraft powered by BMW IV inline six-cylinder engine set up a new world altitude record. On this flight Test pilot, Zeno Diemer reached an altitude of 9 760 meters.
BMW also set a record of top rail speed on 22 June 1931. BMW VI twelve-cylinder aero-engine built by Franz Kruckenberg reached a speed of 230 km/h, which was faster than any rail engine back than.
BMW i has been awarded as the “Momentum of Change” by the United Nations at the UN Climate Conference in Paris for commitment to expanding the public charging infrastructure.