Certified CenterBMW celebrated its centennial birthday last year and is currently ranked as the second most desirable car brand in the world. These things confirm that hard work, creativity, and passion pay off and are some of the key elements to running a successful business. In honor of BMW’s 100 years, here are ten facts about the German automotive company you might not know.
BMW built an airplane engine for the German air force in World War One. During the war there was a growing need for airplane engines. The engines were called the greatest engines in WW1 by the German fighter known as the Red Baron. The aircraft engine manufacturer became BMW in the end.
The Treaty of Versailles is the reason behind BMW vehicles. When Germany lost the first world war, they were banned from producing any war planes or engines according to the treaty. Since BMW’s original business was producing these engines (under another name), they decided to diversify. They introduced their first vehicle, the BMW 315, also know as the “Dixi 315,” which is an icon of classic automobiles.
BMW made the record for the fastest motorcycle in the world in 1937. BMW's innovative motorcycle ran at 173.7 miles per hour. At the time, this speed was a breakthrough in the automotive industry. It’s still remembered as one of the epic inventions to come from BMW.
The most expensive BMW is the Nazca M12. Designed in 1991, the Nazca M12 has an estimated value of 1.1 million dollars. It can easily compete with any other BMW vehicle with an advantage of 26 years of technological advancement. Its V12 engine can reach 200 mph and can achieve 0-60 in less than four seconds. It hasn’t been officially stated how many of these exist, but it’s rumored that three is the lucky number.
BMW produced its first all-electric car in 1972. BMW debuted the EV version of its popular 1602 model at the Munich Olympics. The breakthrough was overshadowed by the “Munich Massacre” tragedy that took place at the event. The vehicle had 12 batteries and drove up to 19 miles at a time. While it wasn’t marketable or popular at the time, it paved the way for other EV advancements that are prominent today.
The BMW Headquarters are designed in the shape of a BMW engine. BMW 4-cylinder engines are a staple of their heritage. They’ve been behind the production of every fuel-efficient car since they were first introduced. They are the same engines that the legendary Red Baron said carried the best engines in WW1.
BMW produced its own Lamborghini vehicle. In the 1970s, the two companies agreed on building a race car as a joint-project. Their deal was that BMW would provide the engine and some suspension bits, while Lamborghini would do the rest. In a historic corporate moment, Lamborghini pulled out of the deal and BMW decided to continue with the project on their own. The result is the legendary BMW M1, the first in the M series.
BMW almost became part of Mercedes in the 1950s. Largely due to the Cold War and some other factors, BMW almost went bankrupt in 1959. Their arch nemesis, Mercedes, saw a perfect opportunity to take over and buy the rival company. BMW decided to fight back, and employees from all levels of the company started buying back the shares. A man named Herbert Quandt is regarded as having saved BMW when he increased his shares by fifty percent (against the advice of his bankers), and his family still owns a large part of BMW today.
BMW didn’t design its first car. The first BMW, the Dixi, was actually an English Austin. It was intended to be used under license by various dealerships around the world, but in 1928 BMW bought the factory where they were produced and subsequently, the rights to build the Dixi car.
BMW parts can be transferred between vehicles. BMW cars are considered similar to legos, meaning that you can take a BMW part from one car and use it on a completely different model from another series and it will still be compatible.
How many of these historical BMW facts did you already know? We love learning more about the heritage of this company and everything it’s accomplished in its 100-year reign.
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BMW of San Antonio is a dealership that is proud to serve the state of Texas. We serve the cities of San Antonio, Boerne, Helotes, Eagle Pass, Kirby, Leon Valley, Converse, Live Oak, Universal City, Schertz, New Braunfels, Seguin, Canyon Lake, Lockhart and more.