Nine Things You Didn’t Know About BMW
Founded in March 1916, Bayerische Motorenwerke was once called BFW or Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and originally made airplane engines. After producing its own Lamborghini, it created a personal record for altitude and speed. Today, BMW is known for making luxury cars that are technologically advanced, sleek and super expensive. The BMW creations exude style and class. Its business in overseas markets is touching new heights.
Used BMW cars in India, especially, is doing great by opening a new market for pre-owned luxury cars. With BMW doing so well as a company and a brand, let's take a look at some lesser known facts about the automaker that turned 98 this year.
1. Before they were even really BMW, the company built the Red Baron's favourite airplanes engines since there was a major shortage of technologically advanced airplane engines during the first World War. But a small company known as Rapp Motor and an airplane maker called Otto Werke joined hands to work towards reducing the requirements towards the war. Otto Werke was run by the son of the inventor of four cycle engines. This technology was used in all the cars later.
2. BMW's four cylinder engine history was so important that they designed their headquarters to look like one in the 1960s! The building was designed by an Austrian architecture professor to look like a four cylinder engine.
3. BMW's logo has also grabbed eyeballs because of its unique design. While some thought that it was a spinning airplane propeller, the company never officially put a propeller until the marketing department placed it in 1929 to promote their firm's airplane history.
5. Actually it's iconic logo pays tribute to Rapp Motor and Bavaria. The blue and white in the logo are the national colors of Bavaria, a South-east German state.
6. The first car produced by BMW generated only 15 HP. The reason it was manufactured was because of the Treaty of Versailles which banned the German companies from producing war aircrafts and engines. Due to this, BMW stopped generating revenues. And so came into being BMW Dixi 3/15 which became really successful.
7. As mentioned earlier, BMW carved a niche for itself for always being technologically ahead. Its 1940 328 Kamm Coupe was aerodynamically 30 years ahead of its time. It had a unique body style that featured a rear-less end which, in turn, increased the straight line speed.
8. BMW also built the fastest motorcycle in 1937. Aerodynamically upgraded, the motorcycle could reach a maximum speed of 173.7 mph!
9. Reports suggest that there was once a time that BMW almost Mercedes! In 1959, the German automaker almost became bankrupt due to a plethora of reasons, most importantly Cold War. And so, Mercedes' parent company Daimler-Benz decided to take over dear old BMW. However, Mercedes' repeated attempts were unsuccessful.
In a move of counterattack, BMW enlisted even the lowest mechanics in the organization's help in buying back shares. The company soon found major help in a super wealthy private investor whose family, by the way, still owns a major portion of the company today. And that's how the age-old battle between Mercedes and BMW started!
