On December 3, 1896, in the city of Eisenach, Heinrich Ehrhardt founded a factory for the production of cars for the needs of the army and, oddly enough, bicycles. Already the fifth in the district. And, probably, Erhardt would have produced dark green mountain bikes, ambulances and mobile soldiers' kitchens if he had not seen the success that accompanied Daimler and Benz with their motorized sidecars.
And it was decided to make something light, not military, and, of course, different from what competitors have already done. But to save time and money, Ehrhardt bought a license from the French. The Parisian car was called Ducaville.
So there was what today is called BMW. And then this monster was called the "Wartburg motorized carriage", and it was not its own development. A couple of years later, in September 1898, the Wartburg arrived on its own at an automobile exhibition in Düsseldorf and took its place on a par with Daimler, Benz, Opel and Durkopp.
And a year later, Erhardt's motorized carriage won the main car races of that time - Dresden - Berlin and Aachen - Bonn. The golden double helped Wartburg win twenty-two medals throughout his career, including one for elegant design.
Wartburg's life was cut short in 1903: exorbitant debts, a decline in production. Ehrhardt gathers his shareholders and makes a speech, which he ends with the Latin word dixi ("I've said it all!"). This is how the ancient Roman orators ended their speeches, though not so tragic.
However, help came unexpectedly - from one of Erhardt's shareholders. Exchange speculator Yakov Shapiro really did not want to part with the motorized carriage he loved so much. Shapiro, at that time, had enough control over the British factory in Birmingham, which produced Austin-7 (Austin Seven). This miracle british car proma enjoyed great popularity in London and its environs. And Shapiro, without thinking twice, but having managed to calculate all the possible benefits, buys a license for Austin from the British.
Now what started to roll off the assembly line in Eisenach was named Dixi. According to the last word of Herr Erhardt. True, the first batch of cars went to the people with a right-hand drive. This was the first and last time that a passenger was seated on the left side in continental Europe. Speculator Shapiro, it should be noted, did not lose.
From 1904 to 1929, the revived Ehrhardt factory produced and sold 15,822 Dixi. However, it's time to do own car. Still, the realization that Birmingham was looming behind him was haunting. And in 1927, the factory of Heinrich Ehrhardt, already a component BMW part, launched its own Dixi - Dixi 3/15 PS.
More than nine thousand cars were sold during the year. The most sophisticated, by the standards of that time, Dixi cost three thousand two hundred Reichsmarks. But he accelerated to seventy-five kilometers per hour.
And then Karl Friedrich Rapp broke into the history of BMW, who dreamed of the sky and aircraft engines. Rapp founded a small company and went to work somewhere on the northern outskirts of Munich. His goal is not cars. His goal is airplanes. He had both desire and enthusiasm, but, unfortunately, not backed up by luck.
In 1912, at the first imperial exhibition of aviation achievements, Karl Rapp presented his biplane with a ninety-horsepower engine. However, his plane never took off.
Considering the failure as temporary, Rapp planned for the next (two years later) exhibition another biplane with an engine with a capacity of one hundred and twenty-five "horses". But in 1914, instead of the imperial show, the First World War began.
In general, there was a plus in this for Rapp - the war brought orders for aircraft engines. But Rapp's engines were incredibly noisy and suffered from strong vibration, and therefore, due to complaints from local residents, the authorities of Prussia and Bavaria banned the flights of aircraft with Rapp's engines over their territory. Things were getting worse. Even despite the fact that Rapp's enterprise had a very loud name.
On March 7, 1916, his company was registered under the name Bavarian Aircraft Works (BFW). And here a new character enters the scene - the Viennese banker Camillo Castiglioni. He buys out Rapp's share in the company and, thereby, brings the capitalization of the then still BFW to almost one and a half million marks.
But this did not save Rapp from the reputation of a loser and bankrupt. But it saved his company. Of the last strength, she was able to hold out until the arrival of another Austrian - Franz Josef Popp (Franz Josef Popp).
Popp, retired lieutenant of the Austro-Hungarian marines with a higher engineering education, was an expert at the Imperial Ministry of Defense and was engaged in keeping track of all the latest technical achievements. But at that time, he was most interested in the 224V12 power plants produced in Munich. He came here in 1916 to start his life's work from scratch.
The first thing Popp did was to hire Max Fritz. Brilliant, as it turned out later, the engineer was fired from Daimler for demanding an increase in his salary to fifty marks a month. Old Daimler would not have been greedy then, and, perhaps, BMW could have had a completely different fate.
With regard to Fritz, Rapp took a tough stance. And when the former Daimler engineer finally came to work, Rapp resigned. But even after his departure, the company retained a reputation as a half-ruined company that failed to achieve anything. And Popp decides to rename the brainchild of Rapp.
On July 21, 1917, a historical entry is made in the Munich registration chamber: "The Bavarian aircraft factories Rapp" are now called the "Bavarian Motor Works" (Bayerische Motoren Werke). BMW took place. Moreover, the main products of the Bavarian Motor Plants are still aircraft engines.
There was still a year before the end of the First World War, and the Kaiser still had hopes of at least a draw. It didn't work out. Moreover, according to the Treaty of Versailles, the victorious powers banned the production of aircraft engines in Germany. However, the stubborn Franz-Josef Popp, despite any prohibitions, continues to invent and implement new engines.
On June 9, 1919, pilot Franz Zeno Diemer (Franz Zeno Diemer), after eighty-seven minutes of flight, climbed to an unprecedented height - 9760 meters. His DFW C4 was powered by a BMW Series 4 engine. But no one has recorded a world altitude record. Germany, according to the same Versailles Treaty, was not among the member countries of the International Federation of Aeronautics
The banker Castiglioni, who once almost saved Rapp, does not lag behind Popp. In the spring of 1922, he buys the last surviving aircraft engine factory for BMW. From now on, the "Bavarian Motor Works" has another direction.
In addition to engines for aircraft, Munich is setting up the production of very small engines - two-cylinders, with a volume of just nothing - 494 cubic meters. see And a year later, small engines justified themselves - in 1923, first at the Berlin and then at the Paris car exhibitions, the first BMW motorcycle - R-32 - becomes the main sensation.
Six years later, BMW finally decides on its future destiny: motorcycles, cars and aircraft engines. Two years since the company releases its own Dixi. This is a completely restyled model, brought by Popp himself to the full satisfaction of German taste.
In the same twenty-ninth BMW Dixi wins the International Alpine Race. Max Buchner, Albert Kandt and Wilhelm Wagner raced to victory at an average speed of 42 km/h. So fast and so long at such a speed then no car could go.
In 1930, BMW produces another hit of the season. Popp and his comrades suddenly decide to go back as much as thirty-four years ago and call the new car Wartburg.
The shadow of the motorized sidecar of the last century has regained real shape, embodied in the DA-3. When lowered windshield Wartburg accelerated to almost 100 km / h. It became the first BMW car to grab a compliment from Motor und Sport magazine. Quote: “Only a very good driver can own a Wartburg. A bad driver is not worthy of this car.” The name of the author is still unknown, but what he said discourages all the desire for self-criticism.
In 1932 Dixi became history. Austin's production license has expired. About five years ago, Popp, probably, well, if he hadn't been upset, he would have started looking for ways to escape ... or a way out.
But at that time, BMW only thought about the future. And the future is the Berlin Motor Show. Here, the BMW 303 won applause - the very first "three-ruble note". She had the smallest ever made under the hood. six-cylinder engine volume of 1173 cubic meters. see Manufacturers guaranteed a speed of 100 km/h. But only if the client can find the right street.
Whether the first test drive of the 303 took place, alas, is unknown. And one more thing, no less important than speed. "Three hundred and third" for a long sixty-nine years determined the appearance of BMW - a bewitching smoothness of lines, not yet predatory, but already with a hint of appearance and nostrils with a white and blue propeller.
Then there was the 326 Cabriolet. She became a hit in the thirty-sixth year and adequately completed the parade of the first threes. Between 1936 and 1941, the BMW 326 won almost sixteen thousand hearts. And this is the best indicator of the company in its entire history.
In the mid-thirties, BMW finally explains to both competitors and its customers: if the name of the company contains the word “motor”, then this is - best engine to date. The final doubts, and they certainly were, are dispelled by Ernst Henne (Ernst Henne) in 1936.
In the Nürburgring race among 2-litre cars, the small white BMW 328 roadster comes first, leaving behind the big cars with compressor engines. The average lap speed is 101.5 km/h. Well, they don't like turbocharged engines in Munich. Rather, they love, but not very actively.
A year and a half later, the same Ernst Henne, only now on a five hundred cc motorcycle, sets a new world record. He accelerates the two-wheeled monster to 279.5 km / h. All questions are removed for at least fourteen years.
Prior to World War II, BMW tried to participate in the limousine race. Finally, it was simply impossible to refuse to compete with the Opel Admiral or Ford V-8, Maybach SV 38. Moreover, in a small, but such an attractive niche, there were still empty seats.
And on December 17, 1939, BMW presented the new 335 in Berlin in two versions - a convertible and a coupe. Both experts and the public, having appreciated what was created, blessed the limousine for a long life.
Alas, 335 lasted less than a year. The war forced BMW to switch mainly to the production of aircraft engines. Moreover, the German authorities have banned the sale of cars to private individuals. However, at the very beginning of World War II, the Munich people still managed to put an end to the dispute for the best engine and the car equipped with it.
In April 1940, the BMW-328 roadster, driven in turn by Baron Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Walter B?umer, won the thousand-mile Mille Miglia. Their 166.7 km / h still allowed the competitors to finish the race. And very comfortable. That's just a little later than the official finish.
In any case, it was on the eve of the Second World War that it was formed, and operates to this day, BMW principle: always fresh, aggressively sporty and forever young. Cars for people who, at first glance, may look relaxed, but, in fact, have achieved a lot in this life. That's why they are relaxed.
"One people, one Reich, one Fuhrer... one chassis!" - this powerful propaganda campaign of the Third Reich was addressed to the automobile factories of Germany. We do not want, and we have no right to condemn those who worked for the war from the other side. Accusations are good and timely if they are made on the eve of events.
Be that as it may, the rear service of the German General Staff demanded an ordinary military vehicle from the automotive industry three types. The development of the lightest version was entrusted to Stuever, Hanomag and BMW. Moreover, all three plants were strictly forbidden to somehow indicate that the car belonged to a particular company.
BMW began to create its participant in the movement on military roads later than everyone else, in April 1937. And by the summer of the fortieth, the Bavarian Motor Works provided the army with more than three thousand light vehicles. All of it went under the name BMW 325 Lichter Einheits-Pkw, but without its already famous nostrils and blue and white propeller.
No matter how cynical it sounds, the products of the Munich factories were the most popular in the army. Even despite the fact that the "beamers" produced for the war did not have the necessary combat qualities. Under the crazy idea of \u200b\u200b"blitzkrieg" the 325s were absolutely not suitable. They had enough fuel for only two hundred and forty kilometers.
And yet, for current BMW fans, the following must be said: all BMWs imprisoned for the war were removed from service long before the winter of 1942.
The defeat of Germany in the war almost equally meant the destruction of BMW. The enterprises in Milbertshofen were turned into ruins by the allies of the USSR, and the factories in Eisenach fell under the control of the Soviet army. And then according to the plan: the equipment - what survived - was taken to Russia. Repatriation. The winners decided how to dispose of the catch. But they tried to restore the remaining equipment in order to establish the production of cars. In general, it succeeded. However, assembled BMWs were sent straight from the assembly line to Moscow. Therefore, the surviving shareholders of the Bavarian Motor Works concentrated all their efforts, financial and human, around two relatively suitable enterprises in Munich.
Yet the first official post-war BMW product was a motorcycle. In March 1948, the 250 cc R-24 was presented to the public at the Geneva Exhibition. By the end of the following year, almost ten thousand of these motorcycles had been sold.
Then it was time for the R-51, a little later - the R-67, and then the hour of the six hundred cc sports R-68 with a maximum speed of 160 km / h struck. "68th" became the fastest car of its time. By 1954, almost thirty thousand people could boast of a BMW motorcycle.
However, such an insane popularity of two-wheeled monsters played a cruel joke with their creators. A motorcycle, no matter how fast it was, even with a proprietary propeller on the tank, remained the most affordable means of transportation for the poor. And by the mid-fifties, people with money were already dreaming aloud of a sedan worthy of their position.
The first attempt by BMW to meet those who wished turned into a financial collapse. Although at the premiere in Frankfurt, the BMW 501 was greeted with enthusiasm. Even Pinin Farina, rejected with his body project for the 501st, appreciated the work done by the Bavarians design bureau. It would seem that this is what you need. However, the production of the BMW 501 turned out to be the most expensive.
Only one front wing required three or even four technical operations. And all this, oddly enough, was done in order to compete with the "220th" Mercedes.
The fifties were generally not the most successful for BMW. Debts skyrocketed, and sales plummeted as well. Neither 507 nor 503 justified themselves. These cars, in principle, were intended for the American market. However, they waited for an answer from across the ocean in Munich.
Neither new developments nor seemingly competent advertising campaigns helped. As, for example, with the BMW 502 Cabriolet. In order to push this car to the market, marketers decided on outright flattery against women.
severe the male world 502 was not intended. The brochures began with the words: “Good afternoon, madam! Only twenty-two thousand marks, and not a single man can pass by you without turning around. You will catch their loving glances by casually resting your hand on the ivory steering wheel.”
In 502, everything was made for delicate female hands. Even the soft folding top. It was easy to fold or unfold. This fact was especially emphasized in BMW. And, of course, the woman who bought the 502 did not care that she had a 2.6-liter engine with a hundred horsepower under the hood. Most importantly, the Becker Grand-Prix cassette player quietly plays the beloved Glenn Miller from his In the Mood. For two years, BMW tried to torture its chic brainchild. But no new orders have been received.
In 1954, the Munichers went to the other extreme - to the smallest. The BMW Isetta 250 appeared on the roads of Germany, or, as the manufacturers called it, a motorcycle coupe. In the people this something has received the name "egg on wheels". Under the so-called hood was an engine from an R-25 motorcycle. All this pulled exactly twelve "horses". Most likely "pony".
Two years later, BMW, impressed by the unexpected popularity of the three-wheeled little car, laid another "egg" - Isetta 300. Well, this was almost a car. And the 298 cc engine. cm - this is not two hundred and forty-five for you. Another one came to the twelve "horses". New.
Whatever it was, but Izett sold almost one hundred and thirty-seven thousand. They were especially loved in England. The local laws allowed the owners of the "egg" to drive it, having only the rights to a motorcycle. After all, there is only one wheel in the back.
In the winter of 1959, a financial crisis broke out in Germany. Those fifteen million marks that the Bremen king of the timber industry Herman Krags poured into the company two years ago have become just pleasant memories.
The Board of Directors of BMW, I want to believe, with a sharp pain in the heart decides to merge with Mercedes. However, small shareholders and, oddly enough, official dealers of the company spoke out quite harshly against this. They were able to get BMW's main shareholder Herbert Quandt to buy out most of it. The rest received compensation, but the company was still saved.
The new board of directors makes a decision that the company followed for the next few decades - "We produce medium-class cars and aircraft engines."
Three years later, also in winter, but now it was more pleasant than ever, the BMW 1500 rolled off the assembly line. This car became a new class among four-wheelers and, most importantly, turned the Germans away from american cars middle class.
1500 with a "herd" of eighty "horses" accelerated to 150 km / h. The newcomer scored a hundred in 16.8 seconds. And that automatically made it a sports car. The demand for it was phenomenal. The factory assembled fifty cars a day. Just a year later, almost 24,000 BMW 1500s were rushing along the autobahns.
The younger, but more powerful "brother", was born in 1968. By Christmas, the BMW 2500 found its first owners. There were more than two and a half thousand of them. After nine years of production, 95,000 cars have dispersed to all corners of Germany. One hundred and fifty "horses", if there were only two passengers in the car, accelerated the BMW 2500 to 190 km / h. In the same year, a slightly redesigned 2500 won the Spa 24 Hours.
In 1972, after much deliberation, BMW returned to the "five". And from now on, all cars produced by the Bavarians had serial number depending on the class. BMW 520 1972 release was the first post-war "five".
But here's what was weird. The new Bavarian middleweight was powered not by a six, but by a four-cylinder engine. It took five years for all the other "fives" to receive a six-cylinder implant. Naturally, 115 horses were not enough for a weight of 1275 kg. However, she took the 520 to others: both a manual and an automatic were offered to customers. Dashboard illuminated with a dim orange light. Moreover, the car was equipped with seat belts. So a year later, 45,000 people honestly buckled up every morning before living thirteen fast seconds to a hundred.
All in the same 1972, BMW creates a paradise for engineers and mechanics who are in love with motorsport. BMW Motorsport begins its triumphal procession. And again we repeat the banal: "If only..." So, if at that moment Lamborghini had not caved in under the financial crisis, BMW would have used the services of Italians. But the Bavarians reacted instantly.
And in 1978, at the Paris Motor Show, the “M1 project” or E26 was presented to the world for internal use. Designed the first "emku" Giorgio Giugiaro (Giorgio Guigiaro). Therefore, there is a bad feeling that it is kind of like a Ferrari, but something is missing. Let it be. But 277 “horses” were removed from three and a half liters (455 is a racing version), and the car accelerated to a hundred in six seconds.
And then Bernie Ecclstone (Berni Ecclstone) and BMW Motosport chief Jochen Neerpach (Jochen Neerpach) agreed to hold on the M1, on Saturdays, before the start of the European Grand Prix, Procar test runs. They were attended by those who took the first five places on the starting grid.
While the athletes enjoyed the M1, BMW did not forget about ordinary buyers. Launched in 1975, the first new "three-ruble note" with engines of 1.6 and 2 liters came to the Germans to taste. And now, three years later, Munich releases the BMW 323i, which has become the leader of its class and its time.
The injection six-cylinder engine allowed the car to reach a maximum speed of 196 km / h. The first hundred 323 caught up in nine seconds. However, among the competitors-classmates, the “three” turned out to be the most “gluttonous”: 14 liters per hundred kilometers. And after 420 kilometers, 323 sadly stopped, but Mercedes and Alfa Romeo ... And still, from 1975 to 1983, the BMW 316, 320 and 323 gave pleasure to almost 1.5 million people with their behavior.
In 1977, it was time for the seventh BMW series. They were equipped with four types of engines with a capacity of 170 to 218 "horses". For two years, the "seven" regularly found their customers. And then in 1979, Mercedes-Benz introduced its new S-Class.
From Munich they answered immediately. The volume is 2.8 liters. And the "herd" of 184 thoroughbred "horses", tightened under the blue and white propeller, predatory flared nostrils. The new 728 instantly drew buyers from the Stuttgart region of Germany. In principle, there was something to peck at. A one and a half ton car was traveling at a speed of 200 km/h. And all this pleasure cost a little cheaper than a Mercedes.
“There is no need to look for some unusual car for yourself. Just decide what you need in this life. The advertising appeal was addressed to those who saw the BMW 635 CSi for the first time. The E24 body quickly broke into the automotive world in 1982. After the fans of the "sixth" series have already managed to enjoy 628 and 630.
BMW realized that people who buy a sports coupe do it in order to engage in automotive discrimination on the roads. 635 stuffed with the latest technical advances. For example, electronics that allowed using a manual box to lower the engine speed to 1000 rpm. And a year later, the wizards from BMW Motosport worked on the 635, bringing the engine power to 286 “horses”. The “gas to the floor” mode drove the M6 into a frenzy, and after thirty seconds the “emka” went to the point of 200 km / h. Ten seconds faster than the "500th" Mercedes. But that was not all.
In 1983, the first F1 championship for turbocharged cars was held. And who would doubt that the first champion will be Renault, the first to master this technology for the first Formula.
In South Africa, in the town of Kyalami, Alain Prost (Alain Prost) has already seen himself doused with champagne. However, the Branham BMW car, driven by the Brazilian Nelson Piquet, covered the Renault diamond with a white and blue propeller and nine letters: BMW M Power.
At peak power, the M 12/13 engine produced 1280 "horses" at 11,000 rpm. BMW, for the first time in the history of the competition of engines, became the very first F1 world champions among turbocharged cars. And what is most offensive for the French, no one was surprised by this victory.
And this race in 1990 Mercedes started. The Stuttgarters launched their 190 with a sixteen-valve 2.5-liter engine into the series. Munich did not hesitate to respond. Therefore, in defiance of 190, BMW Motorsport rolled out the M3 Sport Evolution. The same famous M3 in the back of the E30.
The emka who sat behind the wheel could choose the type of suspension himself, depending on road conditions. You choose sport, and the car bites into the track. Plus normal and comfort.
The Munich Evo catapulted to a hundred in 6.3 seconds, and after another twenty the “emka” rushed at a speed of 200. But what most of all bribed the true fans of speed, deprived of racing cars, was the red three-point seat belts. They say that a nasty buzzer annoyed a little when the emka picked up its maximum speed - 248 km / h.
Three years before the release of the M3 Evo, BMW returned to the idea of its own roadster. It was called Z1 and presented to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This toy cost 80,000 marks. But long before the start official sales dealers have already placed five thousand orders for Z. And the last letter of the Latin alphabet, with which the car was named, means in Germany a neatly curved wheel axle. The biggest disadvantage of the BMW roadster was the small trunk. The biggest plus is 170 "horses" and 225 km / h in addition.
In 1989, BMW finally entered the territory of luxury cars occupied by Mercedes. The 8th series rolled off the assembly line. Under the hood of the 850i was a twelve-cylinder engine with a capacity of 300 “horses” borrowed from the 750 (in 1992, its return was increased to 380).
However, the six-speed manual proved to be less popular than the automatic. "850th", unlike other high-speed models, did not begin to supply an electronic speed limiter at 250 km / h. This was the maximum speed.
By this time, almost a year has passed since the most famous “five”, which still in spite of everything inspires respect for the E34, traveled across various continents, including Russia. But, knowing the insidiousness of BMW, they expected something from the “Wow!” series. And they waited.
First, in April 1989, the three hundred and fifteen strong M5 appeared. But in 1992 they finally waited. The M5 E34 appeared, "charged" with 380 horsepower. Up to a hundred "emochka" fired in six and a half seconds. How much she squeezed the maximum, so no one ever knew. Almost immediately, another "emka" came out, performed by touring.
And American journalists called this car the "Car of the Century." And in order not to disappoint his fans, he has undergone the most "insignificant" changes. His 286 horsepower engine, which he received in 1992, was overclocked to 321 in 1995.
All this consumed only 12 liters of gasoline per hundred kilometers, while accelerating to hundreds in five and a half seconds. But the M3 in the back of the E36 for some reason was not considered a sports car.
In 1996, it was time to update the "sevens". The technically perfect BMW 740i in the back of the E38 replaced the “brother” from the E32. Everything has changed. Appearance. attitude towards the owner. No, you can’t call the new “seven” a friendly face. But it's for strangers.
Elastic, with a volume of 4.4 liters, eight-cylinder engine spun to the maximum already at 3900 rpm and allowed to go to the point in six and a half seconds. That's just the trick "sat down, but went" with the "740th" did not work. The instruction manual for the "seven" differed from the instructions for behavior in the space shuttle quite a bit. The BMW book was thinner.
There were two boxes to choose from. Moreover, a sixth, lowering, was added to the manual version. It choked the engine, reducing its thrust by seventeen percent. As a result, the consumption is only 12.5 liters per hundred kilometers. Experts in the assessment of 740 were unanimous: the dots on the "i" are dotted.
In the same year, they waited for their update and the "five". E39 burst into the automotive world. Seven engine options for every taste. And for the unhurried, and for those who are faster, but for the most unstoppable, BMW rolled out the 540th. Eight-cylinder, with a volume of 4.4 liters, the engine made it possible to accelerate the “thirty-ninth” to only 250 km / h. Bosch intervened again with its electronic limiter. Everything in this car was done to ensure that the pilot at any speed feels safe and comfortable at the same time.
In general, the end of the nineties was incredibly productive for BMW. New "fives", "sevens", the undeniable success of the Z3, all this did not make it possible even for a short break.
The new brainchild of BMW Motorsport - M Roadster - was released in 1997. There was simply a need to improve everything that was invested in the Z3. Here's an M, besides a roadster. Try to tame 321 "horses"! And keep in mind, the “emka” is lighter than the Z by one hundred and twenty kilograms and, therefore, it accelerates to a hundred in 5.4 seconds.
“Mistakes are rungs on the ladder to success,” summed up Chris Bangle after the new generation of threes was released. On them BMW development spent more than two and a half million man-hours. 2400 different parts have been completely redone. The new “three-ruble note” endured all this and in 1998 appeared before the public in all its glory.
The most powerful modification - 328 - gained one hundred kilometers in less than seven seconds. “Phenomenal power and incredible traction” is all about her.
In 1997, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, people stomped around the BMW stand in obvious bewilderment. Z3 Coupe causes an unpredictable reaction.
“You either accept it or forgive it,” Bangle replied. And really, how do you feel about a car that looks like a roadster from the front? And in the back like a new "three-ruble-touring"?
Z3 Coupe was equipped with only two types of engines: 2.8 liters, 192 horsepower and 321-horsepower M-engine. They say that from the second glance at the "Munich runner" they fell in love with him forever.
"A wolf in sheep's clothing" - this is how the first M5 in the 39th body was described. In general, they are right. Moreover, the first photographs of the "emka" were taken in a blue haze. You look at it: well, yes, four pipes. Well, the mirrors are different. But the foglights are very oval. But this is when you don’t know what the letter M with a five on the right is.
M5 is 400 “horses” that accelerate a four-door sedan to hundreds in just five point and three tenths of a second. Only a plane or a sportbike is faster, at worst. One problem - M5 have their regular customers since 1985, and only a thousand people a year can afford to "tame the Munich wolf."
Inspired by the success of the Z3, in 1999 the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA fired again. And although the X5 is made in America, it is a completely German car. The second attempt to conquer the New World market was a success. Moreover, the breakthrough of Munich into the niche of the so-called parquet SUVs was so swift that only a few months after the premiere, competitors realized that the X5 was presented in the heart of the American auto industry - in Detroit. Confusion and whispers passed through the rows: “BMW made a jeep!”
The then market leader, Mercedes ML, braced for the worst. And it was from what. "Bavarian" was a success. Anti-slip system, dynamic stability control sensors and other BAM high-tech developments recent years did not disappoint fans of speed and comfort. In addition, the X5 showed its best side and off-road. Plus ten airbags. In general, there is nothing to worry about.
The X5 was equipped not only with the well-known eight-cylinder engine. Both a six-cylinder and a diesel engine with direct fuel injection were offered to choose from.
Finally a quote from German magazine AutoMotor und Sport: "This car does one lap around the Nürburgring in less than nine minutes." Faster only Z7. In 2000, the Z7 made one revolution around the eminent track a minute faster.
In 2002 concern BMW Group achieved a record number of sales - 1,057,000 vehicles, and also became the winner of the "Car of the Year in Russia" contest. In 2003, the most luxurious model of the BMW 7 Series, the BMW 760i and 760Li, was introduced, and the new BMW 5 Series Sedan appeared.
BMW is one of the few automotive firms that doesn't use robots in its factories. All assembly on the conveyor goes only manually. Output - only computer diagnostics basic parameters of the car.
The concern is the founder of the international award in the field of avant-garde music Musica Viva, supports the holding of theater festivals and innovative exhibitions. The desire for a creative combination of art and technology is most vividly embodied in the unique collection of BMW art cars.
The BMW empire, which has been on the verge of collapse three times in its history, has risen and succeeded each time. For everyone in the world, the BMW concern is synonymous with high standards in the field of automotive comfort, safety, technology and quality.
Many manufacturers offer compact hatchbacks as their most inexpensive models. BMW, of course, knew about the passion of the inhabitants of small European cities for compact hatchbacks. Of those more or less suitable in terms of these parameters, the company could only offer a third-series coupe, which with a creak fit into the middle class, not to mention some kind of accessibility of the car. The basic version of the projected first series was supposed to be half the price of the third series coupe, but at the same time remain a fast luxury car.
And so it happened: in 2004, the BMW 116i with a 1.6-liter engine and 115 horsepower, respectively, started in Germany with a mark of 20 thousand euros. Modest, but not cheap. The cost of the three-liter 130i, burning with heat 265 "horses" was approaching the price of the 5 series, not to mention the extreme tuning options with heavy-duty engines. Some studios even offer versions with 8-cylinder engines. Success in the release of the first compact hatchback was definitely on the side of BMW.
The increased demand for luxury sports cars has pushed the Bavarian concern to revive the legendary sixth series. The uproar over what exactly BMW's next historic model would be was quickly silenced as 3.0 and 4.5-liter engines roared inside the coupé's impressive size. For those who did not understand, they showed a five-liter V10, fraught with 507 horsepower. It was already M6.
BMW - how much is contained in these three letters. There is not a single person in the world who does not know that this is one of the best German car companies. Cars of this brand excite the minds of teenagers, adult men and even women. It all started back in 1913, when two young people created two firms for the production of engines for aircraft. Soon they will merge into one enterprise, which is proudly called the "Bavarian Motor Works". Since that time, BMW cars are called Bavarian, and some official dealers receive the prefix "Bavaria" in the title. The official year of foundation of the company is 1917. In five years, the company will be almost 100 years old. A whole century of unique and diverse cars, various innovations and a mass of fans around the world. Here is the main thing BMW achievement. After the end of the First World War, the company is on the verge of bankruptcy and decides to focus on the production of motorcycles and engines for them. It should be noted that so far BMW produces the most modern two-wheeled vehicles that are sold in countries such as North Ossetia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Europe (European Union (EU)), Bulgaria, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy , Poland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, Israel, India, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Iran, China, Japan, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya.
The German company develops a variety of motorcycle engines and motorcycles themselves, while thinking about the production of cars. In 1928, BMW buys a license to manufacture its first car. He gets the name Dixi. The novelty immediately begins to conquer Europe, and the Bavarians are slowly increasing their popularity around the world. In those years, BMW distinguished the sporty character of their creations. As you can see, these features can be traced in the company's cars so far.
In the 30s of the last century, the first BMW 328 was produced, which will become one of the most successful in history. The main difference between "treshki" in its aggressive nature. The 3-series car wins a number of awards and honorary titles, which only underlines the correctness of the chosen BMW line.
After the Second World War and the collapse of Germany, the company begins to experience not the most rosy times. BMW again decides to focus on the production of aircraft engines. However, the Germans are still thirsty for innovation and create a mixture of motorcycle and car. The three-wheeled “miracle” (and there is no other way to call it) is gaining success in the homeland, but just a few months later, people begin to be interested in other cars and BMW is approaching the verge of bankruptcy. The question arises about the sale of the company, and the main competitor of Mercedes is even trying to buy out the Bavarian company. BMW carry out a capital restructuring and begins to continue its production. In fact, this is the beginning of the formation of a company that has won the hearts of motorists around the world. It should be noted that today this allows Bavarians to successfully sell their cars for such world currencies as the Russian ruble, US dollar, Australian dollar, Belarusian ruble, British pound, Kazakhstani tenge, Canadian dollar, Chinese yuan, Ukrainian hryvnia, New Zealand dollar, Swiss franc.
Naturally, many banks in the world are happy to cooperate with the reputable German brand. Among them we can highlight the banks of Belarus, Banks of Russia (VTB Bank, Sberbank, Alfa Bank), Banks of Europe, Banks of Ukraine, Banks of the USA, Banks of Switzerland.
The German concern is gradually opening new factories around the world, producing the first car with turbocharged, and also creates an anti-lock braking system known as ABS. All of the above achievements by leaps and bounds bring BMW closer to the world automotive leaders. In the 70s of the last century, the still popular models of the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 6th series were created, without which it is impossible to imagine the German brand today.
Meanwhile, other automakers do not stand still: VAZ, UAZ, Renault, Audi, Toyota, Kia, BMW, Nissan, Ford, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, Mercedes.
BMW cars are increasingly mentioned in various media in Russia and the CIS, foreign media, among which are: The Guardian, The Financial Times, The New York Times, Forbes.
The company does not forget about the production of motorcycles, which are also gradually gaining their popularity, as well as Yachts, Cars, Phones, Dogs, Diamonds, online games, real estate.
In 1994, BMW buys the British industrial group Rover, which owns the Rover brands, Land Rover and MG. This acquisition allows the company to increase its share of the SUV and compact car market. Four years later, the Germans get the British premium brand Rolls Royce.
The number of cars produced is constantly growing. To date, BMW is a very prestigious brand, so on cars German company employees of embassies, consulates, travel and insurance companies often move. In addition, cars attract the attention of such personalities from the world of show business as Alla Pugacheva, Anastasia Volochkova, Ani Lorak, Kristina Orbakaite, Ksenia Sobchak, Philip Kirkorov, Nikolai Baskov.
BMW, Bayerisch Motoren Werke, (BMW, Bayerisch Motoren Werke AG), a German automotive company specializing in the production of passenger cars and sports cars, automobiles off-road and motorcycles. The headquarters is located in Munich.
In 1913, on the northern outskirts of Munich, Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto, the son of the inventor of the internal combustion engine, Nikolaus August Otto, set up two small aircraft engine companies. The outbreak of the First World War immediately brought numerous orders for aircraft engines. Rapp and Otto decide to merge into one aircraft engine plant. Thus, an aircraft engine factory was established in Munich, which in July 1917 was registered under the name Bayerische Motoren Werke ("Bavarian Motor Works") - BMW. This date is considered to be the year of foundation of BMW, and Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto its founders.
After the end of the First World War, the company was on the verge of collapse, because, under the Treaty of Versailles, the Germans were forbidden to produce engines for aircraft, namely, engines at that time were the only products of BMW. But the enterprising Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto find a way out of the situation - the plant is redesigned to produce first motorcycle engines and then the motorcycles themselves.
In 1923, the first R32 motorcycle leaves the BMW factory. At the 1923 motorcycle show in Paris, this first BMW motorcycle immediately gained a reputation for speed and reliability, which was confirmed by absolute speed records in international motorcycle races of the 20s and 30s.
At the same time, the Motor-4 engine is being developed, the final assembly of which is carried out in other European countries. In 1919, Franz Diemer on a plane with this engine, having risen to a height of 9760 meters, establishes the first world BMW record. Production gets an extra boost after a secret deal with Soviet Russia on the supply of the latest aircraft engines to it. Most of the Soviet record flights of the 1930s were made on aircraft equipped with BMW engines.
In 1928, the company acquires car factories in Eisenach (Thuringia), and with them a license for the production of a small car Dixi (it was a licensed English Austin 7). Its production begins in 1929. Dixi is the first BMW car. During economic difficulties the small car becomes the most popular car in Europe. By the beginning of World War II, BMW was one of the most dynamically developing companies in the world, producing sports-oriented equipment. She has several world records to her credit: Wolfgang von Gronau crosses the North Atlantic from east to west in an open seaplane Dornier Wal, equipped with a BMW engine, Ernst Henne on an R12 motorcycle equipped with a cardan drive, hydraulic shock absorbers and a telescopic fork (invented by BMW), sets a world speed record for motorcycles - 279.5 km / h, not surpassed by anyone for the next 14 years.
In 1933, the production of the 303 model, the first BMW car with a 6-cylinder engine, began. It is this model that first acquires a characteristic grille. popularly called "nostrils" BMW. These nostrils have become a typical design element of all BMW vehicles.
In 1936, BMW produced the famous "328" - one of the most successful sports cars. For that time, these were simply avant-garde technical innovations: a tubular frame, a six-cylinder engine with a light alloy head, a new system valve mechanism with rods. With the 328 model, BMW became so famous in the second half of the 30s. that all subsequent cars with the two-tone brand name were perceived by the public as a symbol High Quality, reliability and beauty. With its appearance, the BMW ideology was finally formed, which to this day determines the concept of new models: “The car is for the driver.” The main competitor, Mercedes-Benz, follows the principle: "The car is for passengers." Since then, each company has gone its own way, proving that its choice is the right one.
The winner of a great many competitions - circuit races, rallies, hill climbs - the BMW 328 was addressed to sports car connoisseurs and left all mass-produced sports cars far behind.
1938 - BMW acquires a license for Pratt-Whitney engines. Then model 132 is developed, which is installed on the famous Junkers Yu52. In the same year, the fastest pre-war motorcycle model was created, with a power of 60 hp. and a maximum speed of 210 km/h. In 1939, the German racer Georg Mayer becomes the European champion on this motorcycle. And for the first time, a foreigner on a foreign motorcycle wins the British Senior Tourist Trophy.
The outbreak of war leads to the suspension of the production of cars. Priority is once again given to aircraft engines.
In 1944, BMW was the first in the world to launch jet engine BMW 109-003. Rocket engines are also being tested. The end of World War II was a disaster for the concern. Four factories that ended up in the Eastern zone of occupation were destroyed and dismantled. The main plant in Munich was dismantled by the British. In connection with the production of aircraft engines and missiles during the war, the victors issue an order to ban production for three years.
And Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto, who have not changed their love for motors, decide to start all over again from scratch. A 1-cylinder R24 motorcycle is being developed, which was assembled in workshops almost handicraft. It becomes the first post-war BMW product. In 1951, the first post-war a car model "501". However, it does not bring financial success.
1955 saw the launch of the R 50 and R 51 models, inaugurating a new generation of fully sprung motorcycles. undercarriage, the small car "Isetta" comes out, a strange symbiosis of a motorcycle with a car. A three-wheeled vehicle with a forward-opening door was a huge success in impoverished post-war Germany. But because of the ensuing passion for large limousines and the resulting losses, the company is on the verge of collapse. This is the only time in the history of BMW when the economic situation and the cars thrown on the market were not in demand. There is a question about the sale of the company. Mercedes-Benz hastened to announce its purchase, but this was prevented by small shareholders, employees of the company, and its sales agents.
By restructuring the capital structure, BMW manages to continue its activities. The third time the firm starts all over again.
1956 - designer Albrecht Graf Hertz, who lives in New York, creates a sensational car - a handsome sportsman. "BMW even beat the Italians." - so wrote the newspapers in 1956, when this car was introduced. The BMW 507 was offered both as a roadster and with a hardtop. 3.2-liter eight-cylinder aluminum engine with 150 hp. accelerated the car to 220 km per hour. In total, 252 such cars were sold from 1956 to 1959. Today it is one of the rarest and most expensive collectible cars.
1959 - With the help of the new BMW 700 air-cooled model, the group managed to overcome the internal crisis and create the basis for the further success of the brand as a whole. Success was achieved not only in the field of sales. The coupe version made it possible for BMW to achieve sports victories.
In 1962 the concept of the 1500-lightweight model. compact. sports. four-door car - was accepted on the market with such enthusiasm. that the production capacity did not allow to meet the demand for these cars.
First introduced in 1966 two-door car 1600-2. It formed the basis for a successful series of turbocharged models from 1502 to 2002. The success of the "new class" contributed to the development of the entire model range. The BMW concern was able to afford to revive the tradition of the 30s and start producing six-cylinder models. In 1968, the premiere of the 2500 and 2800 models took place, which allowed BMW to enter the number of enterprises again. issuing big sedans. Thus. The 60s were the most successful years in the entire previous history of the enterprise.
In 1969 BMW moves motorcycle production to Berlin. The production of a new series of motorcycles - "opposites" begins. In 1976, a full-length fairing was installed on the R100 RS for the first time. In 1983, one of the most popular motorcycle models is produced - K100 with a 4-cylinder in-line engine with liquid cooling and fuel injection. In the year of the centenary of the motorcycle, in 1985, the plant in Berlin produces more than 37 thousand motorcycles. In 1989, the K 1 motorcycle is presented.
In the 1970s, the first cars of the famous BMW series appear - models of the 3rd series, 5th series, 6th series, 7th series. With the release of the 5 Series, the production of a fundamentally new generation of BMW models began. If earlier the concern mainly occupied the niche of sports cars, now it has taken its place in the segment of comfortable sedans. Coupe 3.0 CSL. which has won six European championships since 1973. allows BMW to achieve special success. This coupe contained many technical innovations. It was the first to feature a six-cylinder BMW engine with four valves per cylinder. and its braking system was equipped with ABS - a complete novelty for those times.
In 1977 a new breakthrough in the luxury class. With the advent of the 7th series ended fundamental update all BMW series.
Since 1986, the BMW M3 has been the most successful road racing car in the world. The compact two-door model was developed in parallel for both series production and motorsport. The result was simply triumphant for BMW. In 1987, the Italian Roberto Raviglia won first place in the world championship in road racing. And for the next five years, the BMW M3 dominated the sports scene.
In 1987 new roadster, which was originally conceived simply as an experimental model, continued the tradition BMW roadsters 30s and 50s. The BMW Z1 was built in 8,000 copies and became the bearer of cutting-edge technology. The aerodynamics of this car was also exemplary. In 1987, the BMW Group was one of the first in the world to use an electronic engine power control system.
In 1990, a new dream coupe: the BMW 850i. The heart of this elegant luxury coupe was a twelve-cylinder engine that could literally shoot the car forward at any speed. The completely new integral rear axle combines sporting qualities with supreme comfort in a completely unique way.
In the year of German reunification, the concern, having founded the company BMW Rolls Royce GmbH returns to its roots in the aircraft engine industry and in 1991 introduces the new BR-700 aircraft engine. In the early 1990s, sports compact cars the third generation of the 3 Series and the 8 Series Coupe.
A good step for the company was the purchase in 1994 for 2.3 billion dollars. DM industrial group Rover Group ("Rover Group"), and with it the UK's largest complex for the production of cars of the Rover, Land Rover and MG brands. With the purchase of this company, the list of BMW cars was replenished with the missing midget cars and SUVs.
Since 1995, all BMW vehicles have been fitted as standard with inflatable pillow security for the front passenger and an anti-theft engine blocking system. In March of the same year, the station wagon (touring) of the 3rd series is launched into production. The new car was distinguished not only by modern design, but also by the most advanced technology. For example, for the first time in the automotive industry, the undercarriage was almost entirely made of aluminum.
Also 1995 is the debut of the new BMW 5 Series. Main principle in its development - the creation of a harmonious concept. The new car featured not only a modern design, but also the most advanced technology: for the first time in the automotive industry, the chassis was almost entirely made of aluminum. The use of new materials has increased the degree of recycling of the car up to 85 percent. The exceptionally rigid body provides an unsurpassed level of passive safety.
In 1996, the BMW Z3 7 Series is equipped for the first time with diesel engine. A unique synthesis of dynamism and classic design is simply a delightful concept. Additional advertising for the car is created by the film "Golden Eye", in which super agent 007 James Bond drives around on the Z3. The BMW Z3 has become a bestseller. New factory in Spartanburg does not have time to fulfill all orders.
In 1997, a motorcycle that cannot leave anyone indifferent, the Model R 1200 C, represents a completely new interpretation of the road bike. Sensational design that combines traditional and futuristic elements. He got the biggest one ever made boxer engines bmw. Its working volume is 1170 cm3. and the developed power is 61 hp. In the same year, BMW presents another dream car. This is the M Roadster, which, like no other, is the true embodiment of a thoroughbred open sports car.
In 1997, BMW introduced a dream car that made connoisseurs' hearts jump. The M Roadster embodies the ideal of a purebred sports car like no other BMW has ever seen before. Its 321 hp M3 engine guarantees an exciting ride.
In the spring of 1998, the fifth generation of the successful 3 Series sedans debuted. Redesigned in many ways, the new 3 Series not only offers exceptional looks, but also the most advanced engines, the latest suspension technology and best-in-class safety standards.
The beginning of 1999 marked the debut of the BMW X5, which became the world's first Sports Activity Vehicle: a vehicle that uniquely combines elegance and practicality, thus opening up a new dimension of mobility.
And one more first place: The BMW Z8, the great sports car, celebrated its premiere in 1999 and delighted James Bond fans in The World Is Not Enough.
In 1999, BMW also surprised automotive enthusiasts at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the futuristic Z9 gran turismo concept.
Today, BMW, which began as a small aircraft engine plant, manufactures its products at five factories in Germany and twenty-two subsidiaries scattered around the world. This is one of the few automotive companies that does not use robots in factories. All assembly on the conveyor goes only manually. At the output - only computer diagnostics of the main parameters of the car.
BMW AG is a manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, engines and bicycles headquartered in Munich, Germany. The company owns the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands. It is one of the top three German manufacturers of premium cars, which are leaders in terms of sales worldwide.
In 1913, two small aircraft engine companies were founded in Munich by Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto. After the outbreak of the First World War, the need for their products increased dramatically, and the owners of the two companies decided to merge. So in 1917, a company called Bayerische MotorenWerke (“Bavarian Motor Works”) appeared.
After the end of the war, the production of aircraft engines in Germany was banned under the Treaty of Versailles. Then the owners of the company changed their profile to the production of motorcycle engines, and later motorcycles. However, despite the high quality of products, the company's business was not going well.
In the early 1920s, businessmen Gothaer and Shapiro bought BMW. In 1928 they acquire the car factory in Eisenach and with it the right to produce Dixi cars, which were converted British Austin 7s.
The subcompact Dixi was quite progressive for its time: it was equipped with a four-cylinder engine, an electric starter and brakes on all four wheels. The machine immediately became popular in Europe, with 15,000 Dixi produced in 1928 alone. In 1929, the model was renamed the BMW 3/15 DA-2.
BMW Dixi (1928-1931)
During the years of the Great Depression, the Bavarian automaker survived by producing a licensed small car. However, it soon became clear that a world-famous aircraft engine manufacturer could not be satisfied with the release of a British car. Then BMW engineers started working on their own car.
The first BMW model own design was 303. She immediately received strong start on the market thanks to a 1.2-liter six-cylinder engine with 30 hp. With a weight of only 820 kg, the car had excellent dynamic characteristics for that time. At the same time, the first outlines of the design of the characteristic radiator grille of the brand in the form of elongated ovals appeared.
The platform of this car was then used to produce models 309, 315, 319 and 329.
BMW 303 (1933-1934)
In 1936, the impressive sports car BMW 328 appears. Among the innovative engineering developments in this model were an aluminum chassis, a tubular frame and a hemispherical engine combustion chamber, which ensured more durable and productive pistons and valves.
This car is considered the first in today's popular CSL line. In 1999, he entered the top 25 finalists of the international competition "Car of the Century". 132 automotive journalists from all over the world voted.
The BMW 328 has won many sporting competitions, including the Mille Miglia (1928), RAC Rally (1939), Le Mans 24 (1939).
BMW 328 (1936-1940)
In 1937, the BMW 327 appears, notable for the fact that it was produced intermittently until 1955, including in the zone of Soviet occupation. It was presented in coupe and convertible bodies. Initially, a 55-horsepower engine was installed on cars, later an 80-horsepower power unit was optionally offered.
The model received a shortened frame from the BMW 326. The brakes were equipped with hydraulic drive on all wheels. metal surfaces bodies were mounted on a wooden frame. Convertible doors opened forward, coupe - back. To achieve the desired angle of inclination, the front and rear glass made from two parts.
Behind the front axle was a six-cylinder in-line engine from a 328 model with two Solex carburetors and a double chain drive from a BMW 326. The car accelerated to 125 km / h. Its price ranged from 7,450 to 8,100 marks.
BMW 327 (1937-1955)
During the Second World War, the company did not produce cars, but focused on the production of aircraft engines. In the post-war years, most of the enterprises were destroyed, some fell into the zone of occupation of the USSR, where cars continued to be produced from existing components.
The remaining factories, according to the plan of the Americans, were subject to demolition. However, the company began producing bicycles, household goods and light motorcycles, which helped maintain production capacity.
The first post-war car begins to be produced in autumn 1952. Work on its design began before the war. It was a model 501 with a 2-liter in-line six-cylinder engine with 65 hp. The maximum speed of the car was 135 km / h. According to this indicator, the car was inferior to its rivals from Mercedes-Benz.
Yet he gave automotive world some innovations, including curved glass, as well as lightweight parts made of light alloys. The model did not bring the company a good profit at home and was sold poorly abroad. The company was slowly approaching the financial abyss.
BMW 501 (1952-1958)
The Bavarian automaker decided to focus on the production of mass cars. The first of these was the Isetta model with an interesting appearance. It was an especially small class car with a door that opened in front of the body. It was a very cheap car, ideal for fast travel over short distances. In some countries, it could only be driven with a motorcycle license.
The car was equipped with a single-cylinder engine with a volume of 0.3 liters and a power of 13 hp. The power plant allowed her to accelerate to 80 km / h. For those who like to travel, a small trailer for one and a half berths was offered. In addition, there was a cargo version of the model with a small trunk, which was used by the police. Until the early 1960s, about 160,000 units of the car were produced. It was he who helped the company survive during a period of financial difficulties.
BMW Isetta (1955-1962)
In 1955, the BMW 503 debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The rejection of the central pillar made the car body especially stylish, a 140-horsepower V8 was located under the hood, and a top speed of 190 km / h finally made you fall in love with it. True, the price of DM 29,500 made the model inaccessible to the mass buyer: only 412 units of the BMW 503 were produced in total.
A year later, the stunning 507 Roadster appears, designed by Count Albrecht Hertz. The car was equipped with a 3.2-liter V8 engine, which developed 150 hp. The model accelerated to 220 km / h. She is also known for the fact that out of 252 copies produced, one was bought by Elvis Presley, who served in Germany.
BMW 507 (1956-1959)
By 1959, BMW was again on the verge of bankruptcy. luxury sedans did not bring sufficient cash injections, like motorcycles. Buyers recovering from the war no longer wanted to hear about Isetta, and the financial situation was so deplorable that on December 9, at a shareholders' meeting, the question arose of selling the company to competitor Daimler-Benz. The last hope was the release of the BMW 700 with the body of the Italian company Michelotti. It was equipped with a small two-cylinder engine of 700 cc. cm and a power of 30 hp. Such a motor accelerated a small car up to 125 km / h. BMW 700 was accepted by the public with a bang. For the entire time of manufacture, 188,221 copies of the model were sold.
Already in 1961, the company was able to use the proceeds from the sale of "700" to develop a new model - BMW New Class 1500. However, the most important thing was that the car made it possible to avoid an unfriendly merger with a competitor and helped BMW to stay afloat.
BMW 700 (1959-1965)
At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1961, a novelty was shown, which finally secured its future for the brand. high status in the auto world. It was the Model 1500. In design, it was characterized by the recognizable "Hofmeister kink" on rear rack roof, aggressive front and characteristic "nostrils" of the grille.
The BMW 1500 was equipped with a 1.5-liter engine with a capacity of 75 to 80 hp. From the start to 100 km / h, the car accelerated in 16.8 seconds, and its maximum speed was 150 km / h. The demand for the model was so overwhelming that the Bavarian automaker opened new factories to meet it.
BMW 1500 (1962-1964)
In the same 1962, the BMW 3200 CS was released, the body of which was developed by Bertone. Since then, almost all BMW two-doors have had the letter C in their name.
Three years later, a coupe with automatic transmission appears for the first time. It was a BMW 2000 CS, and in 1968 the 2800 CS breaks the 200 km/h mark. Equipped with a 170-horsepower in-line “six”, the car managed to accelerate to 206 km / h.
In the 70s, 3-series, 5-series, 6-series, 7-series cars appear. With the release of the 5-series, the brand stopped focusing only on the niche of sports cars and began to develop the direction of comfortable sedans.
In 1972, the legendary BMW 3.0 CSL appears, which can be considered the first project of the M division. Initially, the car was produced with a six-cylinder in-line engine with two carburetors with a capacity of 180 hp. and a volume of 3 liters. With a car weighing 1,165 kg, it accelerated to “hundreds” in 7.4 seconds. The weight of the model was reduced through the use of aluminum in the manufacture of doors, hood, hood and trunk lid.
In August 1972, a version of the model with the Bosch D-Jetronic electronic injection system appears. Power increased to 200 hp, the acceleration time to 100 km/h was reduced to 6.9 seconds, and the top speed was 220 km/h.
In August 1973, the engine volume was increased to 3,153 cubic meters. cm, power was 206 hp. Special racing models were equipped with engines of 3.2 and 3.5 liters and a power of 340 and 430 hp, respectively. In addition, they received special aerodynamic packages.
The Batmobile, as it was called, won six European Touring Championships. He also distinguished himself by the fact that he was the first among the models of the brand to receive a 24-valve engine, which was later installed on the M1 and M5. With its help, ABS was tested, which then went into the 7-series.
BMW 3.0 CSL (1971-1975)
In 1974, the world's first turbocharged mass-produced car, the 2002 Turbo, was released. Its 2-liter engine developed 170 hp. This allowed the car to accelerate to 100 km / h in 7 seconds and reach a “maximum speed” of 210 km / h.
In 1978, a mid-engined road sports car, unique in history, appears. It was developed for homologation: in order to race in groups 4 and 5, it was necessary to make 400 serial cars models. Of the 455 M1s produced from 1978 to 1981, only 56 were racing, and the rest were road copies.
The car was designed by Giugiaro of ItalDesign, while the chassis work was outsourced to Lamborghini.
3.5-liter inline-six engine with 277 hp located behind the driver's seat and transmitted torque to the rear wheels through a five-speed transmission. The car accelerated to “hundreds” in 5.6 seconds, and the maximum speed was 261 km / h.
BMW M1 (1978-1981)
In 1986, the BMW 750i comes out, which for the first time received a V12 engine. With a volume of 5 liters, he developed 296 hp. This car was the first, the speed of which was artificially limited at around 250 km / h. Later, other major automakers began to implement this practice.
In the same year, the fantastic Z1 roadster appears, which was originally developed as an experimental model as part of a brainstorming session. Unlimited engineers "painted" a car with excellent aerodynamics, thanks to the special design of the bottom, plastic body on tubular frame and futuristic looks. Doors did not open in any of the usual ways, but were drawn into thresholds.
In its manufacture, the automaker has worked out the technology of using xenon lamps, as well as an integrated frame, door mechanism and pallet. In total, 8,000 cars of the model were assembled, with 5,000 on pre-order.
BMW Z1 (1986-1991)
In 1999, the first BMW SUV- model X5. Its sporty nature caused quite a buzz at the Detroit Auto Show. The car was characterized by an impressive ground clearance, traction control And all-wheel drive off-road, as well as enough power to compete on equal terms with the brand's passenger models on asphalt.
BMW X5 (1999)
In 2000-2003, the BMW Z8 is produced, a two-seater sports car, which many collectors of the brand call one of the most beautiful cars throughout history.
When creating the design, the designers sought to show the 507 model, which would be produced at the beginning of the 21st century. She received an aluminum body on a space frame, a 5-liter engine with 400 hp. and a six-speed Getrag manual transmission.
The model was used as a Bond car in the film The World Is Not Enough.
BMW Z8 (2000-2003)
In 2011, BMW AG founded the new division BMW i, which specializes in hybrid and electric vehicles.
The division's first models were the i3 hatchback and the i8 coupe. They debuted in 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The BMW i3 was launched in 2013. It is equipped with an electric motor with a capacity of 168 hp. and rear wheel drive system. The maximum speed of the car is 150 km/h. The average fuel consumption of the i3 RangeExtender is 0.6 l/100 km. The hybrid version of the car received a 650 cc internal combustion engine that recharges the electric motor.
BMW i3 (2013)
Official sales of brand cars in Russia began in 1993, when the first BMW dealer appeared in Moscow. Now the company boasts the most developed network of dealers among luxury automakers in our country. Since 1997, the assembly of cars of the brand has been established at the Kaliningrad enterprise Avtotor.
BMW AG is today one of the leading manufacturers of premium cars. Its factories are located in Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, South Africa, India, Egypt, the USA and Russia. In China, BMW cooperates with Huacheng Auto Holding and produces cars under the Brilliance brand.
In 1913, on the northern outskirts of Munich, Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto, the son of the inventor of the internal combustion engine, Nikolaus August Otto, set up two small aircraft engine companies. The outbreak of the First World War immediately brought numerous orders for aircraft engines. Rapp and Otto decide to merge into one aircraft engine plant. Thus, an aircraft engine factory was established in Munich, which in July 1917 was registered under the name Bayerische Motoren Werke ("Bavarian Motor Works") - BMW. This date is considered to be the year of foundation of BMW, and Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto its founders.
| 1917: Rapp Motor Company is renamed BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke |
Although the exact date of appearance and the moment the company was founded is still the subject of controversy between automotive historians. And all because officially industrial BMW company was registered on July 20, 1917, but long before that, in the same city of Munich, there were many firms and associations that were also involved in the development and production of aircraft engines. Therefore, in order to finally see the "roots" of BMW, it is necessary to travel back to the last century, to the territory of the GDR that existed not so long ago. It was there that on December 3, 1886, the involvement of today's BMW in the automotive business was "lit up", and it was there, in the city of Eisenach, in the period from 1928 to 1939. was the headquarters of the company.
One of the local attractions of Eisenach was the reason for the appearance of the name of the first car ("Wartburg"), which was released in 1898 after the company created a number of 3- and 4-wheeled prototypes. The first-born Wartburgs were the most horseless wagon equipped with a 0.5-liter engine with a capacity of 3.5 hp. There were no hints of the presence of front and rear suspensions. Such a simplified design became a good incentive for the more progressive work of local engineers and designers, who a year later created a car that accelerated to 60 km / h. Moreover, in 1902, the Wartburg appeared with a 3.1-liter engine and a 5-speed gearbox, which was enough to win the race in Frankfurt that year.
Very important point 1904 began in the history of BMW and the plant in Eisenach, when cars called "Dixie" were exhibited at the Frankfurt Motor Show, testifying to the good development of the enterprise and a new level of production. There were two models in total - "S6" and "S12", the numbers in the designation of which indicated the amount of horsepower. (By the way, the "S12" model was not discontinued until 1925.)
Max Fritz, who worked at the Daimler plant, was invited to the position of chief designer at Bayerische Motoren Werke. Under the leadership of Fritz, the BMW IIIa aircraft engine was manufactured, which in September 1917 successfully passed bench tests. The aircraft equipped with this engine set a world record at the end of the year, having risen to 9760 m.
At the same time, the BMW emblem appeared - a circle divided into two blue and two white sectors, which was a stylized image of a propeller rotating against the sky. It was also taken into account that blue and white are the national colors of Bavaria.
After the end of the First World War, the company was on the verge of collapse, because, under the Treaty of Versailles, the Germans were forbidden to produce engines for aircraft, namely, engines at that time were the only products of BMW. But the enterprising Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto find a way out - the plant is converted to the production of motorcycle engines first, and then the motorcycles themselves. In 1923, the first R32 motorcycle leaves the BMW factory. At the 1923 motorcycle show in Paris, this first BMW motorcycle immediately gained a reputation for speed and reliability, which was confirmed by absolute speed records in international motorcycle races of the 20s and 30s.
In the early 20s, two influential businessmen appeared in the history of BMW - Gotaer and Shapiro, to whom the company went, falling into the abyss of debts and losses. The main reason for the crisis was the underdevelopment of automotive production, along with which the enterprise, by the way, was engaged in the production of aircraft engines. And since the latter, unlike cars, brought the bulk of the means of subsistence and development, BMW was in an unenviable position. The "cure" was invented by Shapiro, who was on a short footing with the English car manufacturer Herbert Austin and was able to agree with him on the beginning mass production"Austinov" in Eisenach. Moreover, the production of these cars was put on the conveyor, which by that time, except for BMW, only Daimler-Benz could boast.
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1928: Logistics at the factory in Eisenach. |
In the meantime, the issue of approving a branded trademark was resolved positively for BMW. In 1928, the company acquires car factories in Eisenach (Thuringia), and with them a license to produce a small car Dixi. November 16, 1928 "Dixie" ceased to exist as a trademark - it was replaced by "BMW". Dixi is the first BMW car. During the period of economic difficulties, the small car becomes the most popular car in Europe.
On April 1, 1932, the premiere of the first "real" BMW was scheduled, which subsequently earned recognition. automotive press and became the starting point for the production of a machine of its own design. The same car, with a well-thought-out body received from the outside, was a combination of new ideas and developments with the already well-known and used on the Dixie models. The engine power was 20 hp, which was enough to drive at a speed of 80 km / h. A very successful development four-speed box transmission, not offered on any other model until 1934.
By the beginning of World War II, BMW was one of the most dynamically developing companies in the world, producing sports-oriented equipment. Its assets have several world records: Wolfgang von Gronu on the open seap of Dornier Wal, equipped with a BMW engine, crosses the North Atlantic from east to west, Ernst Henna on a motorcycle R12, equipped with a cardan drive, hydraulic shock absorbers and a television fork (BMW's Invention). The velocity record for motorcycles is 279.5 km/h, not surpassed by anyone over the next 14 years.
Production gets an additional boost after the conclusion of a secret agreement with Soviet Russia to supply her with the latest aircraft engines. Most of the Soviet record flights of the 1930s were made on aircraft equipped with BMW engines.
In 1933, the production of the 303 model began - the first BMW car with a 6-cylinder engine, which debuted at the Berlin Automobile Exhibition. His appearance was a real sensation. This inline "six" with a displacement of 1.2 liters allowed the car to move at a speed of 90 km / h and became the basis for many subsequent BMW sports projects. Moreover, it was used on the new model "303", which became the first in the history of the company, which was equipped with a radiator grille with a corporate design, expressed in the presence of two elongated ovals. The "303" model was designed at the Eisenach factory and featured primarily a tubular frame, independent front suspension and good, sporty handling characteristics.
"BMW-303" was perfect for the "autobahns" then actively built in Germany. Immediately after the presentation, a run was made on it across the entire country, and in this action the car proved itself only on the good side. People were willing to pay the price set by the manufacturer for this car. Moreover, wealthy BMW fans chose the "303rd" model with a sports two-seater roadster body.
During the two years of production of the BMW-303, the company managed to sell 2,300 of these cars, which, by the way, were later followed by their "brothers", distinguished by more powerful engines and other digital designations: "309" and "315". Actually, they became the first samples for the logical development of the BMW model designation system. On the example of these machines, we note that the number "3" denoted the series, and 0.9 and 1.5 - the working volume of the engines. The designation system that appeared then successfully exists to this day, with the only difference being that it was replenished with such numbers as "520", "524", "635", "740", "850", etc.
"BMW-315" was far from the last in a series of outwardly similar cars, as the brightest and most notable among them were the "BMW-319" and "BMW-329", which belonged more to sports cars. The maximum speed of the first, for example, was 130 km / h.
Along with all the previous cars, the "326" model, which appeared at the Berlin Automobile Exhibition in 1936, looked simply gorgeous. This four-door car was far from the world of sports, and its rounded design already belonged to the direction that came into force in the 50s. Open top, good quality, chic interior and a large number of new changes and additions put the "326th" model on a par with Mercedes-Benz cars, whose buyers were very wealthy people.
With a mass of 1125 kg, the BMW-326 model accelerated to a maximum of 115 km / h and at the same time consumed 12.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. With similar characteristics and with its appearance, the car was included in the list of the best models of the company and was produced until 1941, when BMW production amounted to almost 16,000 units. With so many produced and sold cars, the BMW-326 became the best pre-war model.
Logically, after such a resounding success of the "326th" model, the next logical step should have been the appearance of a sports model made on its basis.
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| 1938: The BMW 328 dominates racing. |
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| 1940: Win again in "Mille Miglia": BMW 328. |
In 1936, BMW produced the famous "328" - one of the most successful sports cars. With its appearance, the BMW ideology was finally formed, which to this day determines the concept of new models: “The car is for the driver.” The main competitor, Mercedes-Benz, follows the principle: "The car is for passengers." Since then, each company has gone its own way, proving that its choice is the right one.
The winner of a great many competitions - circuit races, rallies, hill climbs - the BMW 328 was addressed to sports car connoisseurs and left all mass-produced sports cars far behind. The two-door, two-seater, truly sporty "BMW-328" was equipped with a six-cylinder engine and accelerated to 150 km / h. This model allowed the company to take part in many pre-war races and win recognition in a new quality. With the "328th" model, BMW became so famous in the second half of the 30s that all subsequent cars with a two-color brand name were perceived by the public as a symbol of high quality, reliability and beauty.
The outbreak of war leads to the suspension of the production of cars. Priority is once again given to aircraft engines.
In 1944, BMW was the first in the world to launch a jet engine.
BMW 109-003 engine. Rocket engines are also being tested. The end of World War II was a disaster for the concern. Four factories that ended up in the Eastern zone of occupation were destroyed and dismantled.
The main plant in Munich was dismantled by the British. In connection with the production of aircraft engines and missiles during the war, the winners issue an order to ban production for three years
