BMW

A BMW is today considered a status symbol for car lovers. But the ball rolling for the establishment of the Bavarian Motor Works a very different product: the engineer Karl Rapp developed for the young company in 1917 an aircraft engine with high altitude performance.

2,000 of these engines were in the first world war in action. The prohibition of the Versailles peace treaty for the construction of aircraft engines contract, have ended abruptly by a hair, the young success story. The then principal shareholder Castiglioni but left the company and took the name in his new venture with BMW, the Bavarian Aircraft Works (BF). But with airplane engines could then earn no more money, but with motorcycles, in 1923 developed Fritz and Max Martin Stolle, the first BMW - motorcycle, the R 32 with boxer engine. Up to now drive BMW Boxer engines in motorcycles. With the acquisition of the Eisenach vehicle factory BMW AG in 1928 first came into contact with automobiles. Quickly overtook the advanced models of the BMW Dixi Eisenach.

The Roadster 128 won many races and established back in the 20's years, the global Renomme of BMW. In the second World War, the automobile had to be a minor matter. The Third Reich needed aircraft engines, BMW delivered and made big profits, 1939 180 million marks. After the war the construction of aircraft engines was fit for the Munich final. Since 1951, the year the BMW 501, the Munich-based build only cars and motorcycles, not only with cult status. In 1978 the first 5'er was presented with hydrogen engine. Today, the BMW - Hydrogen is produced in mass production and Dingolfinger work - albeit in a limited edition.