The History of BMW
The birth of BMW can be traced back to two men: Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto. Their respective companies – Rapp Motorenwerke and aircraft manufacturers Gustav Otto – produced Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW). The acronym BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, roughly translating to the Bavarian Engine Works Company.
BMW began producing aircraft engines in 1913 and at that time, automobiles had not yet broken through into the mainstream. If you wanted to travel long distances on land, you went by train. Motorcycles offered BMW a way out; they were more affordable at the time. However, as the economy recovered, BMW produced their first car, the Dixi, based on the Austin 7 and licenced from the Austin Motor Company in Birmingham. The Dixi was a huge success; it was small with British roots and bridged the gap to BMW's upcoming sporty cars. A few years later, BMW was building the 328 and designing icons such as the 327.
BMW's headquarters are in Munich, Bavaria, Germany and as the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, it owns and produces MINIs too. The company also manufactures motorcycles under the name BMW Motorrad.
In 2020, the BMW group produced 2,325,179 automobiles and 169,272 motorcycles.
BMW Logo
The BMW logo is derived from the circular design of a rotating aircraft propeller. The white and blue checker boxes are representations of a white/silver propeller blade spinning against a clear blue sky.
BMW and Listers
In 2007 Listers opened its first BMW site in King's Lynn, followed by Boston in 2008.
BMW i4 2021 Review
"The cabin has all the qualities of a typical BMW. It's snug and well-made. Meanwhile, this is a car with the sort of range that should allow almost anyone to do almost any of their road trips. It charges fast and brisk driving or low temperatures don't harm the range. Which is why BMW does so well. This is a proper BMW" said the Top Gear Team. View full review here.