Bavarian Motor Works – known more commonly around the world as BMW – is an independent German
maker of motorcycles and cars. BMW also owns the Rolls Royce and MINI brand of cars. BMW is one of Germany’s most famous automobile makers.
Originally, BMW was founded by Karl Rapp as an Configuration maker known as Rapp Motor. In the year 1917, Adam Motoren Werke GmbH was founded as a successor to that company in the Bavarian capital of Munich. The BMW logo, a blue and white roundel, is still used to this day. It refers to the blue and white checkered flag of the Bavarian region of Germany. Many claim that the logo resembles a spinning white propeller on the background of a blue sky, although this interpretation developed after the fact.
Currently, the Bavarian Motor Works models on the market are split in to a “Series 2” category. Traditionally, BMW cars are identified by single digits.
In the year 2004, Bavarian Motor Works announced that they would begin making odd numbered sedan and estate wagon models. The even numbered series would consist of cabriolets and coupés. This convention had existed in the past on an informal level, with the six series being introduced in the late ‘70s, later to be continued in the late ‘80s with the eight series. But this died off when the eight series was discontinued in the year 1999. In the year 2003, the practice was revived when the Z4 came about to replace the Z3 roadster. Nowadays, the revamped six series is augmenting the existing BMW 5 Series.
Bavarian Motor Works also has a lengthy involvement with the history of motor sports ever since the first BMW motorcycle came in to being. Many of the world’s most prestigious races have been won by Bavarian Motor Works.
The BMW M5