Do you know what the initials BMW stand for? If your confused by it, don't feel bad. The company itself has had a very confusing and inconspicuous past. BMW actually stands for Bavarian Motor Works, but somewhere in it's history the initials also became attached to a division of the company in England, and people confused the initials into British Motor Works.

Make no mistake, BMW was begun in Germany and has always had it's roots there. But in 1994 BMW bought the British Rover Group which produced vehicles like the Rover, Land Rover and MG. It would continue to operate this company until the year 2000, at which time it was sold because of continuing losses.

The original BMW company was organized in 1922, but it can actually trace it's beginnings back to 1913 during the days of German aircraft engineering. Two men, Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto are credited with being the founding fathers of the company. However, it was actually Josef Popp, Max Friz and Camillo Castiglioni that began the company. Officially known as the Bayerische Motoren Werke(Bavarian Motor Works), the familiar blue and white company emblem is easily recognized around the world.

It began with an engine called the "Radio Flyer". In 1923, they switched to making motorcycle engines, and finally in 1929 began in earnest working on automotive engines. Since that time, BMW is a ompany that has become synonymous with quality and high performance. They have grown to the point of being a world leader in quality high-class transportation. The company has manufacturing plants and sales offices around the world, but still maintains their company headquarters in Munich, Germany.

The 1960's and 1970's saw a decline in quality and sales, as most automotive manufacturers struggled during that time, but it has since come roaring back with a very dependable and sharp looking image to it's group of automobiles. BMW features several lines of automobiles, such as the 1 through 7 series, the X3,X5,X6 and Z4 lines. BMW also has a more sporty line called the M-series. Begun in 1972 it includes the M, M3,M5,M6 and Z4M lines.

Learn more about this author, C. A. Pruit.
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