Have you ever wondered how the story of one of the world's most exciting automotive brands began?
In the shadowy Bavarian hills, a legend was born that has captivated the hearts of enthusiasts around the world for more than a century.
What secrets lie behind the legendary BMW?
Today, we're going on an exciting journey through the times and events that have made BMW what it is today!
From its earliest days, the humble company in Munich has relentlessly pursued excellence. In 1916, it introduced the airplane engine to the world, and just seven years later the first BMW-branded creation, the R32 motorcycle, was born. Its appearance was a harbinger of automobile masterpieces to come.
After decades of relentless development and innovation, BMW became synonymous with luxury and sportiness. Its cars conquered freeways and race tracks, becoming symbols of status, performance and pure driving pleasure.
Today, BMW factories are spread all over the world, each car with the blue and white logo testifies to the uncompromising commitment to quality, attention to detail and inimitable style of the Bavarian craftsmen.
The BMW story is not just a tale of cars. It's a saga of people driven by passion and engineering genius.
Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a fascinating journey through time tracing the epic origins of the legendary BMW brand.
Begin
On a frosty December day in 1896, a story was born in Eisenach that would later conquer the world. Heinrich Ehrhart, a gifted engineer, founded his first machine factory. His nephew, Johann Heinrich Ehrhart, had already become famous as the inventor of steam locomotives.
At the time, the production of automobiles was a strictly military endeavor. Erhart's factory produced ambulances, army kitchens and even bicycles for the German army. Heinrich, already a man of advanced age, was in his fifties. His youth is shrouded in mystery, we only know that he was born in Thuringia in 1840. At the age of twenty-four he began his career at Hartmann's machine factory in Chemnitz, where he became fascinated by machinery.
Erhart's factory did not stand out in any special way, fulfilling orders from the army. One day, however, Henry had an article in the local newspaper for breakfast that turned his life upside down. It told of the incredible achievements of Daimler and Benz, German geniuses who had created sidecars that were rapidly gaining popularity.
Earhart could not stay away. He felt he was not inferior to his colleagues. In his head he had the idea to create something exceptional, something that would be talked about by millions. But to save time and money, Heinrich decided to take a different route: he purchased a license for a French car Ducovail. This is how the motorized Wartmark carriage was born, which became the progenitor of what we know today as BMW.
In the fall of 1898, just a few months after its introduction, Wartburg arrived at the Düsseldorf automobile exhibition, joining the ranks of such giants as Tyler, Opel and Daimler-Kopen. A year later, Wartburg made a sensational achievement by winning two major automobile races. In all, it won twenty-two medals during its existence, one of which was awarded for its elegant design. The future of the Wartburg was bright, but its glorious history came to an end just a few years later.
In 1903, Erhard's factory was on the verge of bankruptcy. Years of unpaid debts brought the company to the brink of closure. The question of radical measures came to the fore: re-profiling or complete liquidation.
However, unexpectedly, a savior appeared on the horizon: it was a stock speculator Yakov Shapira. He was an avid fan of the automobile, and the thought of parting with this marvel of technology, as well as with the profits from its production, horrified him. Shapira invested heavily in the company, becoming its savior. He took over Erhardt's management, assuming some of the responsibilities and authority.
Under Shapira's leadership, the plant's engineers began to create Dixi cars designed under the license of the British Austin. Curiously, the first batch of cars went on the road with right-hand drive. This was the first and last time in continental Europe that the passenger sat on the left side. Between 1904 and 1914, 15,822 Dixi cars were produced and were extremely popular.
But the competition did not stand still. To counter it, the company decided to create its own development. So appeared Dixi 315 PS with a powerful 16-horsepower engine and solid speed up to 75 kilometers per hour for those times. However, this car was also built on the basis of the English Dixi. Henry's dream of having his own car was never realized, as the shareholders were focused solely on profits.