BMW is an abbreviation for Bavarian Motor Works, also known as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG in German. Karl Rapp, Gustav Otto, Camillo Castiglioni, and Franz Josef Popp established it in 1916.¹⁾

BMW used to make aviation engines before it became known with high-end vehicles. These were sought after throughout World War I and World War II because to their high-altitude capability and fuel economy. Until 1945, BMW manufactured airplane engines. ²⁾

During the war, the firm was forced to diversify and investigate new revenue streams. As a result, BMW also manufactured railway brakes, pumps for agricultural machinery, and engines for buses and vehicles. ³⁾

BMW began producing automobiles as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. It forbade German manufacturers from producing airplanes or aircraft engines that may be used in a conflict. The Dixi, their first automobile, was produced in 1929. While it was their first vehicle, BMW did not create it; it was based on an English Austin and was sold in Japan as a Datsun and in the United States as a Bantum. ⁴⁾

The “Baroque Angel” (as BMW 501 and its descendant, BMW 502) was the first automobile built by BMW following World War II, and it debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951. ⁵⁾

Contrary to common perception, BMW's logo was not created to depict a propeller; rather, the colors represented the hues of Bavaria, where the company's headquarters are situated. The black disc on the logo is a nod to Rapp Motorenwerke, BMW's founding business. ⁶⁾