BMW was founded March 7, 1916, two companies of mechanical Munich, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and Otto-Werke. It was originally a manufacturer of aircraft engines. This is noted in the emblem of the brand: a spinning propeller on the bottom of the Bavarian colors: blue and white.
At least the official version. The truth is different. When the company becomes the Bayerische Motoren Werke, in 1917, its leaders decided to use the colors of Bavaria.
However, the sensitivities of the monarchy, very centralized at the time (being united Germany since 1871, no question of reviving regional trends); the Bavarian colors are reversed, before the blue from white. It was only later that the link will be made with aircraft engines, the marketing department seeing many advantages. Over time, the legend has persisted
Following the defeat of Germany in World War I, he was forbidden to produce aircraftengines and for his country, and the company was then forced to convert.
Current seat of the BMW Group in Munich in Bavaria on the site of the first factory historyof aircraft engine Gustav Otto in 1911
It is diversified and produced engines for motorcycles (1922, with a flat-twin designed byMax Friz), trucks and cars.
Motorcycle production grew in importance, with a significant investment in the competition.In 1929, a BMW reached 216.75 km / h, driven by the German Ernst Jakob Henne.
