brief introduction
brand
In addition to selling all kinds of cars and motorcycles under the brand of "BMW", BMW Group has also acquired many foreign automobile companies. At present, BMW Group owns BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce.
history
germination period
Karl friedrich Lapp, the founder of BMW, located in the northern suburb of Munich, set up Lapp -Motorenwerke in 19 13, which used to be a bicycle factory in the suburb of Munich, engaged in the manufacture of aero-engines. In the same year, Gustavo Otto also founded Gustav Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik nearby. Gustavo is actually the son of the famous inventor of nikolaus august otto and the four-stroke gasoline engine (Otto cycle engine).
Gustav Otto later established the Bavarian Aircraft Factory (BFW) with a joint venture on March 7, 2006, and incorporated his three-year-old factory into the new factory. In the same year, Lapp also got financial support from bankers Camillo Castiglioni and Max Friz, which greatly expanded its scale. However, due to the excessive expansion caused by the wrong evaluation, Lapp suddenly resigned on 19 17. His partner found Franz-Josef Popp, an Austrian financier, and took over the business of the engine factory. On July 20th, 2007, 19 17, the factory was renamed as Bavarian Engine Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as BMW), with Pappu as the first president. At that time, during the First World War, BMW, as a munitions supplier, set up a large factory near Ober Visenfeld military airport on the outskirts of Munich, and continued to manufacture military aircraft engines for the military until 19 18. On August 19 18 and 13, BMW was transformed into a company limited by shares (BMW AG) with publicly listed shares, and a thriving company scale was established.
1922, BMW and BFW merged to become the BMW we are familiar with today. However, tracing back to the company's history, the official statement of the company is based on the date of establishment of BFW, that is,1965438+March 7, 2006 is the date of establishment of BMW.
Bmw's first aero-engine work is type IIIa, and 19 17 was put into production. It is an in-line six-cylinder engine with water cooling design, and uses a carburetor developed by Fritz Company, one of the company's partners, which can give full play to the maximum output of the engine even at high altitude. 19 19, BMW installed the IV inline six-cylinder engine produced by the factory on a DFW biplane, which was driven by Franz Zeno Diemer, and set a flying altitude record of 9760 meters above the Munich Olympic Park (where BMW headquarters is located today).
From the sky to two rounds
19 18 after the first world war, according to the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany banned the manufacture of aircraft, which seriously dealt a blow to the growing German aviation industry, forcing BMW to switch to manufacturing railway brakes and start developing motorcycle engines.
1920, the M2 B 15 engine designed by Martin Stahle became the first motorcycle engine produced by BMW. 1923, Fritz designed R32 motorcycle with a displacement of 500 cc. Different from the previous motorcycle products of this factory, R32 is the first BMW motorcycle with shaft transmission. From the very beginning, the axle drive design has become one of the most famous features of BMW motorcycles. Today, we can still see this design from the R series motorcycles of this factory. The engine on R32 is actually BMW's original VI aero engine. Perhaps it is for this reason that BMW first introduced the blue-and-white checkered flag factory emblem inspired by airplane propellers on R32 (blue-and-white checkered flag is a traditional symbol of Bavaria), and it has been used ever since.
1September, 929 19, the motorcyclist Ernst Henne rode a brand-new BMW motorcycle with a displacement of 750 cc, setting a world record of 2 16.75km/h in Munich. After that, he continued to break the world high-speed record many times. The most amazing speed of 279.5km/h was set at 1937, and it was kept at 12 years before someone broke it.
Going to the field of four-wheel products
1927, Eisenach Automobile Factory, located in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany, was authorized by Austin Automobile Factory, England, and began to manufacture the German version of its famous Austin 7 automobile model, and sold it for the brand in the west. The following year, BMW bought the factory at a price of 6.5438+0.6 million marks, and thus obtained the production right of Xidi 3/654.38+0.5 PS, becoming the first automobile product of the factory. After being modified by BMW, this car is listed as an improved version of DA2, which means "Deutsche Ausführung" (made in Germany). After its debut, it was well received. In a short production period of about three years, the sales volume reached 65,438+08,976 vehicles.
As for 1932, the 3/20 PS (also known as AM 4, Ausführung München 4, which means "Munich production, four-speed transmission") is BMW's first self-made automobile product. This car was improved from Xidi, equipped with a 782 cc inline four-cylinder engine, with a maximum horsepower output of 20 HP/3,500 rpm and a top speed of about 80 km/h, and won the prize in Concours d'Elegance held in baden-baden in the same year.
1933 The BMW 303, which debuted, is really the most representative car. It has created two traditions that BMW still maintains today. First of all, it is BMW's first car equipped with an inline six-cylinder engine. Second, the car adopts the famous "double kidney" water tank grille shape at the front for the first time. Although the shape of the kidney has been modified for several generations, the basic modeling tone has not changed until today.
BMW attaches great importance to technical research. In the professional media test, the horsepower output of BMW engine is often higher than that of its peers, and then it can maintain excellent fineness and low noise. The professional evaluation of chassis handling is often more prominent than that of peers. These driving pleasures are the reason why BMW can be recognized as keeping pace with Mercedes-Benz in the future.
timetable
19 16: Bavarian aircraft factory was established.
19 17: Lapp Engine Factory was renamed as Bavarian Engine Company.
19 18: Become a limited company.
1922: From Bavarian Aircraft Factory to BMW.
1923: The first motorcycle was built.
1928: Take over Eisenach Automobile Company.
1929: The first BMW was made in Eisenach.
1934: BMW Aircraft Engine Company was established.
1944: The factory in Munich was seriously damaged in the air raid.
1945: licensed to repair American aircraft and produce motorcycles. At the same time, the Munich factory disintegrated.
1948: The first motorcycle was produced after the war.
1959: shareholders' meeting, at which the acquisition plan of Daimler-Benz was organized.
1960: 7,000 employees and annual turnover of 239 million Deutsche marks.
1968: BMW enters the greater China market.
1969: Motorcycle production department moved to Berlin.
1969: 2 1000 employees, annual turnover1500 million Deutsche mark.
1970: Herbert-quant foundation was established.
1972: The new management building in Munich was completed.
1972: Set up a factory in South Africa.
1973: landshute factory opens.
1978: introduce the concept of hydrogen engine.
1978: 30,000 employees and annual turnover of 6 billion marks.
1979: Austrian factory opens.
1984: Berlin-Spandau motorcycle factory completed.
1985:R&D center building started construction.
1985: BMW technology company was established for development.
1987: regensburg factory completed.
1990: the r&d center building was officially completed.
65,438+0,990: 70,900 employees, with an annual turnover of DM 276,543.8+0 billion.
1992: south Carolina factory completed.
1994: Buy MG Rover, including brand Mini.
1999: making cars in Russia
2000: The eberhard von Kuhnheim Foundation was founded.
2000: CKD factory in Thailand was completed.
2000: Selling MG Rover and Land Rover/Land Rover.
2002: Construction of Baubeginn für das BMW-Werk Leipzig started in Leipzig factory.
2003: Apply for the right to use the name of Rolls-Royce.
2003: cooperated with Brilliance Automobile Group Holding Co., Ltd. to build cars in China.
2004: BMW Global Supply Center started construction in Munich and was completed in 2007.
2005: The new BMW factory in Leipzig is completed.
All car models
Automobile products
All BMW's automobile and motorcycle products are classified on the basis of car series, and each car series has its own car name (for example, 760Li, 645Ci, 330iX) according to the details of each car's engine, drive system and equipment grade. Because modern BMW cars are all passed down from generation to generation under the same name, it often happens that the car names are the same, but the car generations are actually different. In order to avoid confusion, the car number inside the car factory is often used as an auxiliary name (although the original BMW factory did not use the car number directly in business), so it is often heard to use names such as E36 3 18i and E60 M5 to distinguish various BMW models.
Existing car models
Series (1er-Reihe): The car code is E87, which was launched in 2004. It is a small five-door hatchback. Three-door hatchback E8 1. Coupe E82. A two-door convertible E88.
3er-Reihe: The car number is E90, which was launched in 2006. Small executive RV series and its derivative five-door RV E9 1. Coupe E92 and convertible E93.
5 series (5er-Reihe): the car number is E60, which was listed in 2004. It is a medium-sized executive RV and its derivative five-door station wagon E6 1.
Six series (6er-Reihe): medium and large coupe series, including coupe (car code E63, listed in 2004) and coupe convertible (car code E64, listed in 2004).
Seven series (7er-Reihe): a large luxury RV series, which was launched in 2009. There are short axle type (car number F0 1) and long axle type (car number F02).
Z4: Car code E85, introduced in 2002, small two-door and two-seat convertible sports car. In 2006, a new E86 Z4 coupé model with a two-door hardtop was added.
X3: The code name of this car is E83, which was launched in 2003. This is a small five-door recreational vehicle.
X5: Car code E70, launched in 2007, medium-sized five-door recreational vehicle.
X6: Car code E7 1, launched in 2008, crossover recreational vehicle \SUV.
M automobile series
M series is a high-performance car family owned by BMW, which is designed and produced by BMW M GmbH, a subsidiary of BMW Group. With a few exceptions, most M series products are based on BMW's original models, plus high-performance engine, transmission system, aerodynamic suite and other performance parts specially developed and adjusted by M company. In addition to the high-performance models produced by the whole vehicle, M company is also responsible for the development and manufacture of high-performance after-sales modification kits for various BMW cars.
The current M series products include:
M3
M5
M6
Z4 M sports car /M sports car
Historical car model
Three-series hatchback (3er compact): It belongs to one of the three-series derivative models that have been discontinued, with the car number E36. It adopts three-door hatchback design and is the first generation of 3er compact products.
5er-Reihe: The car code E39, 1997 went on the market, and it was discontinued in 2004. It is a medium-sized executive-grade RV. In addition to the standard four-door RV, there is also a five-door station wagon, which is one of the most successful cars in BMW history. In 2003, it was replaced by a new five-series (car code E60).
Eight Series (8er-Reihe): a large luxury sports car series, which was launched at 1989 and discontinued at 1998, with the code E3 1. The top model is 850csi, equipped with a 5.6-liter V-type 12-cylinder engine.
Motorcycle products
According to the design of engine and transmission system, BMW motorcycles can be divided into four types, namely, R series, K series and F and G series:
R series: The main feature of R series is to use horizontally opposed two-cylinder engines as the power core. But BMW's early single-cylinder motorcycles also used R as the train code (the current naming rules were not changed until 1993), and the first R-series motorcycle in this factory was R32 made by 1923.
K series: K series is a series of cars driven by in-line 4-cylinder engines. Before the K 1200S model was announced in 2005, it was originally a horizontal 4-cylinder engine, and it was not changed to a horizontal 4-cylinder configuration with a 55-degree angle until the model was announced. The first K-series car was 1983 K 100.
F-series: F-series is an in-line single-cylinder or parallel double-cylinder automobile series that was launched in 2006. It is also the main shaftless (using chain or belt transmission) automobile series in BMW motorcycle family, but it does not use shaft transmission and multi-link front fork. The first model with the name of F series printed on it is F650, which was made in 1993, while the first model of F series twin-cylinder is F800, which was made in 2006. Due to the difference of transmission system and suspension structure, compared with R and K series cars which are often used for road cruising, F series is used for special vehicle occasions such as off-road or stunt performances for a longer time.
G-series: G-series is a brand-new automobile series derived from F-series vertical single cylinder (first appeared at the 2006 Cologne Motor Show in Germany), but it adopts a frame and suspension different from the existing F-series single cylinder. In addition, it is also positioned in three young markets: super motorcycles, cross-country and trams.
Marketing activities
In addition to luxury and comfort, BMW's car products are also famous for their rich driving pleasure and excellent handling performance. In line with this feature, the car factory has been actively participating in many automobile and motorcycle competitions around the world, among which the highest level and investment is to participate in FIA Formula One racing. The factory used to be the main sponsor and engine supplier of BMW-Williams team, but in 2005, so in the middle of 2005, I bought Peter Sauber's private team, and in 2006, I changed it into BMW-Sauber, a factory team owned by the automobile factory.
In addition, BMW also provided a large number of new cars to help shoot some sequels of James Bond (007) series, including the BMW Z3 roadster in golden eye (17). The BMW 750i sedan, the BMW R 1200 heavy motorcycle, the Land Rover discovery off-road vehicle (Land Rover was still part of the BMW Group at that time) and the BMW Z8 sports car in the World 19 episode were not enough. BMW's move is regarded as one of the classic examples of product placement marketing, but it also distorts the overall texture of the film, because it overemphasizes the existence of BMW vehicles in the film and is criticized by many film critics and fans as over-commercialization. Note: 1: BMW did not continue to sponsor the use of vehicles in the 20th episode of 007 "Die Another Day", but replaced it with several automobile brands owned by Ford Motor Company, namely Ford, Jaguar and Aston Martin.