What does BMW stand for and where are they built? Just curious..

BMW = Bayerische Motor Werken

They are built near Munich, Germany and in Spartanberg, USA.

The BMW roundel badge represents a propeller and the Bavarian flag (BMW started out making aero engines).

BMW=Bavarian Motor Works(English)
The propellers represent what the company used to be which, was airplane engine producer

I may be wrong (it has been known) but I gather the "B" in BMW derives from Bayern and not Bavaria. I gather that Bayern is a smaller area within Bavaria.

Bayern .. hmm .. sounds more like the soccer team *Bayern Munich* thats gonna face Man Utd in the Champions League next week. I've always known the "B" in "BMW" to stand for "Bavaria".

I was told by my Dutch Uncle that BMW "was" represented in one of the 4 Audi rings, but no longer since Audi became independant. I was told, in the same line, that Audi was established by 4 German car makers which included BMW but not MB. He also told me the 4 makes, but I can't for the life of me remember them now. I can only recall BMW, VW and 2 others of which they may no longer be existing.

Hmm.. that was off topic. But, no, its Bavaria.
:)

Er, precisely. And where are BMWs built? Munich.

Bayern is a smaller part of Bavaria, in fact a Munich district. If you're interested in the BMW story, they have a heritage website at:

http://www.bmw.com/bmwe/pulse/heritage/bmw_story/index.shtml

ymsin, you're part right about Audi: the four rings represent the amalgamation of 4 car manufacturers that is Audi. None of them is BMW or VW. One is Horch. I think one is NFU. Can't remember the others; I have a good book which confirms these things at home, I'll check it out tonight.

By the way, the English translation would be Bayern Engine Works. Interestingly they seem to have made early links with Pratt & Whitney.

Interesting website.

Jonathan - do check up the history of Audi as this was told to me some erm .. 15 years ago? I was very sure BMW and VW was part of it. Anyway, I'd wait for your homework :)

So - the English text IS Bayern Engine Works? Auto Bavaria ... Auto Bayern ... :)

Now, for the next trivial question : BMW is state-owned?

Ps. BTW - My mom is dang proud that her first car was a BMW which my dad crashed it when he collided with a cow on the road. This was the 60s.

www.audi.com
 

I've got the info here:

"A watershed date in Audi's history was June 29, 1932. That was when Audi joined Horch, DKW and the Wanderer Automobile Department to become the AUTO UNION AG, under the sign of the four rings. The joint Chemnitz-based firm was soon to become the second largest manufacturer of motor vehicles in Germany. The symbol of four linked rings, now known the world over, stood for the unbreakable union of the four founder companies.
Within a few years, the firm's models took on a uniform profile as chassis frames were standardized and all four manufacturers began to use the same constructive elements. An outstanding example of aerodynamic form appeared in the streamlined body that became a recognizable feature of the DKW and Horch automobiles in 1939."

That was just the tip of the iceberg. Look at how the Daimler-Benz group and VW was involved .. http://www.audi.com/java/facts/index.html

Amazing stuff.

Looks like they've been around longer than BMW ...


[Edited by ymsin on 04-13-2001 at 07:50 AM]

Is this a test?

I believe BMW is largely owned by the Quandt family (although they are increasingly tempted to sell). The same family also had (has??) a small stake (about 20%) in Marcedes Benz. I don't know if this survived the Daimler-Chrysler merger (what were they thinking of???).

Its not a test. Its putting rest to myth and fiction.

My MB mechanic used to work for Bimmer, and he is so confident that BMW was state owned unlike MB, which is a private enterprise.

But the stuff on Audi is totally amazing for consumption of auto history!

I must admit to being quite fascinated by this stuff. I recently bought an excellent book about Mercedes which deals with just about every model in the company's history. Beautifully photographed and printed. I believe it is published by Konnigsmann; foreword by Bruno Sacco (sp?). Not too expensive either given its size, quality and content: GB Pounds 40.

I saw a similar book lying on the shelf on our local bookstore (MPH), but I wasn't impressed with it as the series stopped at the W140.

Meaning of the BMW logo
 

BMW is referred to as Bavarain Motor Works in engish.
More importantly is their symbol which also has meaning.
The two blue quadrants represent that prop of airplane engines whicb is what BMW made very early on in WWI.
Barry Shah

ymsin,

My book stops--I think--with the new S-Class and includes the CL coupe. It also includes the Smart Car and the A-Class, the face-lifted E Class and the ML. It does not include the new C-Class. Inevitably books will go out of date, but I was quite chuffed to see how much was in this one.

Just a little more automotive trivia. I recently saw a show on the History channel and they said the prototype for what became the VW Beetle was built by Mercedes-Benz. Dr. Porsche designed it and MB built it. This was, if I remember correctly, was in the mid '30s. The original car did not have a rear window. Dr. Porsche was "asked" to design a "people's car" that would be economical for the average German family during the recessionary times Germany was in at the time.
Speaking of logos. I was told that the 3 point star for Mercedes represents the 3 areas of engine building Mercedes was involved in, land, sea and air. Now I know BMW made airplane engines, but I have never heard of MB being involved in aviation. Also I have never heard of them being involved in boat/ship engines.

BMW really stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke. The direct translation into English is Bavarian Motor Works. Bayern is Bavaria in German. Bayern is one of the "land" which is the equivalent of a "state". If you want to read more about Bavaria, here is the link: http://www.bayern.de/welcomeE.html

There is a also a joke in Germany as to what BMW stands for.

B = baecker (baker)
M = Metzger (butcher)
W = Wirt (bartender)

It means the car is driven by baker, butcher and bartender.

The German name of the soccer team is Bayern Muenchen. The "ue" in Muenchen is actually a "u" with 2 funny dots on top.

I love this site you get so much info=)

Just to be clear, BMW is a german built car? Bavarian is a state within germany?

are you kidding. daimlerbenz has been involved in the aerospace industry for as long as there has been such an industry. alot has changed with all the mergers and what not, however DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG is in essence the "new" name for that sector of the corporation.

check out their military aircraft division page.
http://www.dasa.com/dasa/index_e.htm?/dasa/e/milair.html

Are you guys nuts?!?
Everyone knows BMW stands for "British Motor Worke"
And are quality cars, from the Lucas electronics under the bonnet to the fine selection of spanners in the boot.

While at high school, we used to refer to this particular never-smiling-ever-so-ngry teacher as "BMW" = "Black Magic Woman".

{{{{{{{How we missed her so. :D}}}}}}}}}

Talking of BMWs sure bring back memories.

BMW=Bavarian Manure Wagon. Daimler-Benz certainly has a long history in aviation engines, I know little about the involvement they have had in water craft, although I have a very informative CD-ROM that was given to me by MB that would cover it. 2 examples of DB aviation engines would be the Diesel engines that powered the Zeppelins, such as the Hindenburg, and in WWII, the engines that powered many of the best fighters Germany had were also DB. They also build jet engines today through there subsidiaries, most notably Dornier, whose company emblem is a 4 pointed star. The 3 pointed star symbolizes land sea and air, the circle around the star symbolizes the world, due to the global activities of the company. The 3 pointed star is the oldest automaker copyrighted symbol. The second oldest is the Rolls Royce sculpture "Spirit of Ecstacy", DB had them by about 3 years. The idea of the star came by way of one of G. Daimlers sons, Carl I believe, not to be confused with Karl Benz. They were trying to think of a company symbol and the son got the idea from a photograph that Gottlieb had of the family home. Above the house Gottlieb had drawn a star and also a note to his wife "From this house a star shall arise, and I hope it will bring blessings to us and to our children"......Gilly

BMW

B=Brake
M=My
W=wallet

now what could the Benz stand for???

just some humor for a friday

benzat

1982 380 SEC

Nice naration.

Longston ought to be here to share his views.

:)

Are My Ears Burning?
 

I thought someone was talking about me...:D...It's nice to be being thought of on the other side of the world!

As for BMW, here's some humorous meanings that haven't already been listed:

Black
Man's
Wheels (Can't affo'd a Po'sche)

Bought
Mein
Wednesday (As Steve Martin said: "I remember when I had MY first beer...", to signify immaturity)

Basic
Marin (County just north of SF)
Wheels

Bite
My
Wienie (meant to convey the arrogance of BMW drivers)

Bald
Middle-aged
Wanker (mid-life crisis purchase)

Bang
My
Wife (meant to convey the "swinger" lifestyle

Belly
Meets
Wheel (To signify middle-ages spread of owners)

Bought (for)
My
Wife

The VW, Mercedes, Porsche thing began in the Spring / Summer of 1937, with this beauty:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...905&p=46472559

-Volkswagen prototype- Der "Foh-Veh" Eins...

In the Sindelfingen plant, Mercedes-Benz produces 30 Volkswagen prototypes (VW 30, Porsche 60, forerunners of the first Volkswagens) designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche.

As for the three-pointed star, all of that was covered in:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=15354

Scott: That was a good thread on the star you gave. Don't know where I got Carl from. As far as MB History, any recollection of a Carl Daimler? Maybe later, around the time of the REAL merger? I will attest to the fact that the message that was written from Gottlieb Daimler to his wife is accurate, though, via a few sources. One was is the recent Momentum, another is "The Star and the Laurel"....Gilly

In German:

BMW = Bayerishe Motoren Werke

Bayern = Bavaria

Bayerische = Bavarian


Bayern is not a small part of Bavaria nor is it a district in Munich. On the contrary, Bayern is the largest and oldest country in the Federal Republic of Germany; it is the southern most country of the Federal Republic. Bayern consists of 7 government districts; Munich is located in the southernmost district - Oberbayern.

BMW AG is headquartered in Munich; principle factories are located in Dingelfing (lower Bavaria), Munich, Regensburg and Spartanburg, SC.

For a concise review of BMW -

http://www.munichfound.de/new.cfm?news_ID=488

BMW= Brings Me Women
Big Money Wasted

Gilly..
 

You need only go to the Daimler - Chrysler website...

http://www.daimlerchrysler.com

Then select "history".

That's where I "steal" all of my "knowledge" from...:D

Like all the acronyms of what BMW stands for. Some are old but, some are quite funny and probably precise. Had a BMW before and a couple of Mercedes. There is no comparing the two. Mercedes is a great car. The BMWs are like the old Harley-Davidsons. You should buy two BMWs, one for driving and the other for spare parts for the one your driving in. I think I spent more money and time fixing the car than, driving it. I had two Bimmers before also. Never drive those again.

BMW Backwards...
 

There's a thread in Open Discussion where Dr.Parts alleges that BMW backwards means, "Wants Mercedes Benz". I thought that was clever...:D

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=16462

Could also have been "Was My Benz" ... :D

Scott.....
 

OK, thanks, I'll go over there sometime and check it out. I do have some really good info here at home, so if I wasn't lazy I could have gotten my facts straight before I posted about it.....Gilly

BMW?
 

Break My Window.....get it? Just joking..

for these who understand deutsch stand for Bayerische Mist Wagen

Who's digging up all these 5 year old threads :confused:

BMW means "Brings Me Women!"

According to a new German car magazine survey, BMW drivers have all the luck.

BMW drivers have more sex than owners of any other cars and are much more active than Porsche drivers. The German magazine "Men's Car" found in a survey of 2,253 motorists aged 20 to 50 published in its inaugural May issue that male BMW drivers say they have sex on average 2.2 times each week while Porsche drivers have sex 1.4 times per week. Following BMW drivers were Audi (2.1), Volkswagen (1.9), Ford (1.7) and Mercedes (1.6). Drivers of foreign car makes were also behind BMW with Italian cars (2.0), French (1.9), Japanese (1.8), Swedish (1.6) and Korean cars (1.5) trailing after. Among women, French car drivers were top with 2.1 times per week followed by Audi (2.0), Italian (2.0), and BMW (1.9) with Porsche again at the bottom of the scale at 1.2 times per week