There are such a lot of automobile manufacturers from the world over. It may be laborious to decide on which automobile you need. Among the finest manufacturers out there may be BMW. Likelihood is that you simply heard of this automobile model, actually, you could have even pushed or owned a BMW. This automobile firm has an extended and fascinating historical past to it. This text may even clarify who at the moment owns BMW. With all of that being stated, let’s get began!
Founding of BMW
BMW had its founding again in 1910 by Gustav Otto in Bavaria, Germany. It was initially often known as Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik. Nonetheless, it turned into Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG in March 1916. The corporate would later rename once more in 1922, calling it, Bayerische Motoren Have been or BMW.
The identify really was in use again in 1913 by Karl Rapp. The identify and the flexibility to make engines had been transferred over to BMW in 1922. The very first product BMW made was a straight-six plane engine often known as the BMW Illa.
After WWI
BMW handle to remain in enterprise after WWI the place they made bike engines, gadgets for households, and extra. Their first bike, the BMW R 32 was launched in 1923. It wouldn’t be till 5 years later that BMW began manufacturing cars. Their first automobile referred to as the BMW 3/15 was a Dixi. BMW would additionally purchase a number of different automobile producers permitting them to broaden its enterprise and into new merchandise equivalent to sports activities automobiles and luxurious automobiles.
WWII
We can not get to who owns BMW with out taking a look at their participation in WWII. BMW was tasked with constructing plane engines, cars, and many others. for Nazi Germany and its conflict machine. They might concentrate on plane engines for Germany’s air forces and used over 40,000 prisoners from focus camps.
Allied Forces bombed the factories and banned them from creating automobiles after the conflict. BMW managed to outlive by making bicycles and pots and pans. In 1948, three years after the conflict, they bought again into the bike trade and automobiles in 1952. Gradual gross sales had BMW on the sting of being purchased out within the 50s, however handle to outlive.
Trendy Age
BMW survived because of an funding by the Quandt brothers, whose father was an industrialist for the Nazis, serving to them construct weapons and batteries with using slave labor. BMW and the Quandt’s father had no reference to one another throughout the battle, it was that blood cash that allowed the Quandt brothers to purchase BMW.
As time went on, BMW would make extra automobiles all through the years. This helped them grow to be a profitable and unbiased automobile producer. They might be bought in 1994 by the Rover Group. Nonetheless, this was not profitable and BMW misplaced some huge cash. 4 years later, BMW had the rights to Rolls Royce.
By January 2021, it was revealed by BMW that their income fell over 8% due to the coronavirus pandemic. Even this 12 months, BMW and Toyota are working collectively to create hydrogen gasoline cell automobiles by 2025.
Founders of BMW
There are three people who find themselves essentially the most liable for the founding of BMW. They’re:
- Camillo Castiglioni: An Italian-Austrian Jewish financier and was the wealthiest man in all of Central Europe throughout World Struggle I.
- Franz Josef Popp: An Austrian man who is named the prime power in creating the corporate. He was additionally the Normal Director till 1942.
- Karl Rapp: A German founder who not directly based BMW together with his personal automobile firm referred to as Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH.
At this time, the present CEO of BMW, who has been there since August 2019 is German supervisor Oliver Zipse.
Conclusion
So, who owns BMW? Effectively, as you possibly can see from the article, BMW has had an extended and sophisticated history. Particularly with its ties to Nazi Germany throughout WWII. In March 2016, it was the a hundredth anniversary of BMW. To mark the event, BMW apologized for its previous and the “profound remorse” in offering provides to the Nazis and using slave labor.
The corporate states that it was the primary industrial company to talk on this chapter in its historical past again in 1983. In 1999, BMW was a founding member of the “Remembrance, Accountability and Future” basis to compensate former laborers.
Again in 2011, there was additionally renewed curiosity within the Quandt Household and their ties to the Nazis. They’re nonetheless a shareholder because of the Quandt brothers after World Struggle II.
However, it’s a good factor that this firm sought forgiveness for its previous crimes, even the Quandt Household preserve extra non-public about their previous.
Regardless of a muddy previous, BMW was lucky sufficient to make a comeback and is now often known as a dependable automobile model.
