BMW, which translated to English stands for Bavarian Motor Works, is a major manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles based in Munich, Germany. Their high-performance vehicles are considered status symbols in many parts of the world owing to their quality and refinement.
BMW was originally founded in 1916. The early twentieth century saw the fledgling company make numerous manufacturing shifts in response to Germany’s involvement in two world wars. Most of the early work involved the production of aircraft engines as well as military vehicles. In the aftermath of bombed out factories and economic turmoil, BMW rebuilt and underwent business restructuring throughout the 1950s and 60s. The introduction of the 3 series, the 5 series, and numerous design innovations further cemented BMWs reputation for sports cars and refinement. In addition to further international expansion, BMW would eventually go on to acquire the MINI and Rolls Royce brands from Britain in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The status symbol aspect of a BMW notwithstanding, BMWs are considered very powerful cars and strike a balance between sportiness and the smoothness of a pure luxury vehicle. A signature aspect of all the cars is the front grille, a “double-kidney” design, found in every BMW for the past 70 years.
