BMW. BMW in GERMANY
Bayerische
Motoren Werke AG, Petuelring 130, D-80809 Muenchen, Germany, tel. + 4989/384-0,
http://www.bmw.com; http://www.bmwgroup.com
Models produced in Germany: 1, 3 sedan, 3 (Touring estate, coupe,
cabrio), M3 (coupe, cabrio), 5 (sedan,
Touring estate), M5, 6 (coupe,
cabrio), M6, and 7 series; models produced in
Austria: X3; models produced in the USA: Z4, X5; models produced in South
Africa: 3 sedans.
Production volume in Germany in 2003 - 698,968 vehicles (excluding
the CKD sets). BMW cars are globally thought one of the most luxurious and
renowned vehicles that compete with Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Established in 1917, the Bayerische
Motoren Werke company initially constructed only airplane engines, in 1923 joined by
motorcycles. In October 1928, the BMW bought the Dixi company, producing Wartburg
cars as early as in the years 1898-1904, and in the years 1904-1929 - Dixi cars. Since
December 1927,
the
Dixi company has offered, among others, licensed Austin Se-
ven cars, on whose basis, in 1929, the first BMW models
were constructed: the 3/15 DA1 and the 3/15 DA2. In the years 1946-51, BMW cars were
produced in East Germany (further on as the EMW), while in West Germany the
new 502
model
was shown in April 1951 and produced from November 1952. The BMW concern took over the following
companies: Veritas (1953), AFM (1954), Glas (1966), Mini (1994) and Rolls-Royce (2003). Since 1994, BMW has also possessed
such companies as Rover, MG and
Land Rover. In 2000, the Land Rover was sold to Ford, and Rover and MG - to the Phoenix
consortium. Presently, BMW cars are produced in Germany, Austria (since 2003), the USA (since 1994), China (since 2003),
Thailand (since 1973), South Africa (since 1968), Egypt (since 1997), and assembled in
Mexico (1995
- 2003), Indonesia,
Malaysia (since 1981), the Philippines (since 1994), Vietnam (since 1995) and Russia (since 1999).
Latest premieres: Paris 2002 –
Z4;
Detroit 2003
- 3 Coupe
/ 3 Cabrio restyling and
prototype of x Activity; Geneva 2003 - 3 Compact restyling and M 3 CSL (produced only in 2003); Brno 2003 - new 5 sedan;
Frankfurt/Main 2003
- 6 Coupe, X3, X5 restyling; Detroit 2004 - 6 Cabrio; Geneva 2004 - new 5 Touring and
prototype of Concept M 5; March 2004 - series 1 hatchback (5-D); Paris 2004
- new M5; October 2004. - fifth generation
sedan 3;
Detroit
2005 -
5 xi 4x4; Geneva 2005 - 7 restyling, M6 Coupe;
April 2005
fifth
generation 3 Touring.
In 2003,
production
of the Z8 model was terminated and in December 2004 - 3 Compact. Plans for
the future: M7; 2006 -1 hatchback 3-D, new 3 Coupe
/ Cabrio, new 3 Compact,
new X5; 2007
- Z4 M;
2008 - M3 Coupe / Cabrio, new 7, SC5 station wagon,
X5 coupe. In 2003, in 13 countries, 944,072 BMW cars, and in Great Britain - 174,366 Mini and 502 - Rolls Royce cars,
were produced.
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