The special fascination of the BMW Group not only lies in its products and technology, but also in the company’s history, written by inventors, pioneers and brilliant designers. Today, the BMW Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of premium automobiles and motorcycles, and provider of premium financial and mobility services.The BMW Group sets trends in production technology and sustainability as an innovation leader with an intelligent material mix, a technological shift towards digitalization and resource-efficient production. At the same time, flexibility and continuous optimization of value chains ensure competitiveness.Long-term thinking and responsible action are the basis of economic success. Ecological and social sustainability, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources are therefore an integral part of the BMW strategy. With Efficient Dynamics, the BMW Group consistently implements the principle of sustainable mobility and is steadily reducing its vehicles’ fuel consumption and emissions.Three BMW Group Milestones.Establishment of BMW.BMW can trace its roots back to Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto. In 1916, the Flugmaschinenfabrik Gustav Otto company had merged into Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG (BFW) at government behest. Elsewhere, in 1917, the Rapp Motorenwerke company became Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, which was duly converted into an AG (public limited company) in 1918.From 1917, each of the company’s products proudly displayeds the BMW emblem.BMW AG subsequently transferred its engine construction operations – including the company and brand names – to BFW in 1922. The date of BFW’s founding, 7 March 1916, has therefore gone down in history as the foundation date of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG.BMW R32 – The First BMW Motorcycle.BMW announced its first motorcycle, the R 32, to great excitement in 1923. Until then the company had only supplied engines rather than complete vehicles. The basic concept of the original BMW Motorrad Model – a boxer engine with longitudinally positioned cylinders and shaft drive – continues to be employed in the company’s motorcycles to this day.The BMW 501 – The First Post War Car.BMW’s first post-war automobile was the 501, built from 1952 onwards. A large saloon capable of seating up to six people, it was powered by an enhanced version of the six-cylinder engine used in the pre-war BMW 326. As a luxury car, the BMW 501 was not a commercial success, but it nevertheless restored BMW’s status as a manufacturer of high-quality cars.