Inside BMW’s museum - picture special

Munich-based exhibition covers BMW's long engineering history in fine style

BMW Z1 grew out of technology test bed. Premiered BMW’s ‘Z-axle’ and combined steel upper structure with carbon composite floor
BMW started life in 1917 when Rapp Motorenwerke offered an advanced aircraft engine to the military. It changed its name to BMW.
1923 BMW R32 was the company’s first road transport, noted for its high quality and shaft drive.
In 1928 BMW absorbed car maker Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach and started producing an upgraded Austin Seven as the Dixie 3/15PS
1930 commercial van version of the Dixie 3/15PS
1934 BMW R7 prototype used a boxer engine and period ‘airflow’ styling
In 1937 Ernst Henne set a world speed record of 134.6mph on the BMW WR500
2009 BMW Concept 6 concept motorcycle
the 1939 Kamm Racing Saloon used a super-light 32kg magnesium frame with the aluminium panels secured by folding the edges over
1939 Kamm Racing Saloon
1938 BMW 327/328
1939 BMW 328 roadster
1933-34 BMW M73, the company’s first six-cylinder engine, just 1182cc and 29.6bhp
1926 BMW V1 49.6-litre V12 developing ‘up to’ 740bhp at just 1700rpm. Used in Dornier J flying boat
BMW 801’s 14-cylinder radial engine was most famous fitted to the WW2 Focke-Wulf Fw190. It developed between 1500 and 2000bhp
BMW also led in early jet engine development. This 003 unit was used for the four-motor 1944 Arado Ar 234 jet bomber prototype
BMW’s war work includes this desert-spec motorcycle and sidecar
1955 BMW Isetta. Based on an Italian design, but heavily re-engineered, it was powered by a single cylinder 12bhp engine
Even with just 12bhp, the top speed of the Isetta was 54mph
The BMW 700 was the first monocoque and used a rear-mounted flat-2 engine
The 1600-2 was launched in 1996 and set the style and format the BMW’s hugely successful compact rear-drive format
The BMW E21 – known as the 3-series - arrived in 1975 and offered the option of six-cylinder engines
The E30 3-series polished the same formula and began the highly successful premium trend for multiple bodystyles
The E30 touring was the first compact premium estate and emerged from a private conversion by a BMW employee
1991 E63 marked a big technical and styling step forward, including the innovative ‘Z-axle’ rear suspension
The E63 series also including the ‘93 ‘Compact’ hatchback, which used some components from the E30 series
Display is rounded up by the 1999 E46
The current, E90, 3-series is shown in the form of a clay model
The reverse side of the E90 clay shows how the mock-up is built up, with a layer of modeling clay on the outside
The 120bhp, twin-carb 2002Ti was the beginning of BMW exploiting the inherent sportiness of its rear-drive cars
By 1978 BMW had finally got its performance act into gear, launching the mid-engined M1 in 1978 with 273bhp six-pot
The M635CSi was launch in 1983, fitted a 282bhp version of the engine that powered the M1
985 BMW M5, fitted with a 3.5-litre with 282bhp
Perhaps the most celebrated of all the M cars, the E30 M was launched in 1986 with 212bhp and four cylinders
The E46 M3 had a 338bhp naturally-aspirated straight-six engine and BMW M Roadster had 318bhp
A line-up of M-division engines beginning with the 1978 M88
The BMW Turbo was a 1972 concept built for the Munich Olympics which had a 2-litre, 278bhp, four-cylinder engine
Impressive display shows the badge of virtually every production BMW model
Classic 1971 BMW 3.0 CSi had around 200bhp
This is the second of BMW’s famous ‘art cars’ produced by artist Frank Stella
Handsome 2000Ti in successful competition guise
Dramatic 1977 BMW 320 track car
320’s extreme rear aerofoil
1975 BMW 3.0CSL powered by a 420bhp six-pot
2004 M3 GTR with a 480bhp V8 engine
Brabham BMW BT 52 took the 1980 F1 Championship Piquet at the wheel
1981 BMW M12/13 F1 engine. The turbocharger is said to have come from a tank
1983 F1 engine good for as much as 790bhp and, with higher turbo boost as much as 1100bhp for short periods
BMW’s first roadster, the 1930 17bhp 3/15
The 1934 BMW 315/1 was the company’s first six-cylinder roadster
1991 8-series was launched into political and economic upheaval, which led to this cabriolet being canned
It’s rumoured that the 8-series cabrio provided the basis for the 1994 Bentley Java concept car

News

by Hilton Holloway

1 min read

13 December 2014

It’s a cliché to call a museum a ‘treasure trove’ but in the case of the BMW museum in Munich it’s necessary to make an exception.

Based right by BMW’s distinctive ‘Four-Cylinder’ HQ in Munich and just across the road from BMW Welt, a giant BMW brand experience centre, where buyers can also pick up their freshly made cars.

The BMW covers the company’s activities right from its origins in the design and manufacturing of aircraft engines, its long history of motorcycles through its first steps in car manufacturing to its current position as the biggest premium automotive brand in the world.

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