BMW was founded on March 7, 1916 in Munich as Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG through the merger of Gustav Otto’s Flugmaschinenfabrik and the assets of Rapp Motorenwerke, adopting the Bayerische Motoren Werke name in 1922. Its earliest products included the straight-six BMW IIIa aircraft engine in 1917 and the R32 motorcycle in 1923, with the rebadged Dixi 3/15 marking its automotive debut in 1928. Today, BMW sells over 2.3 million vehicles annually—flagship models include the 3 Series, 5 Series, X5 SUV, and the electric i4 and iX—across 150 markets via a global network of 31 plants. Renowned for engineering precision and premium design, BMW maintains strong brand loyalty and residual values, and has embraced electrification early, with a logo inspired by its aviation heritage.