Looking back at BMW in the past

It is difficult to imagine the roads of the UK without the occasional flash of a sleek BMW. These luxury cars have become the "most wanted" of the car world, desired by drivers old and young for their excellent performance and fabulous ride, and not forgetting their prestigious badge. Consistently high sales - such as the 123,000 vehicles sold during July 2007 alone - are a sign of how BMW is one of the most respected and popular manufacturers in the market.

However, but for the unexpected success of a certain model in the 1950s, we might never have become so familiar with the brand as we are today. Indeed, many of us could even have been left asking "What is a BMW?" had BMW's fortunes not taken a turn for the better at this time in the company's history.

duck2water Car Insurance Services will now take you on a little tour of the ups and downs of BMW's past, so hang on and be warned - there are some bumpy bits.

BMW's beginnings...
BMW began in 1913 not as BMW at all, but as a company called Rapp Motoren Werke based in Munich. This firm made aircraft engines, but was not completely successful at it as their products were found to cause too much vibration. After just three years, it merged with another company and renamed itself Bayersiche Motoren Werke, which translates to Bavarian Motor Works. It is from here that we get the initials BMW with which we are so familiar.

After several years of making aircraft engines (and several not due to the Treaty of Versaille) BMW settled upon the logo that has seen it through to the present day. The alternating blue and white quarters of the circle are based on an aircraft propeller, but the company has stuck with it even though it now has a much stronger association with cars than planes.

The company experimented with motorcycles for a couple of years before creating its first cars in 1928. Pretty much identical to the Japanese Datsun and the US Bantam, the Dixi was manufactured under license from Austin. Fast forward a couple of years and some racing success in the Dixi, and BMW launched its own model, the AM4.

The AM4 was quickly followed by the 303 saloon, a car which featured the kidney-shaped grilles which have become a defining feature of BMWs, and the 328 a few years later. The 328 was BMW's most popular sports car from before World War II, with a total of 426 being manufactured for use on the roads.

Its lows...
Despite some success on the racetrack with these vehicles, BMW had still not really caught on in a really big way with motorists and the success that it had had with the 328 was wiped out by WWII. The company was left devastated by the war, with its factories in pieces and restrictions imposed on manufacturing in the aftermath. Its comeback attempt in 1951 was poorly received, spelling further doom and gloom for the manufacturer.

Fortunately for all you current BMW enthusiasts, 1955 turned out to be a better year for BMW, setting a precedent for the future. The Isetta was a hit with the motoring public, and more than 160,000 units were sold before its discontinuation in 1962. This gave BMW some more confidence, and 1956 saw a breakthrough in styling with the 507 - a car which has acted as inspiration for much newer models even though relatively few were produced.

...and its highs
The 1960s saw the start of BMW's long run of successful cars. The 1500 was launched in 1962 and had distinctive styling and exceptional suspension; a winning combination which spread to the rest of the range. In all, BMW saw more than 300,000 units sold in just two years.

A decade later, and BMW came up with the classic 3-Series, 5-Series and 7-Series. These models set a very strong foundation for the brand, and have been built upon and improved over the years. Nowadays, most BMW drivers are still driving a member of one of these model ranges. The addition of the Z3, Z8 and Motorsport series have strengthened BMW's grip on the prestige car market further, and are considered by many to be the ultimate performance vehicles.

Specialist BMW car insurance
Whether you have been driving BMWs for years or you have just invested in your first, you want to be sure that you have the best possible protection from your car insurance. Luckily for you, duck2water Car Insurance Services has developed a set of special BMW car insurance policies.

These not only mean that you get an exceptional level of cover and lots of extras, but you get it all at a fantastic price. The cost of BMW insurance can be quite costly as most of the range appears in the higher car insurance groups, but worry not - you could save up to 30% with a specialist BMW car insurance policy from us.

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