Before BMW became synonymous with “Ultimate Driving Machine,” it was aircraft engine supplier for the German military during World War I. The first product wasn’t a coupe or a sedan—it was the BMW IIIa inline-six engine, which was so reliable at high altitude it earned a legendary reputation. When the Treaty of Versailles banned German aircraft production after the war, BMW pivoted to making motorcycle engines, then entire motorcycles, and finally—by 1928—the first BMW car: the Dixi.
Fun fact: the transition from planes to cars was so abrupt that early BMW motorcycles basically used modified aircraft components. Imagine riding a bike that was designed for a biplane. That gear rattle? Totally intentional. The brand’s DNA has always been about repurposing precision engineering for different terrains, which is why a modern BMW still feels like it’s built for speed and altitude, even in gridlock traffic.
