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Bavarian Motor Works established through the merger of an aircraft maker and a manufacturer of aircraft engines.
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1916 |
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First success with the 6-cylinder BMW IIa engine, which powered a biplane to 5,000 meters.
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1918 |
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A BMW biplane set a world altitude record of 9,760 meters.
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1919 |
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Company signed a contract to produce a small engine for the Victoria motorcycle.
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1922 |
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BMW presented its first motorcycle in Paris - the R32.
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1923 |
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The R 37 Motorcycle was introduced.
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1925 |
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1925-
1926 |
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BMW motorcycles won three German championships and almost 200 racing prizes.
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BMW acquired the Wartburg Vehicle Factory and continued production of the Dixi and an improved version called the 3/15.
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1928 |
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1929 |
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BMW Dixi driven by Buchner, Kandt and Wagner won the performance test over the highest Alpine passes.
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The decade when BMW established its reputation as a maker of high-quality motor vehicles.
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3/20 was introduced - a newer, larger car.
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1932 |
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Introduced the first sports sedan - the 6-cylinder 303.
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1933 |
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1933 |
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Introduction of the 6-cylinder engines.
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303's engine enlarged to 1.5 liters and the model-naming system was instituted with the introduction of the 315.
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1934 |
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1934 |
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Three brand-new BMW 315/1s won their class in the 2,000 km German Rally.
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328 launched with innovative 2-liter, 6-cylinder engine.
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1936 |
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1936 |
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Ernst Henne achieved world speed records with the 750 cc Streamliner Motorcycle.
Ernst Henne launched the 328 roadster by winning the German Grand Prix.
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1937 |
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Ernst Henne set the world speed record at 173.3 mph - in a Streamliner Motorcycle, a record untouched until the '50s.
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1939 |
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Schorsch Meier rode to the 1939 Isle of the Man victory with the 500 cc supercharged motorcycle. BMW motorcycles brought home 491 gold medals.
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Baron Fritz Huschke von Kanstein, in a special-bodied 328 coupe, had a record setting victory at Italy's legendary Mille Miglia road race.
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BMW builds its first postwar motorcycle, the R 23.
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1948 |
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Max Klankermeier and Hermann Wolz won the German Sidecar Championship.
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BMW builds its first postwar car, the 501 sedan.
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1951 |
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1951 |
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Wiggerl Kraus and Bernhard Huser won the German Sidecar Championship.
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1954-
1965 |
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BMW motorcycles won 13 German off-road championships and 145 gold medals in major cross-country events.
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1954-
1974 |
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BMW won the World Sidecar Championship for no less than twenty years.
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BMW introduced the 507 roadster.
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1956 |
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BMW introduced the 700 Sport - "Small, but fast and nimble."
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1959 |
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1959 |
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BMW returns to the track with the 700 - "The Lion-Hearted Weasel"
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1959-
1964 |
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The BMW 700 sucessfully puts BMW back on the racing scene in Europe with numerous wins.
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BMW's contemporary period began with the introduction of the 1500 sedan.
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1962 |
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1962 |
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700 was replaced by the "New Range" 1500 sedan and its variants (the performance-oriented Ti/SA).
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The 1800 Ti/SA, a special performance version of the 1800 Ti launched. A total of 200 were built
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1965 |
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1965 |
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1800 ti is the first sedan to lap the Nurenburgring race track in under 10 minutes.
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BMW introduces to quintessential sporty sedan- the 2002.
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1968 |
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1968 |
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BMW began developing engines for Formula 2 racing.
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Several enthusiastic 2002 owners established the BMW Car Club of America - now over 62,000 members strong.
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1970 |
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BMW launched several versions of 6-cylinder cars including the 2800CS coupe and the 2500 sedan.
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1970-
1977 |
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BMW competes in the European Touring Car series, winning five championships with the CS coupe.
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1972 |
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Company formed a new subsidiary, BMW Motorsport GmbH.
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BMW of NA was established as the U.S. importer.
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1975 |
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1975 |
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First of many art cars competes at Le Mans.
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The first 3 Series launched.
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1976 |
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BMW repeatedly introduced successful new models in the 3,5,6 & 7 Series ranges.
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1975-
1978 |
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1975 |
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BMW 3.0 CSL wins 12 hours of Sebring when BMWNA was less than one week old.
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1976 |
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The BMW 3.0 CSL wins the 24 hours of Daytona
Driving their 320 racers, BMW Junior Team thrilled european race fans with a display of racing skill - all three eventually made it to Formula 1.
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1977-1978 |
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BMW 32 Turbo surprised the IMSA competition by winning, 7 races, laying the foundation for BMW's future Formula 1 effort.
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1978 |
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M1 debuted at the Paris Auto Show
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1979 |
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Mark Surer won the 1979 Formula II championship for BMW.
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1979-1980 |
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BMW ran the M1 Procar championship as an adjunct to Formula 1.
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1979 |
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M1 Procar Series Champion - Niki Lauda.
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BMW of NA assumed import and distribution responsibilities for BMW motorcycles in North America.
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1980 |
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M1 Procar Series Champion - Nelson Piquet.
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1981 |
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BMW M1 won IMSA GTO Championship with 11 victories.
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1981,
1983,
1984,
1985 |
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The R 80 G/S won the grueling Paris-Dakar Rally, the world's toughest long-distance race.
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A totally new generation of motorcycles added to the famous boxer engine R Series - the new K Series models.
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1983 |
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1983 |
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Nelson Piquet won the 1983 Formula One Championship for BMW driving a BMW-powered Brabham BT52.
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BMW introduced a line of M cars in the United States including the M3, M5 and M6.
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1987 |
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1987-
1990 |
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The BMW M3 became the most winning car in European Touring Car history, winning 1,436 races including World, European and German championships.
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R 1100 motorcycle was introduced.
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1993 |
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1993-
1994 |
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BMW M5 won IMSA Supercar Manufacturer's Championship.
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First American-made BMW car rolled off the assembly line in Spartanburg, SC.
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1994 |
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BMW assumed ownership of Designworks/USA, a well established design studio in Southern California.
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1995 |
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1995 |
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The BMW-powered McLaren F1 GTR won the 1995 Le Mans 24 race at its inaugural appearance - a first.
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BMW introduced the Z3 roadster with an appearance on the James Bond film "Goldeneye."
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1996 |
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1996 |
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The BMW M3 won IMSA GTS-2 Championship.
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BMW escorted the 1996 Olympic Torch across America enroute to the Atlanta games.
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1996 |
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1996 |
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The 1996 Monterey Historic Automobile Races honored BMW as the featured marque. Over 50 historic BMW race cars are brought together for the celebration.
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1997 |
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The BMW M3 won both the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in IMSA GTS-3 competition.
The M3 also won the GTS-3 SportsCar Manufacturer's Championship.
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| BMW celebrated 75 years of motorcycles. |
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1998 |
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1998 |
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BMW M3 won third consecutive Professional SportsCar Racing GT3 Manufacturer's Championship as well as the inaugural USRRC championship.
Prototype Technology Group M3 also won Driver's and Team Championships in both series.
Second consecutive Daytona 24 Hour and Sebring 12 Hour race wins.
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BMW launched a new line of M cars, the M roadster and M coupe.
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1998 |
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BMW introduced the Z8 with an appearance in the James Bond Film "The World Is Not Enough"
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1999 |
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1999 |
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BMW V-12 LMR prototype won the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 hours of LeMans. BMW enters Formula1 with the BMW williams FW22 placing 3rd in its first race.
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BMW introduced the 1999 fourth generation 3 Series models with the 328 sedan.
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1999 |
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BMW launched its first truck of the modern era, the X5.
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2000 |
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2000 |
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BMW launched the new E46 M3 race car at Sebring 12 Hour race.
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BMW produced a series of films entitled "The Hire" where BMW vehicles are the stars.
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2001 |
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2001 |
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BMW Williams FW23 racer competed in F1 with several podium finished including wins at San Marino and Imola, Italy; Montreal, Canada; and Hockenheim, Germany.
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2001 |
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BMW introduces the V8 powered M3 GTR at the Sebring 12 Hour race.
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2001 |
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BMW M3 GTR competed in American LeMans Series with 2 teams, 8 drivers and 4 cars, winning the manufacturer, team, and driver championships.
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BMW introduced the fourth generation 7 Series with all new automotive technology.
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2002 |
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