What Place Does BMW Have In History? By Lucy Wyndham

BMWs hold a lofty place, along with a handful of other car manufacturers, as one of the most instantly recognizable and celebrated car brands. The design and features of cars such as the 02 mean that the likes of BBC and Top Gear have hailed many BMWs for their innovation, placing them as some of the most legendary vehicles to have been designed. Because of this, and a handful of other reasons, BMW have made a huge footmark on automotive history to the point where the reputation of the company and its vehicles precedes them.

Impact on markets globally

The prestige of BMW motors and their famed construction has made the company popular among various markets across the world. As a result of this, the company has grown exponentially. While not one of the largest car producers by number of cars produced every year, BMW is one of the most valuable companies around. According to US Today, its 2018 value was £54bn, the fourth highest in the world. Why is this important? This market value has enabled BMW to purchase and preserve classic car lines such as Mini and Rolls-Royce. This has helped to promote classic car designs and ownership of much loved and respected designs, as well as allowing innovation on those models.

Pushing forward innovation

With the money coming into the business, BMW have pushed research and development across the entirety of the vehicle design. Some innovations resulting from this have been flashier and pushed the envelope, such as the latest generation of electric vehicles. More have been less prominent, but have created key changes in the motoring industry and set the tone for other new models. For instance, Interesting Engineering note the impact of electronic stability control, introduced mid-90s, that eventually became a legal safety requirement for new cars built in many countries. These small innovations made classic BMWs an absolute joy to drive and set the stakes high for future car designs.

Building communities up

The production of classic BMWs worldwide created towns that were centred around the production of the cars. This continues today, with towns like Spartanburg, USA, working with BMW to protect against new trade tariffs and maintain productivity in the town, as reported by the New York Times. This connection to older plants is influencing current design. For example, the new BMW 3 series brings back a lot of heritage features, according to CEO Magazine. The kidney grille and twin adaptive headlights are examples of features being brought back through heritage production. By BMW retaining their production plants in these unique parts of the world, vintage design features will continue to by a part of new models and that connection to older communities preserved.

BMW cars exemplify quality and vintage models have some of the most important and time-honoured design features found in cars today. Beyond the outward appearance of the vehicles, the company has made huge innovations in the automotive industry and helped to build communities. As a result, these iconic cars really have secured a place in history.

 

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