1 00:00:00,175 --> 00:00:01,975 (fast, rhythmic rock music) 2 00:00:01,975 --> 00:00:05,197 - [Narrator] Ultra-modern and trailblazing technology, 3 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 4 00:00:05,197 --> 00:00:08,744 innovation, design, and driving pleasure. 5 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 6 00:00:08,744 --> 00:00:10,607 These are the driving factors 7 00:00:10,607 --> 00:00:14,067 that have made the Bavarian manufacturer over 100 years 8 00:00:14,067 --> 00:00:17,294 into what it is today; a global player 9 00:00:17,294 --> 00:00:19,614 moving confidently into the future. 10 00:00:19,614 --> 00:00:23,031 (rhythmic, upbeat music) 11 00:00:24,147 --> 00:00:27,280 To get there, we need to go on a journey through time, 12 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,760 which begins in 1916. 13 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,177 (rhythmic, upbeat music) 14 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,093 Cars and motorbikes are the things 15 00:00:46,093 --> 00:00:49,373 for which the BMW brand is known the world over, 16 00:00:49,373 --> 00:00:51,786 but its origins lie in the air. 17 00:00:51,786 --> 00:00:55,036 (slow, rhythmic music) 18 00:01:01,413 --> 00:01:04,638 BMW was founded to manufacture aircraft engines. 19 00:01:04,638 --> 00:01:08,772 As early as 1917 the 3A engine was developed and presented, 20 00:01:08,772 --> 00:01:10,999 immediately proving to be a good seller. 21 00:01:10,999 --> 00:01:13,506 The young manufacturer is investing in a new market 22 00:01:13,506 --> 00:01:16,173 with massive business potential. 23 00:01:17,692 --> 00:01:19,972 BMW historian, Manfred Grunert, 24 00:01:19,972 --> 00:01:22,389 knows the background to this. 25 00:01:25,243 --> 00:01:27,932 - [Translator] It also placed during World War I, 26 00:01:27,932 --> 00:01:31,331 which meant there was a strong demand from the military, 27 00:01:31,331 --> 00:01:34,664 and that helped BMW to achieve a prominent position 28 00:01:34,664 --> 00:01:37,332 in the aircraft engine industry. 29 00:01:39,491 --> 00:01:41,238 - [Narrator] These early BMW engines 30 00:01:41,238 --> 00:01:43,731 are fitted on the Fokker D.VII Biplane fighter, 31 00:01:43,731 --> 00:01:46,491 amongst others, a successor model to the famous 32 00:01:46,491 --> 00:01:49,957 Fokker Dr.I, as flown by Manfred von Richthofen, 33 00:01:49,957 --> 00:01:52,064 better known as The Red Barron. 34 00:01:52,064 --> 00:01:54,704 For BMW, engines were the starting point, 35 00:01:54,704 --> 00:01:57,090 the basis of its business, and today 36 00:01:57,090 --> 00:01:59,783 they are still one of the key pillars of the company. 37 00:01:59,783 --> 00:02:02,090 Aircraft engines not only form the foundations 38 00:02:02,090 --> 00:02:04,557 of the engineering, but are also money-makers 39 00:02:04,557 --> 00:02:06,757 in two world wars. 40 00:02:06,757 --> 00:02:09,250 But engines also play a key role at BMW 41 00:02:09,250 --> 00:02:11,223 during the interwar years. 42 00:02:11,223 --> 00:02:14,850 In 1923, the company decides to build motorbikes, 43 00:02:14,850 --> 00:02:17,063 equipped with a revolutionary power unit, 44 00:02:17,063 --> 00:02:18,610 the boxer engine. 45 00:02:18,610 --> 00:02:21,476 (peaceful piano music) 46 00:02:21,476 --> 00:02:23,200 Ulrich Knieps is an expert 47 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,283 on historic BMW vehicles and engines. 48 00:02:28,703 --> 00:02:29,931 - [Translator] The special aspect of these 49 00:02:29,931 --> 00:02:32,036 two-cylinder flat twin boxer engines, 50 00:02:32,036 --> 00:02:33,542 is that the crank shaft is in line 51 00:02:33,542 --> 00:02:35,035 with the direction of travel, 52 00:02:35,035 --> 00:02:36,781 so the force can be transferred directly 53 00:02:36,781 --> 00:02:39,341 to the rear axle via cardan shaft, 54 00:02:39,341 --> 00:02:42,102 and this principle has held firm up to today. 55 00:02:42,102 --> 00:02:44,569 The most recent example is the GS 1200, 56 00:02:44,569 --> 00:02:48,715 which continues to be based on this fundamental principle. 57 00:02:48,715 --> 00:02:49,968 - [Narrator] Boxer engines are therefore 58 00:02:49,968 --> 00:02:51,742 still very much in demand. 59 00:02:51,742 --> 00:02:54,888 What started back then has continued up to the present, 60 00:02:54,888 --> 00:02:57,368 whether it is an aircraft engine, a boxer, 61 00:02:57,368 --> 00:03:00,595 a six-cylinder, or now, an electric engine, 62 00:03:00,595 --> 00:03:02,901 researching and developing has been one of the pillars 63 00:03:02,901 --> 00:03:04,741 in the company's history. 64 00:03:04,741 --> 00:03:07,635 Part of the success story is the R32, 65 00:03:07,635 --> 00:03:10,008 which is simultaneously the founding stone 66 00:03:10,008 --> 00:03:12,425 of BMW motorbike engineering. 67 00:03:15,754 --> 00:03:19,474 The Dutch designers Carole Baijings and Stefan Scholten 68 00:03:19,474 --> 00:03:21,928 know the mood of the period. 69 00:03:21,928 --> 00:03:25,511 - I think they come from very dark periods, 70 00:03:27,127 --> 00:03:31,901 and somehow I think people in general, they came to life, 71 00:03:31,901 --> 00:03:34,793 and that's what you celebrate in this decade. 72 00:03:34,793 --> 00:03:38,927 The extravagance and showing your identity 73 00:03:38,927 --> 00:03:43,260 with furniture, or with design, or with a car, 74 00:03:43,260 --> 00:03:46,010 was new and done very expressive, 75 00:03:47,726 --> 00:03:49,646 a beautiful time, actually. 76 00:03:49,646 --> 00:03:51,579 - [Narrator] Aircraft engines, motorbikes, 77 00:03:51,579 --> 00:03:52,913 but one element is still missing 78 00:03:52,913 --> 00:03:55,086 in these early years; the car. 79 00:03:55,086 --> 00:03:58,699 Today, BMW produces and sells cars all around the world, 80 00:03:58,699 --> 00:04:00,926 but in the early 1920s this segment 81 00:04:00,926 --> 00:04:04,834 still remained to be discovered as a business model. 82 00:04:04,834 --> 00:04:07,339 - [Translator] The thing that BMW is best known for today 83 00:04:07,339 --> 00:04:10,766 is actually the last product to be added to its portfolio. 84 00:04:10,766 --> 00:04:13,325 The opportunity arose in 1928, 85 00:04:13,325 --> 00:04:15,445 when the Gothaer Waggonfabrik company 86 00:04:15,445 --> 00:04:17,644 was looking to sell its car production operations, 87 00:04:17,644 --> 00:04:21,365 for example, the production facility in Eisenach. 88 00:04:21,365 --> 00:04:23,352 - [Narrator] Along with the facilities in Eisenach, 89 00:04:23,352 --> 00:04:26,152 BMW also acquires the license for cost-favorable 90 00:04:26,152 --> 00:04:29,058 mass manufacture of an English small car. 91 00:04:29,058 --> 00:04:31,098 Initially the car continues to be marketed 92 00:04:31,098 --> 00:04:34,338 as the Dixi, and it is only from 1929 on 93 00:04:34,338 --> 00:04:36,565 that it is badged as a BMW. 94 00:04:36,565 --> 00:04:39,591 The car era has now definitely begun for the company, 95 00:04:39,591 --> 00:04:40,951 and sales are good. 96 00:04:40,951 --> 00:04:43,604 The company sells 27,000 vehicles, 97 00:04:43,604 --> 00:04:46,391 a very high figure for that time. 98 00:04:46,391 --> 00:04:50,231 Today BMW is a leading premium producer of cars. 99 00:04:50,231 --> 00:04:52,578 The product range and sales are huge, 100 00:04:52,578 --> 00:04:56,411 2.25 million cars were sold worldwide in 2015. 101 00:04:57,457 --> 00:05:00,324 The early days of a few thousand cars sold per year 102 00:05:00,324 --> 00:05:01,991 are far in the past. 103 00:05:03,711 --> 00:05:06,129 - It's so nice to see this car, 104 00:05:06,129 --> 00:05:08,337 the landscape, you wanna drive there, 105 00:05:08,337 --> 00:05:10,745 but it looks so sensual and round. 106 00:05:10,745 --> 00:05:14,990 - But it's still very, an important aspect 107 00:05:14,990 --> 00:05:19,230 of the BMW brand in general I think is all about emotion, 108 00:05:19,230 --> 00:05:21,230 the whole appearance, and that's the reason why 109 00:05:21,230 --> 00:05:23,668 I said performance, how you get in the car 110 00:05:23,668 --> 00:05:25,683 and out the car, how you look, how you dress, 111 00:05:25,683 --> 00:05:27,016 everything should be matching, 112 00:05:27,016 --> 00:05:29,336 and that's actually what it does, it brands, 113 00:05:29,336 --> 00:05:32,041 and in choosing this type of car, 114 00:05:32,041 --> 00:05:34,287 it's not stopping with the car. 115 00:05:34,287 --> 00:05:37,567 - [Narrator] The 315 is not only sold as an everyday car, 116 00:05:37,567 --> 00:05:39,594 but it is also used for racing. 117 00:05:39,594 --> 00:05:41,287 It's a combination that will run through 118 00:05:41,287 --> 00:05:44,353 the company's entire history like a golden thread. 119 00:05:44,353 --> 00:05:46,153 From that time up to the present, 120 00:05:46,153 --> 00:05:49,593 sporty performance has been written large. 121 00:05:49,593 --> 00:05:51,948 Automotive historian Wolfgang Blaube 122 00:05:51,948 --> 00:05:56,115 knows about the racing successes of these early BMWs. 123 00:05:57,633 --> 00:05:58,926 - [Translator] Because it was very reliable 124 00:05:58,926 --> 00:06:00,100 and very robust. 125 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:02,393 For example, the two-stroke DKW, 126 00:06:02,393 --> 00:06:04,633 with its 600 cubic centimeter engine, 127 00:06:04,633 --> 00:06:07,726 were clearly faster, but on the Nurburgring, for instance, 128 00:06:07,726 --> 00:06:10,353 they were quite commonly stranded after two to three laps 129 00:06:10,353 --> 00:06:12,033 with engine damage. 130 00:06:12,033 --> 00:06:16,459 Whereas the BMW 315 Watbook continued to put in the laps 131 00:06:16,459 --> 00:06:20,626 and masterfully won the 750 class time after time. 132 00:06:21,461 --> 00:06:24,591 - [Narrator] It is records, and not just on the roads. 133 00:06:24,591 --> 00:06:28,524 In 1931, this rail zeppelin was powered by a BMW engine 134 00:06:28,524 --> 00:06:30,631 on its record run, reaching a speed 135 00:06:30,631 --> 00:06:33,258 of 230 kilometers an hour. 136 00:06:33,258 --> 00:06:36,084 One year later this same engine powers this flying boat 137 00:06:36,084 --> 00:06:37,683 on a flight around the world. 138 00:06:37,683 --> 00:06:40,377 The plane covered over 44,000 kilometers 139 00:06:40,377 --> 00:06:42,044 in 270 flying hours. 140 00:06:43,271 --> 00:06:47,438 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 141 00:07:26,070 --> 00:07:29,550 These successes also fueled the car construction segment. 142 00:07:29,550 --> 00:07:31,633 The 328 launches in 1936. 143 00:07:32,629 --> 00:07:36,796 It is to become a milestone in automotive history. 144 00:07:38,043 --> 00:07:41,096 In 1940, Huschke von Hanstein and Walter Baumer 145 00:07:41,096 --> 00:07:43,549 won the Millie Miglia in a 328. 146 00:07:43,549 --> 00:07:46,229 Overall, four of the first six places in this race 147 00:07:46,229 --> 00:07:48,882 are filled by teams racing the 328, 148 00:07:48,882 --> 00:07:51,495 and BMW occupies a niche on the market. 149 00:07:51,495 --> 00:07:53,829 As early as the 1930s, the company was selling 150 00:07:53,829 --> 00:07:56,642 sports racing cars for everyday use on the roads, 151 00:07:56,642 --> 00:07:59,308 and the success story continues. 152 00:08:00,427 --> 00:08:01,415 - [Translator] There's a saying, 153 00:08:01,415 --> 00:08:03,828 win on Sunday, sin on Monday. 154 00:08:03,828 --> 00:08:05,028 It's the best advertising 155 00:08:05,028 --> 00:08:07,748 you could possibly imagine in motorsports, 156 00:08:07,748 --> 00:08:11,581 leaving the competition trailing in your wake. 157 00:08:15,477 --> 00:08:18,401 - [Narrator] And the visual design too was groundbreaking, 158 00:08:18,401 --> 00:08:21,984 as Professor Paolo Tumminelli acknowledges. 159 00:08:24,468 --> 00:08:26,148 - [Translator] The quality of the 328 160 00:08:26,148 --> 00:08:29,868 in the sports version, a car very much geared to efficiency, 161 00:08:29,868 --> 00:08:32,548 was definitely that embellishment and superfluity 162 00:08:32,548 --> 00:08:34,215 were dispensed with. 163 00:08:35,321 --> 00:08:39,866 The focus is generally on developing a sports machine. 164 00:08:39,866 --> 00:08:42,374 - [Narrator] The 328 is also the first instance 165 00:08:42,374 --> 00:08:45,733 featuring the double kidney-shaped radiator open design. 166 00:08:45,733 --> 00:08:48,400 Although it looked very different from how it does today, 167 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,773 it is nevertheless typical, and will remain 168 00:08:50,773 --> 00:08:52,707 a defining style element. 169 00:08:52,707 --> 00:08:56,680 Whether it's the 507, a design icon from the 1950s, 170 00:08:56,680 --> 00:09:00,000 or today's i8, design has always been a pillar 171 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:01,388 of the company. 172 00:09:01,388 --> 00:09:04,471 (grand string music) 173 00:09:05,813 --> 00:09:08,813 (slow, noble music) 174 00:09:15,279 --> 00:09:18,226 In 1933, the Nazis seized power. 175 00:09:18,226 --> 00:09:19,986 Germany rearms and the military 176 00:09:19,986 --> 00:09:22,146 becomes increasingly important. 177 00:09:22,146 --> 00:09:25,132 It changes every aspect of economic life in Germany. 178 00:09:25,132 --> 00:09:27,599 Rearmament projects offer many companies 179 00:09:27,599 --> 00:09:29,572 a real commercial opportunity, 180 00:09:29,572 --> 00:09:32,039 where they can profit and grow on a massive scale. 181 00:09:32,039 --> 00:09:34,872 BMW too, leaps at the opportunity. 182 00:09:38,132 --> 00:09:39,492 - [Translator] If you want an air force, 183 00:09:39,492 --> 00:09:41,439 you need aircraft engines. 184 00:09:41,439 --> 00:09:43,772 And one of the major aircraft engine manufacturers 185 00:09:43,772 --> 00:09:46,332 at that time was BMW. 186 00:09:46,332 --> 00:09:48,612 In other words, from the mid-1930s, 187 00:09:48,612 --> 00:09:50,772 BMW becomes an integral part 188 00:09:50,772 --> 00:09:53,522 in national socialist rearmament. 189 00:09:54,491 --> 00:09:57,131 The Nazis did ask for rearmament, 190 00:09:57,131 --> 00:10:00,443 but the company itself participated in it, 191 00:10:00,443 --> 00:10:03,624 and had an economic interest in setting to the Luftwaffe, 192 00:10:03,624 --> 00:10:05,874 which then if fact, it did. 193 00:10:07,864 --> 00:10:12,031 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 194 00:10:18,984 --> 00:10:21,317 - [Narrator] Aircraft engines are the specialist field 195 00:10:21,317 --> 00:10:24,117 of Gerhard Filchner, aviation curator 196 00:10:24,117 --> 00:10:26,034 at the Deutches Museum. 197 00:10:27,530 --> 00:10:31,077 - [Translator] Well, the 132 was built from 1933 onwards 198 00:10:31,077 --> 00:10:35,223 by BMW for the Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft, 199 00:10:35,223 --> 00:10:37,823 and the Ju 52 was then also used 200 00:10:37,823 --> 00:10:41,090 during the second World War as a transport aircraft. 201 00:10:41,090 --> 00:10:43,610 The engine remained in production throughout the war, 202 00:10:43,610 --> 00:10:46,383 in fact, right to the very end of the war. 203 00:10:46,383 --> 00:10:49,966 (airplane engine whirring) 204 00:10:54,316 --> 00:10:58,483 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 205 00:11:11,182 --> 00:11:13,129 - [Narrator] Thanks to aircraft engine production 206 00:11:13,129 --> 00:11:14,969 BMW grows very strongly, 207 00:11:14,969 --> 00:11:17,169 but many of the predominantly male workforce 208 00:11:17,169 --> 00:11:18,809 are called to the Front. 209 00:11:18,809 --> 00:11:20,689 At first people try employing women 210 00:11:20,689 --> 00:11:22,289 to cover the shortage of labor. 211 00:11:22,289 --> 00:11:24,337 Only through using prisoners of war 212 00:11:24,337 --> 00:11:27,470 is BMW able to maintain aircraft engine production, 213 00:11:27,470 --> 00:11:32,203 and could even triple their production through to 1944. 214 00:11:32,203 --> 00:11:34,537 - [Translator] Well, this engine served as the power unit 215 00:11:34,537 --> 00:11:38,016 primarily in the Focke-Wulf 190 fighter. 216 00:11:38,016 --> 00:11:40,456 When war broke out, the demand for aircraft engines 217 00:11:40,456 --> 00:11:43,723 for military aircraft increased massively, 218 00:11:43,723 --> 00:11:46,989 and these engines were then built in large numbers. 219 00:11:46,989 --> 00:11:49,456 In the case of this BMW 801 engine, 220 00:11:49,456 --> 00:11:50,956 over 20,000 units. 221 00:11:52,789 --> 00:11:54,323 - [Narrator] It is a lucrative business, 222 00:11:54,323 --> 00:11:57,282 and BMW can barely keep up with the demand. 223 00:11:57,282 --> 00:12:00,696 Civil production is halted, but motorsports continue. 224 00:12:00,696 --> 00:12:03,882 The motorsports team in Hitler's Germany, the NSKK, 225 00:12:03,882 --> 00:12:08,255 or Nationalsozialistische Kraftfahrkorps, uses BMW cars, 226 00:12:08,255 --> 00:12:11,455 which are also serviced in the company's racing department. 227 00:12:11,455 --> 00:12:14,429 The Bavarian car manufacturer took a fairly critical view 228 00:12:14,429 --> 00:12:16,096 of this arrangement. 229 00:12:18,177 --> 00:12:19,442 - [Translator] Because the Nazis often did not 230 00:12:19,442 --> 00:12:23,162 pay their invoices, or only paid after a long delay, 231 00:12:23,162 --> 00:12:25,908 in the BMW racing department, a kind of, 232 00:12:25,908 --> 00:12:28,681 what I would call a creditor boycott came about, 233 00:12:28,681 --> 00:12:31,508 in that people said to themselves, okay, 234 00:12:31,508 --> 00:12:34,695 but then the lads just won't be racing quite as fast. 235 00:12:34,695 --> 00:12:37,654 We simply adjust the carburetor to burn a bit leaner, 236 00:12:37,654 --> 00:12:39,828 put the valves a little looser, and then the car 237 00:12:39,828 --> 00:12:42,641 simply won't have the performance. 238 00:12:42,641 --> 00:12:45,361 - [Narrator] As the work progresses, BMW also launches 239 00:12:45,361 --> 00:12:47,881 its first jet engines, which power fighter 240 00:12:47,881 --> 00:12:49,907 and reconnaissance aircraft. 241 00:12:49,907 --> 00:12:52,574 But the growing production of goods for the war effort 242 00:12:52,574 --> 00:12:55,467 can only be attained with more additional workers. 243 00:12:55,467 --> 00:12:59,147 From 1942 onwards, concentration camp inmates 244 00:12:59,147 --> 00:13:02,980 were used in German industry, and also at BMW. 245 00:13:08,027 --> 00:13:09,560 - [Translator] And the key point I see 246 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:13,173 in judging BMW during this period, 247 00:13:13,173 --> 00:13:15,760 is the recruitment of forced labor 248 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,343 and concentration camp inmates, 249 00:13:20,784 --> 00:13:24,451 people who were obliged to serve the Regime. 250 00:13:26,866 --> 00:13:29,106 - [Narrator] Dr. Andreas Heusler is co-author 251 00:13:29,106 --> 00:13:31,213 of the standard work on the use of forced labor 252 00:13:31,213 --> 00:13:32,796 in German industry. 253 00:13:34,839 --> 00:13:37,013 - [Translator] It wasn't as if the SS, or the state, 254 00:13:37,013 --> 00:13:40,279 or the Labor Exchange came and said, please BMW, 255 00:13:40,279 --> 00:13:41,946 we have these workers available. 256 00:13:41,946 --> 00:13:44,639 It was an idea which arose within BMW itself 257 00:13:44,639 --> 00:13:46,346 due to the shortage of labor, 258 00:13:46,346 --> 00:13:50,532 which had become a major threat to production. 259 00:13:50,532 --> 00:13:53,519 - [Narrator] The concentration camp inmates working at BMW 260 00:13:53,519 --> 00:13:55,852 lived in a camp that was closely supervised 261 00:13:55,852 --> 00:13:57,935 under inhuman conditions. 262 00:13:59,012 --> 00:14:01,092 The camps were specifically built for the needs 263 00:14:01,092 --> 00:14:03,592 of the large Munich companies. 264 00:14:07,452 --> 00:14:09,025 - [Translator] In the Munich camp 265 00:14:09,025 --> 00:14:13,192 people got up at 4:30 a.m. and went to bed at 10 p.m. 266 00:14:14,438 --> 00:14:18,605 In between these hours it was simply roll calls and work. 267 00:14:24,358 --> 00:14:27,438 The living conditions were catastrophic, 268 00:14:27,438 --> 00:14:29,918 particularly the hygiene conditions, 269 00:14:29,918 --> 00:14:32,751 and of course the work itself too. 270 00:14:35,998 --> 00:14:38,211 - [Narrator] Max Mannheimer was forced to experience 271 00:14:38,211 --> 00:14:41,544 this physically exhausting work himself. 272 00:14:44,491 --> 00:14:46,038 - [Translator] Certainly the work was such 273 00:14:46,038 --> 00:14:49,852 that we had to undertake manual labor 274 00:14:49,852 --> 00:14:54,104 like carrying metal reinforcing rods by the bundle, 275 00:14:54,104 --> 00:14:58,424 which was so heavy they took three of us to carry them. 276 00:14:58,424 --> 00:15:01,224 We had nothing to protect our shoulders, 277 00:15:01,224 --> 00:15:03,974 no padding or anything like that. 278 00:15:05,847 --> 00:15:09,197 It was heavy work, we unloaded cement, 279 00:15:09,197 --> 00:15:11,697 so it was hard physical labor. 280 00:15:13,397 --> 00:15:15,677 - [Narrator] Max Mannheimer is just one of many people 281 00:15:15,677 --> 00:15:17,743 who were compelled to perform inhuman work 282 00:15:17,743 --> 00:15:19,756 as a forced laborer. 283 00:15:19,756 --> 00:15:21,943 After the end of the war for a long time, 284 00:15:21,943 --> 00:15:25,956 BMW did not speak about this dark chapter in its history. 285 00:15:25,956 --> 00:15:28,463 Although during the war years thousands of forced laborers 286 00:15:28,463 --> 00:15:31,529 were employed in the company, it was only in the 1980s 287 00:15:31,529 --> 00:15:34,102 that the company began to deal with the issue. 288 00:15:34,102 --> 00:15:36,836 In the early 1990s a foundation was set up 289 00:15:36,836 --> 00:15:40,062 to compensate the victims, and the company's past 290 00:15:40,062 --> 00:15:43,145 was subjected to historical analysis. 291 00:15:46,136 --> 00:15:49,136 (slow, noble music) 292 00:15:55,262 --> 00:15:57,662 Following the end of the war in 1945, 293 00:15:57,662 --> 00:16:00,795 Germany is divided up into four occupation zones. 294 00:16:00,795 --> 00:16:04,887 Economic life has collapsed, the war has left its mark 295 00:16:04,887 --> 00:16:07,261 and destroyed businesses and infrastructure. 296 00:16:07,261 --> 00:16:09,928 That damage also extends to BMW. 297 00:16:11,315 --> 00:16:14,408 At BMW Munich, there is an initial ban of production 298 00:16:14,408 --> 00:16:16,875 of automobiles from 1945 on, 299 00:16:16,875 --> 00:16:19,101 due to American Forces pressure. 300 00:16:19,101 --> 00:16:21,314 The aircraft engine works are closed, 301 00:16:21,314 --> 00:16:23,048 and there are not enough machines to start in 302 00:16:23,048 --> 00:16:25,901 on more large scale commercial manufacturing of products 303 00:16:25,901 --> 00:16:27,318 for civilian use. 304 00:16:28,727 --> 00:16:30,541 - [Translator] Initially it was emergency production 305 00:16:30,541 --> 00:16:32,794 that was permitted by the Americans. 306 00:16:32,794 --> 00:16:35,114 In Munich we saw the manufactured products 307 00:16:35,114 --> 00:16:37,861 such as BMW saucepans and dough-making machines, 308 00:16:37,861 --> 00:16:39,674 everything imaginable. 309 00:16:39,674 --> 00:16:42,841 They even manufactured bicycles there. 310 00:16:45,260 --> 00:16:46,394 - [Narrator] But at that time, 311 00:16:46,394 --> 00:16:48,940 BMW has two manufacturing sites; 312 00:16:48,940 --> 00:16:51,514 Munich, which was under American occupation, 313 00:16:51,514 --> 00:16:55,681 and Eisenach in the east, which is under Soviet occupation. 314 00:16:57,780 --> 00:16:59,673 - [Translator] Well after the war, the situation was 315 00:16:59,673 --> 00:17:02,446 that Germany was divided, and BMW's previous 316 00:17:02,446 --> 00:17:04,726 automotive manufacturing operations 317 00:17:04,726 --> 00:17:07,073 had been located in Eisenach. 318 00:17:07,073 --> 00:17:09,792 Munich was home to the development department, 319 00:17:09,792 --> 00:17:11,792 so BMW was split in two in terms of 320 00:17:11,792 --> 00:17:13,992 automotive construction and design, 321 00:17:13,992 --> 00:17:15,433 and it seemed to make a lot of sense 322 00:17:15,433 --> 00:17:18,992 to continue with that twin track approach. 323 00:17:18,992 --> 00:17:22,152 - [Narrator] Eisenach continues to build pre-war car models. 324 00:17:22,152 --> 00:17:23,886 Following many legal disputes, 325 00:17:23,886 --> 00:17:25,806 the Eisenach plant is renamed, 326 00:17:25,806 --> 00:17:29,992 and the blue and white BMWs become red and white EMWs. 327 00:17:29,992 --> 00:17:33,819 (light, upbeat music) 328 00:17:33,819 --> 00:17:34,872 In the years that follow, 329 00:17:34,872 --> 00:17:37,485 East Germany increasingly shuts itself off, 330 00:17:37,485 --> 00:17:41,318 and BMWs are rarely seen on East German roads. 331 00:17:42,165 --> 00:17:46,332 Olympic figure skating champion Katarina Witt recalls. 332 00:17:48,978 --> 00:17:50,351 - [Translator] Growing up in East Germany, 333 00:17:50,351 --> 00:17:53,778 cars were also in short supply and accompanied luxury. 334 00:17:53,778 --> 00:17:55,845 But because I was an Olympic champion, 335 00:17:55,845 --> 00:17:58,298 I had the privilege of being allowed to buy a car 336 00:17:58,298 --> 00:18:02,465 relatively quickly, so I didn't have to wait 10 years or so. 337 00:18:03,751 --> 00:18:06,364 - [Narrator] The year 1948, finally Munich is again allowed 338 00:18:06,364 --> 00:18:08,377 to build production facilities. 339 00:18:08,377 --> 00:18:12,544 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 340 00:18:23,977 --> 00:18:25,737 And the market for it is there, 341 00:18:25,737 --> 00:18:28,030 because following the war, the population in Germany 342 00:18:28,030 --> 00:18:30,990 needs an economical means of getting around. 343 00:18:30,990 --> 00:18:33,723 The BMW motorbikes are a real hit for sales, 344 00:18:33,723 --> 00:18:36,416 but the company also hankers after a reentry 345 00:18:36,416 --> 00:18:37,830 into the car market. 346 00:18:37,830 --> 00:18:39,816 Since in poor post-war Germany 347 00:18:39,816 --> 00:18:42,403 practically no one can afford a mid-range car, 348 00:18:42,403 --> 00:18:44,443 BMW initially aims at building a car 349 00:18:44,443 --> 00:18:47,149 targeted for wealthy customers and for export, 350 00:18:47,149 --> 00:18:49,523 thus promising high profit margins. 351 00:18:49,523 --> 00:18:52,283 (upbeat music) 352 00:18:52,283 --> 00:18:54,976 The 501 is a true luxury car. 353 00:18:54,976 --> 00:18:57,269 Featuring a V8 light alloy engine, 354 00:18:57,269 --> 00:19:00,736 the car is ahead of its time in terms of engineering. 355 00:19:00,736 --> 00:19:02,909 BMW is looking to make a name for itself 356 00:19:02,909 --> 00:19:05,762 in the luxury segment with the 501. 357 00:19:05,762 --> 00:19:08,429 The plan is to use the profits later on 358 00:19:08,429 --> 00:19:11,929 to fund construction of a mid-range model. 359 00:19:13,392 --> 00:19:16,709 - [Translator] So BMW comes up with a design hybrid, 360 00:19:16,709 --> 00:19:19,214 a car that actually could be modern, 361 00:19:19,214 --> 00:19:21,802 but where the company cannot forgo a design 362 00:19:21,802 --> 00:19:24,802 featuring sweeping, romantic curves. 363 00:19:28,295 --> 00:19:30,042 - [Narrator] The romantic curves are dated, 364 00:19:30,042 --> 00:19:32,348 and are not well-received by the public. 365 00:19:32,348 --> 00:19:33,855 The car does not sell well 366 00:19:33,855 --> 00:19:36,175 since it has an old-fashioned look. 367 00:19:36,175 --> 00:19:39,015 Despite the conservative times in which it launches, 368 00:19:39,015 --> 00:19:41,588 only a few customers can afford it. 369 00:19:41,588 --> 00:19:45,755 That said, the few Baroque Angels have a strong reputation. 370 00:19:47,734 --> 00:19:49,454 - [Translator] The shape of the radiator grill 371 00:19:49,454 --> 00:19:51,961 caused the car to emit a high whistling sound 372 00:19:51,961 --> 00:19:53,374 at high speeds. 373 00:19:53,374 --> 00:19:57,361 And at BMW, that evolved into a kind of image factor, 374 00:19:57,361 --> 00:20:00,707 the car that goes so fast that it starts to whistle. 375 00:20:00,707 --> 00:20:03,601 So if a Mercedes driver heard that whistle, he knew, 376 00:20:03,601 --> 00:20:07,147 look out, here comes a BMW, that pacey Baroque Angel, 377 00:20:07,147 --> 00:20:09,787 so I'd better move into the slow lane. 378 00:20:09,787 --> 00:20:12,160 - [Narrator] But the group of purchasers of luxury cars 379 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,960 is simply too small, and in post-war Germany 380 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,973 BMW only appeals to a rich minority with its Baroque Angel. 381 00:20:18,973 --> 00:20:20,947 - People were in need of a lot of products, 382 00:20:20,947 --> 00:20:25,114 so it was not a time about okay, I wanna make a statement, 383 00:20:26,506 --> 00:20:28,653 I want products, I want good products, 384 00:20:28,653 --> 00:20:30,986 because I need to build up a new life, 385 00:20:30,986 --> 00:20:34,679 or I want to come up with a new environment setting. 386 00:20:34,679 --> 00:20:36,826 - [Narrator] In dire straights, BMW buys up 387 00:20:36,826 --> 00:20:40,359 the license for the Isetta, an Italian bubble car. 388 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:43,159 The Bavarian constructors modify the Isetta 389 00:20:43,159 --> 00:20:46,186 and install the reliable motorbike engine into it. 390 00:20:46,186 --> 00:20:50,572 Over time, the design also slightly changes. 391 00:20:50,572 --> 00:20:54,739 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 392 00:21:19,025 --> 00:21:21,305 - [Translator] The Italians didn't like the car at all. 393 00:21:21,305 --> 00:21:23,718 For them it was ridiculous. 394 00:21:23,718 --> 00:21:26,785 Rather have an attractive motorbike than half a car, 395 00:21:26,785 --> 00:21:28,706 and here you can see German culture in play 396 00:21:28,706 --> 00:21:31,571 with quite different values; common sense, function, 397 00:21:31,571 --> 00:21:33,651 and basically practical values. 398 00:21:33,651 --> 00:21:37,384 Hence BMW fitting BMW engines into the Isetta, 399 00:21:37,384 --> 00:21:38,944 improving their chassis design 400 00:21:38,944 --> 00:21:43,111 and producing a car which was a Germany-wide success. 401 00:21:44,851 --> 00:21:46,117 - [Narrator] It's hard to believe, 402 00:21:46,117 --> 00:21:48,477 but the Isetta is even used in some races, 403 00:21:48,477 --> 00:21:50,317 barely imaginable today 404 00:21:50,317 --> 00:21:52,987 given it's 85-kilometers-an-hour top speed 405 00:21:52,987 --> 00:21:56,404 delivered by the 250 CC motorbike engine. 406 00:21:57,813 --> 00:22:00,813 (slow, noble music) 407 00:22:09,373 --> 00:22:13,586 One very special car in the 100-year history of BMW 408 00:22:13,586 --> 00:22:14,503 is the 507. 409 00:22:16,946 --> 00:22:19,426 Following the sales flop of the somewhat old-fashioned 410 00:22:19,426 --> 00:22:22,692 501 Baroque Angel, it was a massive leap 411 00:22:22,692 --> 00:22:26,386 towards the future of the automobile. 412 00:22:26,386 --> 00:22:29,219 Today, the car is a design legend. 413 00:22:32,745 --> 00:22:35,079 - [Translator] The 507 is a unique car. 414 00:22:35,079 --> 00:22:38,385 Unique because somehow being born out of adversity, 415 00:22:38,385 --> 00:22:41,439 it was intended to have incredible symbolic value, 416 00:22:41,439 --> 00:22:45,606 and it still does so today because of the way it looks. 417 00:22:46,452 --> 00:22:48,492 - [Narrator] Racing driver Hans-Joachim Stuck 418 00:22:48,492 --> 00:22:50,598 loves the 507 too. 419 00:22:50,598 --> 00:22:55,026 His father owned one of the few late models. 420 00:22:55,026 --> 00:22:56,878 - [Translator] For me as a young lad of eight or nine, 421 00:22:56,878 --> 00:23:00,371 the 507 was an absolute highlight back in the day. 422 00:23:00,371 --> 00:23:02,851 The car was mega-cool, ahead of its time, 423 00:23:02,851 --> 00:23:06,731 and I associate a very special history with this car. 424 00:23:06,731 --> 00:23:10,504 When my father was touring in his 507 we met Elvis Presley. 425 00:23:10,504 --> 00:23:13,451 If only we'd known what a superstar he would become, 426 00:23:13,451 --> 00:23:15,797 we would definitely have asked him for his autograph, 427 00:23:15,797 --> 00:23:18,611 though sadly we missed the opportunity. 428 00:23:18,611 --> 00:23:21,144 - [Narrator] Elvis was just as excited by the 507 429 00:23:21,144 --> 00:23:23,317 as Strietzel was about Elvis. 430 00:23:23,317 --> 00:23:26,557 He bought the car from Strietzel's father then and there, 431 00:23:26,557 --> 00:23:29,264 and took it away with him back to the USA. 432 00:23:29,264 --> 00:23:32,250 But where is the 507 today? 433 00:23:32,250 --> 00:23:35,224 In the Sunshine State, a big discovery is made 434 00:23:35,224 --> 00:23:37,317 on a small farm. 435 00:23:37,317 --> 00:23:41,477 In this barn there is a huge piece of BMW history. 436 00:23:41,477 --> 00:23:43,837 Vintage car collector Jack Castor 437 00:23:43,837 --> 00:23:47,663 tells about the day he bought the mangled car. 438 00:23:47,663 --> 00:23:48,903 - That was a good feeling. 439 00:23:48,903 --> 00:23:51,276 At least even if the car was a mess, 440 00:23:51,276 --> 00:23:54,625 at least I was into it, the car. 441 00:23:54,625 --> 00:23:55,636 - [Narrator] This vintage car looks 442 00:23:55,636 --> 00:23:58,756 as if it's come from the scrapyard, which is not surprising, 443 00:23:58,756 --> 00:24:01,023 since it has a long history behind it. 444 00:24:01,023 --> 00:24:03,756 It belonged to the racing driver legend Hans Stuck, 445 00:24:03,756 --> 00:24:08,396 and then Elvis Presley, before being forgotten about. 446 00:24:08,396 --> 00:24:12,563 - It's more special to me that Hans Stuck drove the car 447 00:24:13,769 --> 00:24:16,769 than that Elvis had his hands on it. 448 00:24:17,702 --> 00:24:21,689 I have a lot of respect for Hans Stuck. 449 00:24:21,689 --> 00:24:23,902 - [Narrator] But the car didn't look like this back then. 450 00:24:23,902 --> 00:24:25,649 It was in poor condition. 451 00:24:25,649 --> 00:24:28,542 The engine was missing and there was rust everywhere. 452 00:24:28,542 --> 00:24:30,235 - I had a choice not to keep it, 453 00:24:30,235 --> 00:24:33,068 but I wanna see this car restored, 454 00:24:35,195 --> 00:24:37,715 and all of 'em really, 455 00:24:37,715 --> 00:24:40,048 and I can't afford to do it. 456 00:24:41,541 --> 00:24:43,720 And so I'm happy about that, 457 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,248 it's what's good for the car, is very important. 458 00:24:47,248 --> 00:24:50,314 - [Narrator] Jack asked BMW for help, and he gets it. 459 00:24:50,314 --> 00:24:53,714 The barn find is set to be restored to its former glory. 460 00:24:53,714 --> 00:24:56,408 The 507 with the unique history's collected 461 00:24:56,408 --> 00:24:58,941 and taken to Germany for restoration. 462 00:24:58,941 --> 00:25:02,774 (light Hawaiian guitar music) 463 00:25:04,634 --> 00:25:06,621 (playful music) 464 00:25:06,621 --> 00:25:10,087 Arriving in Germany, the car is restored from the bottom up, 465 00:25:10,087 --> 00:25:12,274 and the first step is to remove the paint 466 00:25:12,274 --> 00:25:15,247 because originally the car was not red at all. 467 00:25:15,247 --> 00:25:17,287 When Elvis Presley was stationed in Germany 468 00:25:17,287 --> 00:25:21,327 as a soldier and bought it, the 507 was still white. 469 00:25:21,327 --> 00:25:23,420 But as he became increasingly famous, 470 00:25:23,420 --> 00:25:25,007 he had the car repainted. 471 00:25:25,007 --> 00:25:26,967 The reason? Too many female fans 472 00:25:26,967 --> 00:25:29,820 were leaving red lipstick marks on the white vehicle. 473 00:25:29,820 --> 00:25:32,660 Now the car is to be restored to its original condition, 474 00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:34,273 and soon the iconic car will have 475 00:25:34,273 --> 00:25:38,220 all of its former glamor and appeal restored. 476 00:25:38,220 --> 00:25:41,527 The BMW 507 was, and is, a legend. 477 00:25:41,527 --> 00:25:43,246 One reason for this back then 478 00:25:43,246 --> 00:25:44,966 was the advanced engineering. 479 00:25:44,966 --> 00:25:48,833 The 507 was already fitted with a V8 light alloy engine, 480 00:25:48,833 --> 00:25:51,793 offering 150 horsepower, but its looks 481 00:25:51,793 --> 00:25:55,606 are still delighting designers today. 482 00:25:55,606 --> 00:25:57,753 - Imagining yourself with this car, 483 00:25:57,753 --> 00:26:02,379 you suddenly imagine a totally different way of living, 484 00:26:02,379 --> 00:26:05,659 and I think this freedom and this look and feel 485 00:26:05,659 --> 00:26:10,451 is really what of course everyone would aim for, 486 00:26:10,451 --> 00:26:11,352 if they could afford it. 487 00:26:11,352 --> 00:26:14,019 So I think that's a great, yeah, 488 00:26:15,405 --> 00:26:18,572 a really new step ahead in car design. 489 00:26:19,858 --> 00:26:22,392 - [Narrator] The 507 also attracts the film industry. 490 00:26:22,392 --> 00:26:24,232 In the film Gluck und Liebe in Monaco 491 00:26:24,232 --> 00:26:25,952 at the end of the 1950s, 492 00:26:25,952 --> 00:26:28,125 the car found its way onto the big screen, 493 00:26:28,125 --> 00:26:31,125 magnetically drawing envious eyes to it. 494 00:26:31,125 --> 00:26:35,292 (women speaking foreign language) 495 00:26:38,885 --> 00:26:42,218 (light 50's rock music) 496 00:26:44,388 --> 00:26:46,684 - [Translator] The 507 was built to ride relatively high 497 00:26:46,684 --> 00:26:49,764 on classic 50's narrow tall tires, 498 00:26:49,764 --> 00:26:53,457 and then you had this shape, which was really much too short 499 00:26:53,457 --> 00:26:55,431 at the front and the rear. 500 00:26:55,431 --> 00:26:57,422 Somehow you could see from underneath 501 00:26:57,422 --> 00:27:00,577 and see how the chassis combines with the bodywork. 502 00:27:00,577 --> 00:27:04,057 I'd say that's the case particularly from behind, 503 00:27:04,057 --> 00:27:06,650 a bit like a woman wearing a proper miniskirt 504 00:27:06,650 --> 00:27:09,444 even before there were any miniskirts. 505 00:27:09,444 --> 00:27:11,603 So you have the impression you can catch a glimpse 506 00:27:11,603 --> 00:27:14,257 of the underwear, and that makes the car 507 00:27:14,257 --> 00:27:15,840 so incredibly sexy. 508 00:27:17,977 --> 00:27:20,443 - [Narrator] And so cinema superstar Alandra Lon, 509 00:27:20,443 --> 00:27:22,258 motor racing legend John Surtees, 510 00:27:22,258 --> 00:27:24,270 and Bond Girl Ursula Andress 511 00:27:24,270 --> 00:27:26,603 are all found driving a 507. 512 00:27:27,776 --> 00:27:28,963 - [Translator] When I was nine years old 513 00:27:28,963 --> 00:27:31,096 my mother made me be an altar boy. 514 00:27:31,096 --> 00:27:33,189 Dad and I weren't interested at all, 515 00:27:33,189 --> 00:27:34,989 but he picked me up on the dot of seven 516 00:27:34,989 --> 00:27:37,229 when the mass had ended, outside the church, 517 00:27:37,229 --> 00:27:39,482 in the 507, sounding the horn. 518 00:27:39,482 --> 00:27:42,762 That irritated the priest so much that he chucked me out, 519 00:27:42,762 --> 00:27:44,762 and that was the end of being an altar boy, 520 00:27:44,762 --> 00:27:47,042 and you could say that our wishes were granted. 521 00:27:47,042 --> 00:27:50,542 That's a memory I think I'll never forget. 522 00:27:51,909 --> 00:27:55,326 (slow, mysterious music) 523 00:27:57,695 --> 00:28:00,695 (slow, noble music) 524 00:28:07,268 --> 00:28:09,082 - [Narrator] At the end of the 1950s, 525 00:28:09,082 --> 00:28:13,135 BMW's lacking one thing; above all, a mid-range car. 526 00:28:13,135 --> 00:28:16,095 Because up until then, the Isetta was only able to service 527 00:28:16,095 --> 00:28:17,681 the bottom price segment, 528 00:28:17,681 --> 00:28:20,495 with the Baroque Angel and the 507 satisfying demand 529 00:28:20,495 --> 00:28:22,468 from its wealthiest clientele. 530 00:28:22,468 --> 00:28:26,335 Commercially, BMW was in deep trouble. 531 00:28:26,335 --> 00:28:28,614 - [Translator] Well, the crisis at BMW really starts 532 00:28:28,614 --> 00:28:32,348 with the downturn in the motorbike market. 533 00:28:32,348 --> 00:28:35,934 It signifies the last of the key money-maker, 534 00:28:35,934 --> 00:28:40,014 and the car division cannot make up for the loss. 535 00:28:40,014 --> 00:28:42,747 - [Narrator] That is also the view taken in 1959, 536 00:28:42,747 --> 00:28:45,494 there is criticism from all sides. 537 00:28:45,494 --> 00:28:49,161 (speaking foreign language) 538 00:29:00,747 --> 00:29:02,867 Daimler doesn't suffer from these problems 539 00:29:02,867 --> 00:29:04,773 because the brand benefited significantly 540 00:29:04,773 --> 00:29:08,680 from the economic miracle, and is now even set to expand. 541 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:10,827 The banks put up a proposed deal; 542 00:29:10,827 --> 00:29:12,960 Daimler should take over BMW. 543 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,267 The company's locations offer advantages due to proximity, 544 00:29:16,267 --> 00:29:17,520 and the plant is attractive 545 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:19,386 because it was only recently rebuilt 546 00:29:19,386 --> 00:29:22,080 and staffed with trained specialists. 547 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:23,933 The decision on the sale to Daimler 548 00:29:23,933 --> 00:29:27,079 was to be made at the general meeting in 1959. 549 00:29:27,079 --> 00:29:29,773 The executive and supervisory board present the plan 550 00:29:29,773 --> 00:29:31,440 to the shareholders. 551 00:29:32,393 --> 00:29:34,976 (bell ringing) 552 00:29:37,999 --> 00:29:42,092 (speaking foreign language) 553 00:29:42,092 --> 00:29:43,159 - [Translator] I believe it's quite unique 554 00:29:43,159 --> 00:29:45,839 in the history of the German Stock Corporation Act, 555 00:29:45,839 --> 00:29:48,532 and such a proposal did not result in the sale. 556 00:29:48,532 --> 00:29:50,817 The dealer representatives and small shareholders 557 00:29:50,817 --> 00:29:52,484 brazenly blocked it. 558 00:29:53,918 --> 00:29:55,371 - [Narrator] The decision is deferred, 559 00:29:55,371 --> 00:29:56,785 and following this general meeting 560 00:29:56,785 --> 00:29:59,478 Daimler loses interest in the acquisition. 561 00:29:59,478 --> 00:30:01,998 But it means that the future remains uncertain. 562 00:30:01,998 --> 00:30:04,131 It is only with the entry of the industrialist 563 00:30:04,131 --> 00:30:06,784 Herbert Quandt that a solution appears. 564 00:30:06,784 --> 00:30:08,984 He invests, and becomes the main shareholder, 565 00:30:08,984 --> 00:30:09,851 in the company. 566 00:30:09,851 --> 00:30:12,797 It marks the definitive end of the takeover. 567 00:30:12,797 --> 00:30:16,464 (speaking foreign language) 568 00:30:24,251 --> 00:30:26,504 But what would the automotive world look like today 569 00:30:26,504 --> 00:30:28,584 if these small shareholders had not held out 570 00:30:28,584 --> 00:30:31,084 and Quandt and not stepped in? 571 00:30:32,397 --> 00:30:33,464 - [Translator] The automobile world 572 00:30:33,464 --> 00:30:36,810 would have certainly been much the poorer for it. 573 00:30:36,810 --> 00:30:38,770 I also believe that the competitive fight 574 00:30:38,770 --> 00:30:41,650 between Mercedes-Benz and BMW, 575 00:30:41,650 --> 00:30:45,210 conducted over decades in a fair sporting rivalry, 576 00:30:45,210 --> 00:30:49,116 albeit with a fierceness which should not be underestimated, 577 00:30:49,116 --> 00:30:53,303 has resulted in many innovations, many new developments, 578 00:30:53,303 --> 00:30:55,886 and better development overall. 579 00:30:57,680 --> 00:30:58,513 - [Translator] As in sport, 580 00:30:58,513 --> 00:31:00,583 competition simply moves you forward, 581 00:31:00,583 --> 00:31:02,809 so there's always someone who wants to be first 582 00:31:02,809 --> 00:31:06,009 with an innovation of some special creativity, 583 00:31:06,009 --> 00:31:08,489 and the competition is also definitely about 584 00:31:08,489 --> 00:31:10,796 who is the quickest to market. 585 00:31:10,796 --> 00:31:13,476 - [Narrator] BMW is now saved, but there has been no change 586 00:31:13,476 --> 00:31:15,876 in the difficult economic situation. 587 00:31:15,876 --> 00:31:19,316 The profit-generating mid-range car was still missing. 588 00:31:19,316 --> 00:31:22,169 The first step in that direction is taken in 1959 589 00:31:22,169 --> 00:31:25,222 with the BMW 700, which despite having only 590 00:31:25,222 --> 00:31:27,075 a two-cylinder boxer engine, 591 00:31:27,075 --> 00:31:29,288 can still deliver high performance. 592 00:31:29,288 --> 00:31:33,455 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 593 00:31:48,744 --> 00:31:51,715 - [Translator] That's the legendary BMW 700 Sport, 594 00:31:51,715 --> 00:31:55,101 which my father became king of the mountains in 1960. 595 00:31:55,101 --> 00:31:56,234 It's not the original car, 596 00:31:56,234 --> 00:31:58,554 but I do have Dad's original steering wheel, 597 00:31:58,554 --> 00:32:00,408 and I'm very proud to have it. 598 00:32:00,408 --> 00:32:03,541 - [Narrator] With 40 horsepower and weighing 650 kilos, 599 00:32:03,541 --> 00:32:05,501 this small car achieves driving performance 600 00:32:05,501 --> 00:32:07,874 comparable to a Mercedes 190, 601 00:32:07,874 --> 00:32:09,941 which has an engine twice that size 602 00:32:09,941 --> 00:32:11,887 but consequently weighs much more. 603 00:32:11,887 --> 00:32:14,874 As a result, the 700 emerges as a true talent 604 00:32:14,874 --> 00:32:16,480 on the racetrack. 605 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:17,900 - [Translator] 20 seconds from not to 100 606 00:32:17,900 --> 00:32:20,927 kilometers per hour, back then, that was a real statement, 607 00:32:20,927 --> 00:32:23,686 and it meant that the car was very much in demand. 608 00:32:23,686 --> 00:32:25,708 It was highly successful in motor sports, 609 00:32:25,708 --> 00:32:27,112 and was used by per-fet-teers, 610 00:32:27,112 --> 00:32:30,121 including many running with special body work. 611 00:32:30,121 --> 00:32:31,827 - [Translator] I did my first laps in the Nurburgring 612 00:32:31,827 --> 00:32:34,882 in the BMW 700, age 13 I should add, 613 00:32:34,882 --> 00:32:36,574 while Dad was sitting next to me. 614 00:32:36,574 --> 00:32:38,370 But of course he was terrified about it, 615 00:32:38,370 --> 00:32:41,427 he was a dreadful passenger, just as I am today. 616 00:32:41,427 --> 00:32:43,720 - [Narrator] The BMW 700 could be produced 617 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,173 at relatively low cost, sells well, 618 00:32:46,173 --> 00:32:48,826 and brings in good profits for the manufacturer. 619 00:32:48,826 --> 00:32:52,243 BMW is able to reinvest the profits made. 620 00:32:54,613 --> 00:32:56,360 - [Translator] And they decided to use the proceeds 621 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,777 from the BMW 700 to market the New Class. 622 00:33:01,399 --> 00:33:03,866 And this model went down very well with the market, 623 00:33:03,866 --> 00:33:05,746 and effectively saved BMW 624 00:33:05,746 --> 00:33:08,746 from actually going into insolvency. 625 00:33:09,906 --> 00:33:12,679 - [Narrator] In 1961, the 1500 is unveiled 626 00:33:12,679 --> 00:33:15,386 at the IAE International Automotive Trade fair 627 00:33:15,386 --> 00:33:19,652 in Frankfurt, taking BMW out of this crisis situation. 628 00:33:19,652 --> 00:33:21,252 Now the Munich-based manufacturer 629 00:33:21,252 --> 00:33:23,572 finally has a sporty mid-range car. 630 00:33:23,572 --> 00:33:25,985 Just five years after this near-bankruptcy, 631 00:33:25,985 --> 00:33:29,292 BMW pays its shareholders a dividend of 6%. 632 00:33:29,292 --> 00:33:31,612 Following this success, the company launches 633 00:33:31,612 --> 00:33:33,119 further mid-range cars; 634 00:33:33,119 --> 00:33:37,445 the 1600, 1800, and 2000 models are introduced. 635 00:33:37,445 --> 00:33:39,878 They are known collectively as the New Class. 636 00:33:39,878 --> 00:33:44,045 In 1965 the 100,000th car rolls off the production line. 637 00:33:46,505 --> 00:33:50,672 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 638 00:34:15,184 --> 00:34:18,117 But the BMW engineers develop the New Class further, 639 00:34:18,117 --> 00:34:20,411 giving birth to the 02 series. 640 00:34:20,411 --> 00:34:22,117 Thanks to its favorable construction costs 641 00:34:22,117 --> 00:34:25,197 and high sales figures, it is probably the most important 642 00:34:25,197 --> 00:34:26,956 car in the brand's survival. 643 00:34:26,956 --> 00:34:30,264 (light, upbeat music) 644 00:34:30,264 --> 00:34:31,797 - [Translator] Imagine, 47 years ago, 645 00:34:31,797 --> 00:34:36,117 that was my first racing car, how fabulous is that? 646 00:34:36,117 --> 00:34:38,224 - [Narrator] A BMW tuner discovers the talent 647 00:34:38,224 --> 00:34:39,984 of the young Stuck and wants to see him 648 00:34:39,984 --> 00:34:42,587 on the racing circuit. 649 00:34:42,587 --> 00:34:44,090 - [Translator] And that was a very difficult decision 650 00:34:44,090 --> 00:34:45,382 for my father. 651 00:34:45,382 --> 00:34:47,943 He only has to say yes once and I'm hooked. 652 00:34:47,943 --> 00:34:50,130 So then I'm driving my first race at 18 653 00:34:50,130 --> 00:34:52,130 in a Kaufen BMW 2002 TI, 654 00:34:53,103 --> 00:34:55,303 over 300 kilometers at the Nurburgring. 655 00:34:55,303 --> 00:34:57,129 I did pretty well there, finishing third, 656 00:34:57,129 --> 00:34:58,703 laying the foundation for a very long 657 00:34:58,703 --> 00:35:02,569 and successful career, you could say. 658 00:35:02,569 --> 00:35:04,169 - [Narrator] As so often at BMW, 659 00:35:04,169 --> 00:35:06,289 success on the racing circuit boosts sales 660 00:35:06,289 --> 00:35:08,039 to private customers. 661 00:35:09,262 --> 00:35:12,262 (slow, noble music) 662 00:35:18,795 --> 00:35:22,035 In 1972, the Summer Olympics come to Munich, 663 00:35:22,035 --> 00:35:25,952 an event that turns the whole city upside down. 664 00:35:28,955 --> 00:35:30,875 - [Translator] It means that the whole city 665 00:35:30,875 --> 00:35:34,955 once again experiences a massive push for development 666 00:35:34,955 --> 00:35:37,115 in just a few years. 667 00:35:37,115 --> 00:35:39,942 And the Munich we know and love today 668 00:35:39,942 --> 00:35:42,728 would really have been unimaginable without this 669 00:35:42,728 --> 00:35:44,561 Olympic Games project. 670 00:35:46,475 --> 00:35:48,568 - [Narrator] BMW too contributes significantly 671 00:35:48,568 --> 00:35:50,315 to this urban development. 672 00:35:50,315 --> 00:35:53,008 Towards the end of the 1960s, construction begins 673 00:35:53,008 --> 00:35:56,515 on the BMW Tower, also known as the Four Cylinder, 674 00:35:56,515 --> 00:35:58,048 on account of its shape. 675 00:35:58,048 --> 00:36:00,434 Later it will become the company's headquarters, 676 00:36:00,434 --> 00:36:02,421 which it remains to this day. 677 00:36:02,421 --> 00:36:04,354 But BMW wants to attract attention 678 00:36:04,354 --> 00:36:06,581 during the Olympic Games in other ways too, 679 00:36:06,581 --> 00:36:10,021 and arouse the curiosity of an international audience. 680 00:36:10,021 --> 00:36:12,154 It succeeds in this by building a car, 681 00:36:12,154 --> 00:36:16,021 which for that time, is truly unusual. 682 00:36:16,021 --> 00:36:19,807 - [Translator] We converted a BMW 1600 into an electric car. 683 00:36:19,807 --> 00:36:22,205 It was packed with lead batteries, 684 00:36:22,205 --> 00:36:23,994 and there were very simple reasons for this; 685 00:36:23,994 --> 00:36:26,340 the car guided the marathon runners around the course, 686 00:36:26,340 --> 00:36:28,140 and because it had no exhaust gases 687 00:36:28,140 --> 00:36:29,394 it meant it was very sensible 688 00:36:29,394 --> 00:36:32,367 to use an electric car for this. 689 00:36:32,367 --> 00:36:34,327 - [Narrator] And the bright orange car fits perfectly 690 00:36:34,327 --> 00:36:37,113 with this Flower Power era in which the hip youth 691 00:36:37,113 --> 00:36:39,127 wants to enjoy life and have fun, 692 00:36:39,127 --> 00:36:41,313 but is also starting to think for the first time 693 00:36:41,313 --> 00:36:43,063 about a clean future. 694 00:36:45,193 --> 00:36:48,313 In the 1970s, the company's employees were however 695 00:36:48,313 --> 00:36:50,393 concerned with quite different things. 696 00:36:50,393 --> 00:36:53,326 In 1970 there are changes on the executive board, 697 00:36:53,326 --> 00:36:55,739 and the new chairman, Eberhard von Kuenheim, 698 00:36:55,739 --> 00:36:59,322 sees himself facing a number of challenges. 699 00:37:00,859 --> 00:37:02,993 - [Translator] That was a special time, 700 00:37:02,993 --> 00:37:05,243 it was a time of expansion. 701 00:37:06,432 --> 00:37:09,126 Today the whole world is open to us, 702 00:37:09,126 --> 00:37:12,259 and in business terms, we can go anywhere. 703 00:37:12,259 --> 00:37:16,472 But back then we were still just an upper Bavarian company, 704 00:37:16,472 --> 00:37:18,725 and we needed to grow beyond the constraints 705 00:37:18,725 --> 00:37:21,642 of being an upper Bavarian company. 706 00:37:24,178 --> 00:37:25,978 - [Narrator] One challenge lies in differentiating 707 00:37:25,978 --> 00:37:27,885 the groups of vehicles more clearly, 708 00:37:27,885 --> 00:37:30,552 and in establishing a new order. 709 00:37:31,952 --> 00:37:34,312 Just three numbers and everyone understands 710 00:37:34,312 --> 00:37:36,725 which class and engines are involved. 711 00:37:36,725 --> 00:37:38,311 It's an arrangement which has prevailed 712 00:37:38,311 --> 00:37:40,228 through to the present. 713 00:37:42,578 --> 00:37:44,591 - [Translator] There was always a clear orientation, 714 00:37:44,591 --> 00:37:47,831 we know right from the beginning where this car fits in. 715 00:37:47,831 --> 00:37:50,084 On one hand in terms of size, but naturally, 716 00:37:50,084 --> 00:37:52,298 also in terms of price. 717 00:37:52,298 --> 00:37:53,724 This system has therefore proved 718 00:37:53,724 --> 00:37:56,684 to be highly future-proofed, and as a result, 719 00:37:56,684 --> 00:37:59,366 we have maintained very clear positioning of our cars 720 00:37:59,366 --> 00:38:00,783 through to today. 721 00:38:03,044 --> 00:38:03,991 - [Narrator] The design language 722 00:38:03,991 --> 00:38:06,911 that BMW has already instilled with the New Class 723 00:38:06,911 --> 00:38:10,390 now develops into a homogenous cross-series concept, 724 00:38:10,390 --> 00:38:12,150 and most elements can still be found today 725 00:38:12,150 --> 00:38:14,150 in BMW's typical design. 726 00:38:17,470 --> 00:38:19,364 - [Translator] Fundamentally it's the first time 727 00:38:19,364 --> 00:38:21,517 that an automotive product is given something 728 00:38:21,517 --> 00:38:24,323 like a corporate design. 729 00:38:24,323 --> 00:38:26,737 And the power of that idea was massive 730 00:38:26,737 --> 00:38:29,535 because suddenly people were talking about a brand 731 00:38:29,535 --> 00:38:31,430 in a completely different sense, 732 00:38:31,430 --> 00:38:34,263 and it was understood immediately. 733 00:38:36,923 --> 00:38:40,736 - [Narrator] 1972 marks the first appearance of the 520, 734 00:38:40,736 --> 00:38:43,749 the first 5 Series BMW, and thus the first car 735 00:38:43,749 --> 00:38:46,916 using the new numerical naming system. 736 00:38:47,776 --> 00:38:51,526 Three years after this, the 3 Series follows. 737 00:38:53,083 --> 00:38:53,916 - [Translator] The 3 Series 738 00:38:53,916 --> 00:38:55,549 is really the heart of the brand. 739 00:38:55,549 --> 00:38:57,682 It stands for a truly compact sports saloon 740 00:38:57,682 --> 00:39:01,789 with plenty of performance, up to 125 horsepowers 741 00:39:01,789 --> 00:39:03,575 packaged in such a small saloon. 742 00:39:03,575 --> 00:39:05,882 It was extremely successful. 743 00:39:05,882 --> 00:39:07,242 - [Narrator] BMW made the breakthrough 744 00:39:07,242 --> 00:39:09,535 with the second model in the 3 Series. 745 00:39:09,535 --> 00:39:12,562 It made its market launch in the early 1980s. 746 00:39:12,562 --> 00:39:16,908 Internally BMW calls the new 3 Series car the E30. 747 00:39:16,908 --> 00:39:19,402 With the new 3 Series the company looks to offer 748 00:39:19,402 --> 00:39:22,095 a range of models, and accordingly the cars available, 749 00:39:22,095 --> 00:39:24,455 with many different engine options. 750 00:39:24,455 --> 00:39:27,415 It's a principle which continues to be further refined, 751 00:39:27,415 --> 00:39:29,975 in which makes the 3 Series the most popular car 752 00:39:29,975 --> 00:39:32,041 from BMW up to the present. 753 00:39:32,041 --> 00:39:34,214 The latest generation of the 3 Series 754 00:39:34,214 --> 00:39:37,868 sees BMW continuing its success story. 755 00:39:37,868 --> 00:39:40,951 (grand, noble music) 756 00:39:47,774 --> 00:39:50,627 With numerous triumphs during the 1930s, 757 00:39:50,627 --> 00:39:53,241 BMW established its reputation as a manufacturer 758 00:39:53,241 --> 00:39:54,881 of sports vehicles. 759 00:39:54,881 --> 00:39:56,974 The company re-engaged with this reputation 760 00:39:56,974 --> 00:39:59,880 in the mid-1960s, and succeeded in breaking through 761 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:02,014 in touring car sports. 762 00:40:02,014 --> 00:40:06,094 In 1972, BMW therefore brought all motor sports activities 763 00:40:06,094 --> 00:40:08,200 together into one operation. 764 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:09,867 The limited liability company, 765 00:40:09,867 --> 00:40:12,520 BMW Motorsport GmbH, was formed, 766 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:14,267 and Jochen Neerpasch joined the company 767 00:40:14,267 --> 00:40:16,267 as Head of Motor Sports. 768 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:19,987 - [Translator] Jochen Neerpasch was really the first person 769 00:40:19,987 --> 00:40:22,160 to recognize that fitness and concentration 770 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:23,933 are very closely related, 771 00:40:23,933 --> 00:40:25,760 that you need to be healthy and fit for that, 772 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:27,451 which we achieved through altitude training 773 00:40:27,451 --> 00:40:30,746 in Saint Maurice with elements such as cross-country skiing, 774 00:40:30,746 --> 00:40:32,666 endurance training, and power training. 775 00:40:32,666 --> 00:40:34,306 If you look at today's Formula One drivers 776 00:40:34,306 --> 00:40:36,719 or WC rally drivers, every one of them 777 00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:39,813 has his own personal trainer, and nutritionist, and so on. 778 00:40:39,813 --> 00:40:41,519 That was effectively invented back in the day 779 00:40:41,519 --> 00:40:44,759 by Jochen Neerpasch and by BMW. 780 00:40:44,759 --> 00:40:46,066 - [Narrator] Under Jochen Neerpasch, 781 00:40:46,066 --> 00:40:49,559 Motorsport BMW was organized on a more professional footing, 782 00:40:49,559 --> 00:40:52,212 and also with a more international outlook. 783 00:40:52,212 --> 00:40:55,906 At the same time, the 3.0 CSL was being developed. 784 00:40:55,906 --> 00:40:58,323 The L stands for lightweight. 785 00:40:59,299 --> 00:41:02,199 - [Translator] In the 1960s, lightweight construction 786 00:41:02,199 --> 00:41:04,705 was in principally, a simple concept, 787 00:41:04,705 --> 00:41:07,318 and just meant losing weight. 788 00:41:07,318 --> 00:41:10,572 To that extent, the thinking was limited. 789 00:41:10,572 --> 00:41:13,532 The distinctive and key aspects of the CSL 790 00:41:13,532 --> 00:41:16,998 were the aerodynamic elements, such as the spoilers, 791 00:41:16,998 --> 00:41:20,425 which also gave the car its famous nickname Batman, 792 00:41:20,425 --> 00:41:21,592 the Batmobile. 793 00:41:23,358 --> 00:41:24,731 - [Narrator] Stuck becomes a works driver 794 00:41:24,731 --> 00:41:28,291 and starts in the 3.0 CSL in races all over the world. 795 00:41:28,291 --> 00:41:31,815 But what was his fondest memory from this period? 796 00:41:31,815 --> 00:41:34,664 - [Translator] I was 24 when BMW decided to go to America 797 00:41:34,664 --> 00:41:36,689 to show the people over there that BMW 798 00:41:36,689 --> 00:41:40,171 was not British Motor Works, but Bavarian Motor Works. 799 00:41:40,171 --> 00:41:42,771 And setting off at 24 for a year in the U.S. 800 00:41:42,771 --> 00:41:45,117 was a massive step into the wider world, 801 00:41:45,117 --> 00:41:47,490 and what we experienced during these two years 802 00:41:47,490 --> 00:41:48,657 was legendary. 803 00:41:52,104 --> 00:41:53,490 - [Narrator] Legendary is another idea 804 00:41:53,490 --> 00:41:55,437 coming from Jochen Neerpasch. 805 00:41:55,437 --> 00:41:57,850 BMW is the first team to set up a junior team 806 00:41:57,850 --> 00:41:59,210 for motorsports. 807 00:41:59,210 --> 00:42:01,943 Young drivers like Manfred Winkelhock, Marc Surer, 808 00:42:01,943 --> 00:42:04,917 and Eddie Cheever helped to build their cars themselves, 809 00:42:04,917 --> 00:42:06,583 and are taught how to train. 810 00:42:06,583 --> 00:42:09,103 This early support and encouragement pays off; 811 00:42:09,103 --> 00:42:12,603 they all become successful racing drivers. 812 00:42:16,343 --> 00:42:18,743 (engines whirring) 813 00:42:18,743 --> 00:42:23,596 In 1978 the first in the line of M-models arrives, BM1, 814 00:42:23,596 --> 00:42:27,009 a racing car that can also be driven on regular roads. 815 00:42:27,009 --> 00:42:29,569 With a futuristic design, somewhat unusual 816 00:42:29,569 --> 00:42:31,156 for a company which is otherwise known 817 00:42:31,156 --> 00:42:33,129 for its modest looks. 818 00:42:33,129 --> 00:42:34,622 The shape is so different 819 00:42:34,622 --> 00:42:37,539 that BMW is faced with a challenge. 820 00:42:39,289 --> 00:42:40,796 - [Translator] The question was where to put 821 00:42:40,796 --> 00:42:43,222 the BMW emblem so that I could show off 822 00:42:43,222 --> 00:42:45,222 its brand allegiance. 823 00:42:45,222 --> 00:42:47,889 Maybe no one wanted to argue with (speaks foreign language), 824 00:42:47,889 --> 00:42:49,609 but the shape needed to be adjusted, 825 00:42:49,609 --> 00:42:52,270 and for that reason, two badges were used, 826 00:42:52,270 --> 00:42:54,435 to right and left at the rear of these wings, 827 00:42:54,435 --> 00:42:58,302 which is naturally a curious way to badge a vehicle. 828 00:42:58,302 --> 00:43:00,488 - [Narrator] However, the innovative concept of the M1 829 00:43:00,488 --> 00:43:02,488 initially puts customers off, 830 00:43:02,488 --> 00:43:05,755 and BMW attempts to create an incentive to purchase. 831 00:43:05,755 --> 00:43:08,021 The M1 Procar series comes about. 832 00:43:08,021 --> 00:43:09,386 Active touring car drivers 833 00:43:09,386 --> 00:43:11,693 and current Formula One professionals 834 00:43:11,693 --> 00:43:13,172 race against one another. 835 00:43:13,172 --> 00:43:15,412 You can then see who is the best driver 836 00:43:15,412 --> 00:43:18,079 because no one can point to the car as an excuse, 837 00:43:18,079 --> 00:43:20,078 every driver starts in an M1. 838 00:43:20,078 --> 00:43:22,505 It is a brand trophy which is the stuff of legends, 839 00:43:22,505 --> 00:43:23,422 even today. 840 00:43:24,678 --> 00:43:27,065 - [Translator] And these races, just a car with its exhaust, 841 00:43:27,065 --> 00:43:30,438 six exhausts roaring as one, the sound in Monte Carlo, 842 00:43:30,438 --> 00:43:31,465 you can't imagine it. 843 00:43:31,465 --> 00:43:33,745 Even today it gives me goosebumps. 844 00:43:33,745 --> 00:43:36,398 If I managed to defeat a Mr. Lauder or a Mr. Regazzoni, 845 00:43:36,398 --> 00:43:38,544 that was absolutely the greatest thing ever, 846 00:43:38,544 --> 00:43:39,918 beating those guys. 847 00:43:39,918 --> 00:43:41,811 All that combined with good prize money 848 00:43:41,811 --> 00:43:45,811 met in a one-time show which hasn't been matched since. 849 00:43:45,811 --> 00:43:48,251 (race car engines whirring) 850 00:43:48,251 --> 00:43:51,211 I won the Procar Series once, in the privity classification, 851 00:43:51,211 --> 00:43:52,730 but I had to share the first prize, 852 00:43:52,730 --> 00:43:56,024 which was a BMW M1, with the team boss Manfred Cassani, 853 00:43:56,024 --> 00:43:58,025 because I didn't have the 50,000 Deutsch Marks 854 00:43:58,025 --> 00:43:59,503 I would have needed to pay him, 855 00:43:59,503 --> 00:44:03,670 but that was a serious mistake, I still regret it. 856 00:44:07,396 --> 00:44:09,769 - [Narrator] The M1 is followed by the M3. 857 00:44:09,769 --> 00:44:12,049 With a two-liter, four-cylinder engine, 858 00:44:12,049 --> 00:44:16,216 the M3 becomes the most successful BMW touring car. 859 00:44:18,689 --> 00:44:22,856 (video narrator speaking foreign language) 860 00:44:33,956 --> 00:44:35,235 - [Translator] So the fan out there in the stands 861 00:44:35,235 --> 00:44:37,382 at the Nurburgring, he sees the bodywork, 862 00:44:37,382 --> 00:44:40,022 he's M3, or he's M1, or he's Coupe, 863 00:44:40,022 --> 00:44:42,062 putting your laps down on the track. 864 00:44:42,062 --> 00:44:44,008 I believe it was very important for the brand, 865 00:44:44,008 --> 00:44:46,968 and that's why BMW is so successful today, 866 00:44:46,968 --> 00:44:49,288 because motorsports effectively committed the fans 867 00:44:49,288 --> 00:44:52,462 to these cars, which also drive on regular roads, 868 00:44:52,462 --> 00:44:54,568 and that positively influenced the development 869 00:44:54,568 --> 00:44:55,985 of the BMW brand. 870 00:44:58,008 --> 00:44:59,581 - [Narrator] And in other areas too, 871 00:44:59,581 --> 00:45:03,261 BMW Motorsport proves to be outstandingly successful. 872 00:45:03,261 --> 00:45:05,314 The year 1983 marks the high point 873 00:45:05,314 --> 00:45:07,314 of this period of success. 874 00:45:07,314 --> 00:45:12,194 The Brabham BMW BT52 is fitted with a turbo engine. 875 00:45:12,194 --> 00:45:14,434 Nelson Piquet drives it in Formula One 876 00:45:14,434 --> 00:45:17,101 and wins the World Championship. 877 00:45:17,101 --> 00:45:20,184 (grand, noble music) 878 00:45:26,634 --> 00:45:28,274 Its success is ongoing. 879 00:45:28,274 --> 00:45:30,500 The company is no longer a small manufacturer 880 00:45:30,500 --> 00:45:33,034 based in Bavaria, but a global player. 881 00:45:33,034 --> 00:45:36,834 In the early 1970s, BMW opens its first foreign plant 882 00:45:36,834 --> 00:45:40,597 in South Africa, and that is just a first step. 883 00:45:40,597 --> 00:45:42,207 - [Translator] And that's how you start to make plans, 884 00:45:42,207 --> 00:45:43,380 where can we build? 885 00:45:43,380 --> 00:45:45,633 Ultimately, it proves to be in Spartanburg, 886 00:45:45,633 --> 00:45:47,247 in South Carolina. 887 00:45:47,247 --> 00:45:50,747 It's an incredibly important step for BMW. 888 00:45:51,886 --> 00:45:54,353 - [Narrator] The U.S. plant opens in 1994. 889 00:45:54,353 --> 00:45:55,966 It is the first plant outside Germany 890 00:45:55,966 --> 00:45:58,860 where BMW manufactures the product itself, 891 00:45:58,860 --> 00:46:01,619 from the first screw through to the paint work. 892 00:46:01,619 --> 00:46:05,786 Nowadays, Spartanburg is BMW's biggest production plant. 893 00:46:06,713 --> 00:46:09,153 Since the 1950s, the BMW product range 894 00:46:09,153 --> 00:46:11,206 has also featured top end models. 895 00:46:11,206 --> 00:46:14,926 In 1986 BMW unveils its new 7 Series car, 896 00:46:14,926 --> 00:46:17,046 setting new standards in luxury class, 897 00:46:17,046 --> 00:46:19,552 above all with the 12-cylinder engine. 898 00:46:19,552 --> 00:46:23,052 (loud, upbeat rock music) 899 00:46:26,979 --> 00:46:30,005 In 1997 the successful James Bond film 900 00:46:30,005 --> 00:46:32,459 Tomorrow Never Dies is filmed. 901 00:46:32,459 --> 00:46:35,552 And in the starring role, not only is there Pierce Brosnan, 902 00:46:35,552 --> 00:46:39,178 but also the third generation of the BMW 7 Series. 903 00:46:39,178 --> 00:46:42,392 In the film the car exhibits truly magical powers. 904 00:46:42,392 --> 00:46:45,378 It drives as if by magic, but a glimpse behind the scenes 905 00:46:45,378 --> 00:46:47,552 reveals what is actually going on. 906 00:46:47,552 --> 00:46:50,135 (upbeat music) 907 00:46:51,591 --> 00:46:53,178 But what was simply a vision back then 908 00:46:53,178 --> 00:46:55,471 becomes a reality only a few years later. 909 00:46:55,471 --> 00:46:57,525 Latest generation BMWs keep in lane 910 00:46:57,525 --> 00:47:00,645 without the driver intervening, avoid collisions, 911 00:47:00,645 --> 00:47:03,778 maintain a safe distance, and brake independently. 912 00:47:03,778 --> 00:47:06,378 The current 7 Series BMW can park itself 913 00:47:06,378 --> 00:47:09,591 at the press of a button, no driver required. 914 00:47:09,591 --> 00:47:12,618 The James Bond vision has become a reality. 915 00:47:12,618 --> 00:47:15,591 Commercially too there are visions during the 1990s. 916 00:47:15,591 --> 00:47:18,671 In 1994 BMW acquires the Rover Group, 917 00:47:18,671 --> 00:47:20,964 and with it, brands such as Land Rover, MINI, 918 00:47:20,964 --> 00:47:23,351 Triumph, MG, and Rover. 919 00:47:23,351 --> 00:47:26,937 The aim for BMW is to service the mass market better. 920 00:47:26,937 --> 00:47:29,884 At first the collaboration with Rover Group develops well, 921 00:47:29,884 --> 00:47:32,634 but it is not sustained for long. 922 00:47:34,592 --> 00:47:36,124 - [Translator] After taking over the Rover Group, 923 00:47:36,124 --> 00:47:39,817 BMW realized fairly quickly that it had negotiated its way 924 00:47:39,817 --> 00:47:42,950 into a disastrous situation, and to that extent 925 00:47:42,950 --> 00:47:46,450 the company did well to fend it off again. 926 00:47:47,790 --> 00:47:49,177 - [Narrator] At the same time however, 927 00:47:49,177 --> 00:47:51,336 BMW keeps the MINI brand. 928 00:47:51,336 --> 00:47:53,670 Automotive experts initially take a critical view 929 00:47:53,670 --> 00:47:55,763 of that decision, but the Bavarian owners 930 00:47:55,763 --> 00:47:59,930 succeed in moving the cult of the old MINI into a new age. 931 00:48:02,016 --> 00:48:04,243 The failure with Rover cost billions, 932 00:48:04,243 --> 00:48:06,469 and at first looks like a major crisis. 933 00:48:06,469 --> 00:48:09,243 But BMW finds the answer to this challenge. 934 00:48:09,243 --> 00:48:13,389 At the structural level in 1999, the BMW Group is formed, 935 00:48:13,389 --> 00:48:15,163 from which now on will plan and manage 936 00:48:15,163 --> 00:48:17,083 all of its brands centrally. 937 00:48:17,083 --> 00:48:18,762 The picture is rounded off with the purchase 938 00:48:18,762 --> 00:48:22,929 of Rolls Royce and the launch of the X Series, the BMW SUVs. 939 00:48:26,096 --> 00:48:29,442 At the start of 2000, BMW is a firmly-established presence 940 00:48:29,442 --> 00:48:31,429 practically all over the world, 941 00:48:31,429 --> 00:48:34,135 and only the Asian market is lagging behind. 942 00:48:34,135 --> 00:48:36,122 In 2003 they start a joint venture 943 00:48:36,122 --> 00:48:38,175 with the Chinese manufacture Brilliance, 944 00:48:38,175 --> 00:48:41,402 and start car assembly operations in China. 945 00:48:41,402 --> 00:48:43,348 And the next challenge lies in wait, 946 00:48:43,348 --> 00:48:47,628 progress is needed on environmental protection. 947 00:48:47,628 --> 00:48:49,682 - [Translator] If you want to position yourself credibly 948 00:48:49,682 --> 00:48:51,468 within the electric car project, 949 00:48:51,468 --> 00:48:53,968 you have to show it a new car. 950 00:48:57,016 --> 00:48:59,988 The idea of taking a Golf and installing an electric engine 951 00:48:59,988 --> 00:49:03,708 and batteries, it may work from the technical point of view, 952 00:49:03,708 --> 00:49:06,458 but it's not the car of tomorrow. 953 00:49:07,860 --> 00:49:10,201 It's like taking a carriage 100 years ago, 954 00:49:10,201 --> 00:49:13,307 ditching the horses, and sticking an engine onto it. 955 00:49:13,307 --> 00:49:15,890 So now a new design was needed. 956 00:49:17,561 --> 00:49:20,321 - [Narrator] The answer to this is the i3 and i8. 957 00:49:20,321 --> 00:49:22,601 The electric BMWs are mainly manufactured 958 00:49:22,601 --> 00:49:24,721 using carbon fiber materials, 959 00:49:24,721 --> 00:49:27,534 thus revolutionizing automotive construction. 960 00:49:27,534 --> 00:49:29,374 Sustainability begins right from the start 961 00:49:29,374 --> 00:49:31,454 of the manufacturing process. 962 00:49:31,454 --> 00:49:33,827 A carbon plant in the north of the USA 963 00:49:33,827 --> 00:49:36,187 manufactures the high tech material. 964 00:49:36,187 --> 00:49:38,134 It is much lighter and more stable 965 00:49:38,134 --> 00:49:39,640 than the iron or aluminum sheeting 966 00:49:39,640 --> 00:49:42,280 conventionally used in car construction. 967 00:49:42,280 --> 00:49:45,107 Carbon is used for the bodywork or for individual components 968 00:49:45,107 --> 00:49:47,267 on a growing number of models. 969 00:49:47,267 --> 00:49:49,893 Two hydroelectricity stations provide the power 970 00:49:49,893 --> 00:49:51,627 for carbon production. 971 00:49:51,627 --> 00:49:53,773 And in Germany too, there is a strong emphasis 972 00:49:53,773 --> 00:49:56,760 on protecting the environment at the works in Leipzig. 973 00:49:56,760 --> 00:49:59,960 Here all the energy needed to produce the electric BMWs 974 00:49:59,960 --> 00:50:02,373 is generated using wind turbines. 975 00:50:02,373 --> 00:50:05,120 As a result, annual CO2 emissions are being reduced 976 00:50:05,120 --> 00:50:06,870 by some 210,000 tons. 977 00:50:07,866 --> 00:50:08,699 - [Translator] I also think 978 00:50:08,699 --> 00:50:10,559 that this is the right direction, 979 00:50:10,559 --> 00:50:12,706 that there is consistency in looking to market 980 00:50:12,706 --> 00:50:15,599 an electric car and an eco-friendly car. 981 00:50:15,599 --> 00:50:17,359 That there's a solid basis behind it, 982 00:50:17,359 --> 00:50:20,012 and from the smallest screw to the end product 983 00:50:20,012 --> 00:50:23,512 the manufacturing process is right for it. 984 00:50:26,506 --> 00:50:28,425 - [Narrator] Over its lifecycle, the i3 985 00:50:28,425 --> 00:50:30,345 uses up to 50% less energy 986 00:50:30,345 --> 00:50:33,225 than a comparable conventional car. 987 00:50:33,225 --> 00:50:36,012 And the customer wants even more change in mobility, 988 00:50:36,012 --> 00:50:38,799 the answer lies in carsharing. 989 00:50:38,799 --> 00:50:41,065 Personal cars are increasingly being replaced 990 00:50:41,065 --> 00:50:42,815 by mobility concepts. 991 00:50:45,198 --> 00:50:47,252 These technical and social innovations 992 00:50:47,252 --> 00:50:49,398 are also a major theme for the General Director 993 00:50:49,398 --> 00:50:51,315 of the Deutsche Museum. 994 00:50:53,566 --> 00:50:54,625 - [Translator] Well, people are often saying 995 00:50:54,625 --> 00:50:56,505 that young people don't value ownership 996 00:50:56,505 --> 00:51:00,349 of a vehicle these days, but rather the use of it. 997 00:51:00,349 --> 00:51:02,731 Which means you also have to create models, 998 00:51:02,731 --> 00:51:06,491 social models ultimately, at BMW that address mobility, 999 00:51:06,491 --> 00:51:09,544 preferences, and the aspirations of young people, 1000 00:51:09,544 --> 00:51:13,398 and people in general, for the future. 1001 00:51:13,398 --> 00:51:14,358 - [Narrator] The i3 features 1002 00:51:14,358 --> 00:51:16,731 in the carsharing fleet DriveNow. 1003 00:51:16,731 --> 00:51:18,131 This is a hire car project 1004 00:51:18,131 --> 00:51:19,904 whereby people can spontaneously 1005 00:51:19,904 --> 00:51:21,757 hire a car on the street. 1006 00:51:21,757 --> 00:51:24,544 The billing is on a minute-by-minute basis. 1007 00:51:24,544 --> 00:51:28,711 Another forward-looking mobility concept is the i8. 1008 00:51:29,584 --> 00:51:32,011 - [Translator] The i8 was developed at the same time. 1009 00:51:32,011 --> 00:51:34,210 This sports car, which is not a pure electric car, 1010 00:51:34,210 --> 00:51:37,010 but a plug-in hybrid, so it has a three-cylinder 1011 00:51:37,010 --> 00:51:38,984 combustion engine on the one hand, 1012 00:51:38,984 --> 00:51:41,544 along with very powerful electric drives. 1013 00:51:41,544 --> 00:51:44,638 And that produces this work of art, which is called i8, 1014 00:51:44,638 --> 00:51:47,023 combined with a highly futuristic design, 1015 00:51:47,023 --> 00:51:48,597 which is clearly the route we are taking 1016 00:51:48,597 --> 00:51:51,476 as we head into the future. 1017 00:51:51,476 --> 00:51:52,396 - [Narrator] To be able to continue 1018 00:51:52,396 --> 00:51:55,196 as a successful global player in the future, 1019 00:51:55,196 --> 00:51:58,170 BMW needs to capitalize on the experience it has gained 1020 00:51:58,170 --> 00:52:00,796 in over 100 years of history. 1021 00:52:00,796 --> 00:52:03,636 No one knows what the next 100 years will look like, 1022 00:52:03,636 --> 00:52:05,396 but the Munich-based global group 1023 00:52:05,396 --> 00:52:09,563 has already set down a marker fueled by its vision. 1024 00:52:11,249 --> 00:52:14,916 (slow, rhythmic rock music)