BMW Acquires Original Factory

BMW has acquired a 3.2-acre parcel of land that includes the company’s original factory. Built in 1918, the historic site in the Milbertshofen district of Munich, Germany, housed BMW’s original aircraft engine production plant. The company says the land will become the new home for BMW Group Classic, a subsidiary that documents BMW’s past.

Located near the Oberwiesenfield Airfield, the factory produced engines for the German army during the first World War. When the war ended, BMW ceased producing aircraft engines under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which took effect in 1920. The facility was acquired by railway company Knorr-Bremse AG as BMW sought a new location nearby and refocused its operations to building motorcycles.

BMW plans to redevelop its historic home to become the new location for BMW Group Classic with a workshop, company archive and administration and event facilities. The site will also house historic BMW vehicles and a customer center for sales of parts for vintage and classic models.

[Source: BMW]

By Dennis Chung