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The first BMW automobiles
The history of BMW cars started in 1928 when the company had an opportunity to purchase automotive facility Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach. Initially, licenced production of the Austin Seven continued under
the brand name Dixi. The advanced development BMW 3/15 PS was launched on the market in 1929 and was the first automobile to bear
the BMW emblem.
1932 saw the first BMW automobile developed by the company roll off the assembly line with the designation BMW 3/20 PS. Two years later the Munich automaker presented the BMW 303 as the first
model powered by a 6-cylinder inline engine and established a successful BMW tradition.
The BMW 303 already sported the characteristic kidney-shaped radiator grille. Up to that point, BMW had always been at
the lower end of the mid-range, but the BMW 326 was the first representative of the classic mid-range. Almost 16,000 units of this car were sold, making it the most successful BMW to be produced before the Second
World War.
In 1936, the time had come for an even more sporty and powerful model and the BMW 328 was launched with a production run of just 464 units. The legendary roadster became the most successful sports
car in the late 1930s and was instrumental in establishing the sporty image of the BMW brand. The highly tuned motor-sport versions achieved some notable successes – for example, the BMW Touring Coupé took a class
victory at Le Mans in 1939 and won the Mille Miglia outright in 1940. The most luxurious BMW to roll off the assembly line before the war was the BMW 335 from 1939. The 3.5 litre 6-cylinder inline engine was a
completely new development. It had a maximum output of 90 hp and luxurious interior equipment.
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