IN
THE
WIND
P28
originated in Munich in 1916 as
an aircraft engine manufacturer
resulting from the merger of three
other such companies - although
it was two years before it pro-
duced its first engines for sale.
One of the buildings on the
plot which the company has just
re-acquired is the very first build-
ing located on Moosacherstras-
se which was used to produce
those aircraft engines, which
was in operation from 1918 to
late 1920. That's when Knorr-
Bremse took over ownership of
the entire site and the buildings
on it, while BMW manufacture
moved to a newly built plant on
nearby Lerchenauerstrasse,
where it would expand produc-
tion of engines for cars, trucks,
motorcycles and boats in sub-
sequent years – and from 1923
on, manufacture complete mo-
torcycles.
BMW has thus regained own-
ership of part of its old aero en-
gine production plant, as well as
the entrance building from those
early days, which will be re-com-
missioned as the gateway to the
company's history.
For the purchase agree-
ment between BMW and Knorr-
Bremse, signed in February,
paves the way for the develop-
ment of the site and its histori-
cal buildings as the future home
for its historic vehicle subsidiary
BMW Group Classic (www.bmw-
classic.com.)
BMW's intention is to bring
together its many BMW Group
Classic activities together under
one roof, in a new location that
will offer space for its historic ve-
hicle workshop, a customer cen-
ter that will include the provision
of spare parts for vintage and
classic models, the BMW com-
pany archive, and various event
facilities.
The new site will also allow
BMW Group Classic to put items
from its collection of more than
1000 historic vehicles on display.
The integration of part of the old
production halls and the heritage-
protected gate building into the
overall concept for the new BMW
Group Classic site also offers
the opportunity for an intriguing
confluence of architecture and
function in the mold of the award-
winning BMW Museum.
Alan Cathcart
BMW recently
purchased one
of its original
buildings that will
house its historic
vehicle subsidiary
- BMW Group
Classic.
