Q 01/05

What does BMW stand for?

A) Bayerische Motoren Werke

B) Bavarian Machine Works

C) Berliner Motor Werke

D) Bayern Motorrad Werke

Answer · why

A) Bayerische Motoren Werke

The spelling with spaces is grammatically wrong in German; ads have sometimes used the correct 'Motorenwerke'.

Q 02/05

In which city is BMW headquartered?

A) Stuttgart

B) Berlin

C) Munich

D) Frankfurt

Answer · why

C) Munich

Its 1972 headquarters tower was designed by Karl Schwanzer to resemble the cylinder head of a four-cylinder engine.

Q 03/05

What did BMW originally build before motorcycles and cars?

A) Locomotives

B) Bicycles

C) Aircraft engines

D) Sewing machines

Answer · why

C) Aircraft engines

Its first products powered the German air force; the BMW IIIa straight-six of 1917 was designed by Max Friz.

Q 04/05

Which engine firm, founded in 1913, was the first to change its name to BMW, in 1917?

A) Rapp Motorenwerke

B) Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach

C) Bayerische Flugzeugwerke

D) Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik

Answer · why

A) Rapp Motorenwerke

In 1922 its name and engine assets passed to the aircraft maker Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, which became today's BMW AG.

Q 05/05

What was BMW's first motorcycle, introduced in 1923?

A) F650

B) R75

C) K100

D) R32

Answer · why

D) R32

Its boxer twin, with a cylinder poking out into the airflow on each side, is still the layout of the R Series today.