There are many car manufacturers and automotive sub-brands. So many that it is often not readily apparent which company makes the specific model. For example, it might surprise some people to learn that Hyundai makes the new Genesis GV60 worth discussing. Or that the new EV SUV Polestar 2 is a Volvo creation. Some companies, such as BMW, are named for their major automotive brand. Still, unless you’re a car enthusiast or an industry insider, you’d never guess what other sub-brands they have in their portfolio.
What auto brands does BMW Corporation own?
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, also known as BMW Corporation, is renowned for its signature sedans, SUVs, roadsters, EVs and high-performance vehicles branded as BMWs. But the German multinational manufacturer makes much more than these status-symbol vehicles.
According to Car Covers, the company began producing aircraft in the early twentieth century, then moved to motorcycles, agricultural equipment and railway parts by the end of World War I. It became an automobile manufacturer only a year before the Great Depression, although it continued to make motorcycles and aircraft during World War II.
Due to the use of slave labor during that war, the BMW factories were bombed, and automobile and motorcycle production was banned until 1952. Its ties with the Third Reich meant slow sales throughout the fifties. However, in the sixties and seventies, the introduction of several now-iconic models helped BMW gain a firm foothold in the luxury and high-performance markets.
BMW is now so synonymous with high-end vehicles that it’s hard to imagine the automaker making anything else. It will come as no surprise that another well-known luxury brand in the BMW Corporation’s portfolio is Rolls-Royce. But it may come as a surprise to some that Mini, a brand known for its small cars, is also owned and manufactured by BMW.
How Mini and Rolls-Royce Became BMW Brands
In 1994, BMW attempted to expand its market share and operations by acquiring the unsuccessful British conglomerate, The Rover Group plc. According to The Complete Book of BMW, at that time 80% of the Rover Group, formerly a state-owned enterprise, was owned by the private company British Aerospace (BAe). BAE sold its stake to BMW in 1998, while the German manufacturer bought the remaining 20% of the company’s shares from Honda.
Unfortunately for BMW, it couldn’t stop it from losing money, despite spending millions of pounds to turn Rover Group around. Within two years, it was forced to sell off the main brands, Rover and MG. But it retained the Mini and continued to sell and redesign the smaller car.
According to CBS News, in July 1998, BMW acquired the Rolls-Royce brand name in a complicated exchange. That month, Volkswagen (VW) purchased Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited from Rolls-Royce plc (the holding company) without acquiring the rights to the brand name. Rolls-Royce later sold the brand name to BMW, allowing VW to use it until 2002, after which they began manufacturing automobiles under the brand name. VW retained the manufacturing assets and rights to the luxury brand Bentley.
As a result, you won’t find Rolls-Royce plc on Consumer Reports’ list of automakers and sub-brands. However, Rolls-Royce plc is still a publicly traded company. But despite its name, you will find it difficult to buy a car from them. These days, they sell aircraft engines and components used in the defence, marine and energy sectors.
What’s next for BMW?
Despite its complicated history, big things are in store for BMW. Along with other major auto manufacturers, the company is electrifying its fleet. According to Cars.com, while BMW’s i3 subcompact is discontinued for 2022, a new fastback sedan, the i4, is being offered, and a new SUV, the iX, refreshed with the gas-powered X3 and X4. Will. , In addition to this, the 2022 2 Series Coupe has been redesigned with new powertrain options and a bigger body.
Drive notes that the 2023 Mini Cooper retains the quirky shape and style for which the brand is known. This too will come with an EV option in addition to a conventional gas-powered variant. However, the Mini will drop the gas-powered version by 2027. A newly redesigned Mini Cooper Countryman is also due in 2023 as an EV and combustion-engined model. However, by 2025 the Countryman will be an EV only.
And Rolls-Royce is also set to enter the EV market with ultra-luxury brands like Specter, Phantom, Cullinan and Ghost. Just Auto shared that the Cullinan will be the first to take the fully electric plunge by 2025. He also noted that the Ghost could be redesigned by 2025, while the Ghost could see electrification by 2024. Older brands such as Dawn and Wraith were dropped. At the end of 2021. But a new Wraith redesign is due in 2023, and Dawn could be relaunched in 2026.
While this is all speculation until the cars hit the market, BMW’s plans for the Rolls-Royce, Mini and BMW brands are pretty exciting.
related: BMW: A Look At Its 100 Years History