BMW acquired the rights to use the Rolls-Royce car brand in 1998.
The year refers to a complicated split involving Vickers, Volkswagen, BMW and Rolls-Royce plc. In 1998, Vickers sold Rolls-Royce Motors to Volkswagen Group, which acquired the Crewe factory, vehicle designs and important physical trademarks such as the Spirit of Ecstasy and radiator-grille shape.
However, the Rolls-Royce name and double-R logo were controlled separately by Rolls-Royce plc, the aerospace company. Rolls-Royce plc licensed those automotive rights to BMW in 1998, reportedly for £40 million. BMW already supplied engines and components to Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars.
This is why 1998 and 2003 can both appear in explanations of BMW’s Rolls-Royce ownership. BMW secured the brand rights in 1998, but Rolls-Royce Motor Cars began exclusive production of Rolls-Royce-branded vehicles in 2003, after the companies negotiated a transition period. Volkswagen retained Bentley and the Crewe operation.