What does the BMW acronym stand for in German?

What does the BMW acronym stand for in German? It stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, meaning “Bavarian Motor Works.”

The name first appeared in 1917, when Rapp Motorenwerke changed its name to Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH. BMW’s roots were in aircraft-engine production, and the Bavarian reference identified the company’s regional origin.

The German wording is often confused with the English translation, “Bavarian Motor Works.” That translation explains the initials in English-speaking contexts, but it is not the German expansion of BMW. The company’s full legal name is Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft; Aktiengesellschaft indicates a German joint-stock company.

German spelling also causes a minor historical wrinkle: Bayerische Motorenwerke is the grammatically conventional closed compound, while Bayerische Motoren Werke is the famous form used in the company name and acronym. Both refer to BMW.