The ultimate internal combustion engine assembled in Munich departed from the production line on November 10. Can we still refer to BMW as “Bavarian Motor Works” when none of its power units are manufactured in Germany? In a technical sense, as it intends to fabricate electric powertrains in Germany, it can retain the name. Nonetheless, it appears peculiar to witness a brand that prided itself on its Bavarian-made engines for so long transferring engine production to various nations.
This transition has been in the works for quite some time. In 2020, BMW disclosed its plans to shift engine production to its factory in Steyr, Austria. Instead of crafting engines, BMW’s Munich location will now fabricate drive units for its future electric and hybrid vehicles.
Munich plant BMW
What constituted Munich’s final engine? Ironically, a V8. BMW is renowned for two engine setups: inline fours and inline sixes. The majority of the brand’s classic, iconic, and beloved vehicles are equipped with either four or six cylinders, like the E30 M3 and BMW M1. It would have been more poetic if the last engine produced in Munich was one of those, rather than a V8. However, it appears someone opted for a 7 Series.
Employees have also benefitted from this change. Previously, 1,200 individuals were engaged in engine development in Munich, and according to a report from BR.de, all of them have been reassigned to different roles within BMW. Therefore, the transition in engine production did not result in any job losses.
BMW
Does this signify the commencement of the conclusion for BMW’s internal combustion engines? Thankfully not. BMW has been among the few carmakers to openly defend conventional powertrains, asserting that the engines we cherish can coexist with EVs. The Bavarians will persist in not only constructing but also enhancing and advancing their B48 four-cylinder, B58 inline-six, and S68 V8 engines into the foreseeable future. They simply won’t be mass-produced in Germany any longer.
It’s apt that BMW has designated the Munich plant for EV production. Munich has been BMW’s headquarters as well as its principal facility for over a century, rendering it the most essential and significant plant of the brand. That facility should spearhead the company’s progression into the future.
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