Inside BMW’s museum - picture special

BMW Z1 grew out of technology test bed. Premiered BMW’s ‘Z-axle’ and combined steel upper structure with carbon composite floor

BMW started life in 1917 when Rapp Motorenwerke offered an advanced aircraft engine to the military. It changed its name to BMW.

1923 BMW R32 was the company’s first road transport, noted for its high quality and shaft drive.

In 1928 BMW absorbed car maker Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach and started producing an upgraded Austin Seven as the Dixie 3/15PS

1930 commercial van version of the Dixie 3/15PS

1934 BMW R7 prototype used a boxer engine and period ‘airflow’ styling

In 1937 Ernst Henne set a world speed record of 134.6mph on the BMW WR500

2009 BMW Concept 6 concept motorcycle

the 1939 Kamm Racing Saloon used a super-light 32kg magnesium frame with the aluminium panels secured by folding the edges over

1939 Kamm Racing Saloon

1938 BMW 327/328

1939 BMW 328 roadster

1933-34 BMW M73, the company’s first six-cylinder engine, just 1182cc and 29.6bhp

1926 BMW V1 49.6-litre V12 developing ‘up to’ 740bhp at just 1700rpm. Used in Dornier J flying boat

BMW 801’s 14-cylinder radial engine was most famous fitted to the WW2 Focke-Wulf Fw190. It developed between 1500 and 2000bhp

BMW also led in early jet engine development. This 003 unit was used for the four-motor 1944 Arado Ar 234 jet bomber prototype

BMW’s war work includes this desert-spec motorcycle and sidecar

1955 BMW Isetta. Based on an Italian design, but heavily re-engineered, it was powered by a single cylinder 12bhp engine

Even with just 12bhp, the top speed of the Isetta was 54mph

The BMW 700 was the first monocoque and used a rear-mounted flat-2 engine

The 1600-2 was launched in 1996 and set the style and format the BMW’s hugely successful compact rear-drive format

The BMW E21 – known as the 3-series - arrived in 1975 and offered the option of six-cylinder engines

The E30 3-series polished the same formula and began the highly successful premium trend for multiple bodystyles

The E30 touring was the first compact premium estate and emerged from a private conversion by a BMW employee

1991 E63 marked a big technical and styling step forward, including the innovative ‘Z-axle’ rear suspension

The E63 series also including the ‘93 ‘Compact’ hatchback, which used some components from the E30 series

Display is rounded up by the 1999 E46

The current, E90, 3-series is shown in the form of a clay model

The reverse side of the E90 clay shows how the mock-up is built up, with a layer of modeling clay on the outside

The 120bhp, twin-carb 2002Ti was the beginning of BMW exploiting the inherent sportiness of its rear-drive cars

By 1978 BMW had finally got its performance act into gear, launching the mid-engined M1 in 1978 with 273bhp six-pot

The M635CSi was launch in 1983, fitted a 282bhp version of the engine that powered the M1

985 BMW M5, fitted with a 3.5-litre with 282bhp

Perhaps the most celebrated of all the M cars, the E30 M was launched in 1986 with 212bhp and four cylinders

The E46 M3 had a 338bhp naturally-aspirated straight-six engine and BMW M Roadster had 318bhp

A line-up of M-division engines beginning with the 1978 M88

The BMW Turbo was a 1972 concept built for the Munich Olympics which had a 2-litre, 278bhp, four-cylinder engine

Impressive display shows the badge of virtually every production BMW model

Classic 1971 BMW 3.0 CSi had around 200bhp

This is the second of BMW’s famous ‘art cars’ produced by artist Frank Stella

Handsome 2000Ti in successful competition guise

Dramatic 1977 BMW 320 track car

320’s extreme rear aerofoil

1975 BMW 3.0CSL powered by a 420bhp six-pot

2004 M3 GTR with a 480bhp V8 engine

Brabham BMW BT 52 took the 1980 F1 Championship Piquet at the wheel

1981 BMW M12/13 F1 engine. The turbocharger is said to have come from a tank

1983 F1 engine good for as much as 790bhp and, with higher turbo boost as much as 1100bhp for short periods

BMW’s first roadster, the 1930 17bhp 3/15

The 1934 BMW 315/1 was the company’s first six-cylinder roadster

1991 8-series was launched into political and economic upheaval, which led to this cabriolet being canned

It’s rumoured that the 8-series cabrio provided the basis for the 1994 Bentley Java concept car