1938 BMW 327 Cabriolet

BMW's roots go back to Rapp Motor, which was founded by Karl Rapp as an engine manufacturer. Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH ('Bavarian Motor Works') was founded as a successor company to Rapp Motor in 1917 and by 1918 was known as BMW. The blue-and-white roundel BMW logo, which is still used, alludes to the white and blue checkered flag of Bavaria, and is said to symbolize a spinning white propeller on a blue-sky background.

In 1924 BMW built its first motorcycle, the R32. This had a 500 cc air-cooled horizontally-opposed engine, a feature that would resonate among their various models for decades to come, albeit with displacement increases and newer technology. The major innovation was the use of a driveshaft instead of a chain to drive the rear wheel. For decades to follow, the shaft-drive boxer engine was the mark of the BMW motorcycle.

The following year BMW bought the Dixi Company, which produced an Austin Seven under license, and this became the new company's first car, the BMW 3/15. By 1933 BMW was producing cars that could truly be called theirs, offering steadily more advanced sportscars and sedans. The pre-1944 cars culminated in the 327 coupe and convertible as well as the 328 roadster, very fast 2.0-liter cars that were very advanced for their time. The owner bought this 327 (one of 746 made in 1938) in February, 2006 'in boxes' and admirably completed most of the restoration by himself!