There is a popular misconception concerning the origins of the BMW name and logo that would have us believe some nonsense about Bavarian Motor Werke etc. As an enthusiastic amateur historian of the marque, I feel obliged to reveal the results of my research and thereby lay this myth to rest.

What follows is a meticulously researched and authenticated version of the actual events leading to the international acceptance of BMW as the world's leading driving machine.

In 1698 Thomas Savery, an Englishman, patented the design for a pumping engine which would raise water from a mineshaft to a height of 80 feet. The work on this engine was contracted out to a local blacksmith in Dartmouth called Thomas Newcomen, who recognised the potential of the Savery pump, modified the design and produced the Newcomen engine.

This is the forerunner of the famous and world changing James Watt design, which is sometimes regarded as the consolidation point of the Industrial Revolution.

All of this is well documented in the history books. What is less well known is that, during the time of the most intense development of his engine, Thomas Newcomen befriended the young guest of a local aristocratic family, a German youth called Weismuller, whom he encouraged to become involved in the specification development for the Mk.2 engine.

Weismuller was an impressive youth "of godlike aspect" and spent much time with the family - a circumstance that gave rise to some unpleasant local speculation. In any event, he clearly made a considerable impression on Newcomen.

Weismuller eventually returned to Bavaria where, upon the death of his father, took over the running of the family business, a lucrative concern providing whalebone corsetry to the nobility and gentry. Upon the death of Thomas Newcomen in 1729, Weismuller inherited a mysterious set of drawings from his erstwhile mentor.

There is no record of what they contained but it seems likely that they contained records of the development of the Newcomen engine. There is no doubt that they changed Weismuller's life. From that time, he became interested, and then obsessed, by curious notions of a reciprocating engine based on Newcomen's original concept.

In spite of his obsession (or perhaps because of it - he had an extremely competent works manager) the business flourished, the company became rich and powerful, made the right donations and eventually the title 'Baron' was bestowed on him. Baron Weismuller lived to a ripe old age and had two sons by his second wife Gerda (spelled Goethe).

The elder son Johanne emigrated to America and began the transatlantic branch of the family, which became famous through their involvement with the motion picture industry. In particular, a series of jungle movies starred a great grandson, also called Johanne and nicknamed Johnny, and became world renowned.

The younger son, Manfred, was born when Weismuller was very old man. He inherited his father's obsession with mechanical devices and began experimenting with explosive charges in cast metal tubes. His first idea was to attach levers to the outer faces of the tubes which were then propelled upwards with great force by the explosion within, toppled sideways and then fell back down again, creating a circular motion which drove a connected wheel.

This proved somewhat inefficient, and he completely revised the concept. His famous phrase "Wir werden die Erde bewegen machen" (we shall make the earth move) is assumed by most historians to define the moment when he decided to fix the cylinder and allow the explosion to move the base on which it was placed. (Other, less charitable historians, have pointed to evidence that suggests Manfred made the remark to a maidservant under rather less scientific circumstances).

This was a much more promising development and led to the construction of the 'hopping' engine which in turn was exploited by Nicholas Otto in patenting his four stroke engine in 1876. The chagrin experienced by Manfred when Otto stole his thunder was profound and he gave up his engineering hobby, married the chambermaid, renounced his title and died an unhappy man.

In any event the next steps are beyond doubt. Nicholas Otto designed his Otto Cycle engine (hence the name 'auto') and became a partner in Gasmotorenfabrik together with Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Carl Benz produced his motor cycle in 1885, they joined forces and eventually the Daimler Benz company produced the first real motor car as we know it today. The development proceeded apace, and most authorities agree on the way in which Daimler Benz became Mercedes Benz.

Now for the important bit.

BMW was formed between the wars when the real creative design talent at M-B became disgruntled by the stifling atmosphere caused by the conservative management. In spite of protracted negotiations, the management of M-B decided that their motor cars were suited to a more mature client base and would have none of this new-fangled 'driving machine'.

This led to the inevitable split, and, led by the most able young designer, they broke away to build motor cars according to their own philosophy. That young designer was no other than Siegfried Weismuller, the grandson of Baron Manfred Weismuller.

Seeking a name for the new company, Siegfried, who was a forceful character, decided that his grandfather, who had so much (unrecognised) influence on the early development of the internal combustion engine, should be appropriately honoured, and thus his name lives on in the famous initials BMW. Their philosophy was, and still is, based on his immortal phrase "we shall make the earth move".

This is the true derivation of the name BMW.

Cross-Sections are Friday musings from Tone Wheeler, formerly of Tone on Tuesday. Amateurs draw plans, professionals draw sections; never at cross purposes

Tone Wheeler

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