BMW AG is a Germany-based company which currently produces automobiles and motorcycles, and produced aircraft engines until 1945. 

The company was founded in 1916 and has its headquarters in Munich, Bavaria. BMW produces motor vehicles in Germany, Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the United States. In 2015, BMW was the world's twelfth largest producer of motor vehicles, with 2,279,503 vehicles produced. The Quandt family are long-term shareholders of the company, with the remaining stocks owned by public float. 

Automobiles are marketed under the brands BMW (with sub-brands BMW M for performance models and BMW i for plug-in electric cars), Mini and Rolls-Royce. Motorcycles are marketed under the brand BMW Motorrad. 

The company has significant motorsport history, especially in touring cars, Formula 1, sports cars and the Isle of Man TT. 

"BMW AG" is an abbreviation for the German name "Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft" (). "Bayerische Motoren Werke" translates into English as "Bavarian Motor Works", while Aktiengesellschaft signifies it is a corporation owned by shareholders. 

BMW's origins can be traced back to three separate German companies: Rapp Motorenwerke, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and Automobilwerk Eisenach. The history of the name itself begins with Rapp Motorenwerke, an aircraft engine manufacturer. In April 1917, following the departure of the founder Karl Friedrich Rapp, the company was renamed Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW).. BMW's first product was the BMW IIIa aircraft engine. The IIIa engine was known for good fuel economy and high-altitude performance. The resulting orders for IIIa engines from the German military caused rapid expansion for BMW.
What is the translation of "Bayerische Motoren Werke" ?
"Bayerische Motoren Werke" translates into English as "Bavarian Motor Works"