Bavarian Motor Works
Saturday, 2nd July 2005 by James Turnbull
The BMW world headquarters in Munich, Germany is the 'four-cylinder' building (which was built top-down), while the famous logo is atop the BMW museum.
Over in South Carolina is BMW's North American home. The rather-cool crescent moon shaped building is the BMW Zentrum, the only BMW museum in North America, and sits next to the only BMW manufacturing facility in the United States.
The factory exclusively builds the Z4 roadsters and X5 sports activity vehicles which are then distibuted worldwide via the Port of Brunswick. You can clearly see the hundreds of Beemers waiting to be shipped out.
Thanks: James, Jacob Tomaw, Carson Diltz, Paul, Jochen, Giampaolo Bellavite & Alex
There’s a nice bridge shadow a short distance to the east of the Brunswick port: View Placemark It’s the Sidney Lanier bridge, a cable-stayed bridge that opened a couple of years ago. Just to its west you can see the remnants of the bridge it replaced, in the process of being removed.
Just a note that “Beemer” as you used it is meant to refer to a BMW motorcycle, while “Bimmer” refers to the cars….
They offer a performance driving course at the factory which you can take along with the tour. Might even be free if you are taking posession of your BMW from the plant directly. Track can be seen here View Placemark
Jeff,
From Wikipedia…
Zim zimmer!
Why are all the cars of white color ? I’ve seen this before at other locations, but never found an explanation.
Factory-new Cars are usually covered with big white plastic adhesive sheets to protect the paint during transport.
The BMW Zentrum was a suggestion of mine… and here it is…. I’m so proud!
I’ve lived in North America for 29 of my 32 years on this planet, and I’ve never heard the term Bimmers until today. BMW cars are Beemers to me.
Pan acroos the street to View Placemark for the 1972 Summer olympic housing complex. The apartment building in the center is where the Israli olympians were taken hostage.
I agree with Michael 100%. All though I have lived here 22 out of 22 years, but still never heard of bimmer until this thread.
For those of you who don’t know the plant in Greenville South Carolina is also home of the ZSCCA (Z Series Car Club of America) formally Z3CCA (Z3 Series Car Club of America) The plant gracility hosts a homecoming every year around labor day. The amount of cars accepted varies and registration is already open and fills up rather fast. Just a fun time for all Z3 and Z4 owners. All proceeds benefit the make a wish foundation I think.
http://www.zscca.org/
Hey Michael and Gimpster,
In case you haven’t heard, there is an entire world of countries and peoples that live outside the borders of the US. Beleive it or not, many of these people use different words for things than we do here in America.
Maybe you should look into this some time. 🙂
Beemers are Bimmers to most Europeans…
That cable-stay bridge at the Port of Brunswick looks very nice; probably much better than what looked like an old iron girder bridge.
I have heard for a long while about the cars being beemers and the cycles being bimmers here in the US. And it is sad to say, I live in Greenville and have never been to the BMW Zentrum.
Jedi, it is only worth it if you are in love with BMW’s
Steve Zilko,
I don’t think Micheal or Gimpster were saying that people outside of the US might call things by different names. They were finding it odd that, as James pointed out, the Wikipedia says that North Americans call the cars bimmers. As a North American, I too find this odd because I thought they were all Beemers. Also, James is part of the “entire world of countries and peoples that live outside the borders of the US” and 3 Americans (Micheal, Gimpster, and I) are agreeing with him.
Whoo hoo! My submissions of the port of Brunswick and Sidney Lanier Bridge finally showed up! Thanks!
Hi from northern ireland. They are called beemers here as well.
As the bumper sticker says; “I didn’t know that BMW made cars until I passed one.” Proud owner of a 2006 F650GS. If all goes according to plan, the wife will take it from me and I can get a 1200GS. Wish me luck.
WOW!! I live in Brooklyn, NY and thought this was the only word I actually pronounced correctly. Reason, when I purchased my first 5 series, I distinctly remember the salesman calling it a beemer.
I have been a proud owner of a used BMW’s for several years. I must telll you that there is no other car. We have had repairs done, of course, yet still reliable. Well my present 525i 1994 BMW has 238,000 miles and she ain’t ready to quit. The only thing I ask that you keep up the superb engineering. When I can afford a new car, you do know what I’ll buy.