Making history. More than 40 years of BMW Steyr.

Page Overview

2020s.

plan for the future: Programme 25.

On 20 April 2021, BMW Group Plant Steyr unveiled its Programme 25 plan for the future, aimed at securing Steyr’s position as the leading BMW Group location for drive trains – also in the context of growing electrification of individual mobility.

BMW Mitarbeiter halten die Zahl 20 Millionen in den Händen

Announcement e-drive production.

The next-generation e-drive will come from BMW Group Plant Steyr! The company made the official announcement on 20 June 2022, in the presence of Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler, Governor Thomas Stelzer and BMW Group head of Production Milan Nedeljković. Production of over 600,000 electric motors per year will get underway in 2025. E-mobility is also gaining ground fast on the development side, with a new high-performance electric drive being developed in Steyr.

Two years after the start of construction of the new production hall, the first pre-series e-engine of the new generation rolls off the production line in Steyr. The Governor of Upper Austria, Thomas Stelzer, and the Mayor of Steyr, Markus Vogl, were present at the event.

2010s.

New production record

On 14 October, the one-millionth engine of the year rolled off the assembly line: an all-time production high.

MODULAR ENGINES.

Plant Steyr celebrated its 35-year anniversary. Together with its engine plants in Munich and Hams Hall, the BMW Group gradually ramped up production of its new generation of modular engines at Plant Steyr – making it the Group’s primary plant for the new generation of diesel engines.

BMW employees hold the number 20 million in their hands

20-MILLIONTH ENGINE.

BMW Group Plant Steyr followed a record-breaking 2016 with another milestone: its 20-millionth engine, in its 35th year of production.

40 YEARS OF BMW IN STEYR.

For the past 40 years, the engine plant in Steyr has been a vital component of the BMW Group's global research and production network. A total of around 7.49 billion euros has been invested in the site since the plant was founded – equivalent to more than 500,000 euros every day!

2000s.

SECURING THE SITE’S FUTURE.

On 2-3 July, the BMW engine plant celebrated both its 25th anniversary and commissioning of its seventh phase of expansion, which was completed after roughly two years’ construction with a total investment of around 500 million euros. The total area of the BMW Steyr site now covers approx. 310,000 m². An innovative new six-cylinder petrol-engine generation also ramped up in July and BMW became the first manufacturer worldwide to use high-performance engines with aluminium-magnesium alloy crankshafts in its cars.

ENGINE MILESTONE.

On 13 June 2007, the plant produced its 10-millionth engine.

TWO-DAY ENGINE.

The two-day engine was a logistical masterpiece, with a lead time, between mounting the basic engine and installation of the finished engine at one of the BMW vehicle plants in Germany, of just two working days. In 2009, BMW Group Plant Steyr won the Austrian Logistics Award and, in 2010, Fraunhofer Austria’s "Fabrik2010" Award.

1980s - 1990s.

Black and white recording of the laying of the foundation stone

FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE.

After a topping out ceremony on 25 March 1980, the Diesel Engine Development Centre was opened by then Federal Chancellor Dr. Bruno Kreisky and went on-stream on 17 October 1980. The topping out ceremony for the first production hall was held on 10 October.

Series production of the 6-cylinder gasoline engine M20 begins

START OF SERIES PRODUCTION.

On 29 April, BMW AG acquired the shares of SDP AG (Steyr Daimler Puch AG). BMW-STEYR was renamed BMW Motoren GmbH and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG. The company was responsible for production of engines, as well as research and development for diesel engines. 17 May 1982 marked a historic milestone as the start of series production of the six-cylinder M20 petrol engine.

6-cylinder diesel engine with turbocharging

SIX-CYLINDER DIESEL ENGINE.

The first BMW series diesel engine – the M21 six-cylinder diesel engine with turbocharger – fundamentally changed the image of auto-ignition. With a top speed of 180 km/h and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 13.5 seconds, it set the benchmark for dynamic performance among diesels.

CELEBRATORY MOOD.

Ten years after ground-breaking, on 9 November, the one-millionth engine, a four-cylinder petrol engine, left the assembly halls.

DIRECT INJECTION FOR DIESEL ENGINES.

Series production of the new direct-injection BMW diesel family developed in Steyr got underway, starting with the four-cylinder variant in March and followed by the six-cylinder version in July. A year later, development of the world’s first V8 direct-injection engine was also completed.

1970s.

Partnership agreement between BMW and Steyer Daimler Puch AG is signed

KICK-START.

On 21 December 1978, the company agreement between BMW and Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG was signed in Vienna.

Ground-breaking ceremony by Austrian Federal Chancellor Dr. Bruno Kreisky

A SUCCSS STORY BEGINS.

BMW-STEYR Motoren GmbH was entered into the commercial register in March. BMW Group Plant Steyr’s impressive success story began in earnest on 21 June 1979 with a ground-breaking ceremony attended by then Austrian Federal Chancellor Dr. Bruno Kreisky. In 1979, BMW-STEYR employed a total of eight people.