Who owns BMW?
BMW is owned by BMW Group (Germany, XETRA: BMW).[1]
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
Evidence: BMW Group Annual Report 2025, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, 18 March 2026. Last checked .
Key facts
- Current owner
- Bayerische Motoren Werke AG reported
- Owner HQ
- 🇩🇪 Germany, Munich
- Origin
- 🇩🇪 Germany, Munich
- Founded
- 1916
- Category
- Automotive › Cars › Luxury cars
- Parent ticker
- XETRA: BMW
- Last verified
- · 1 sources
About BMW
BMW built its identity on rear-wheel drive saloons and the slogan about the ultimate driving machine, used since 1974. Its kidney grille has appeared on every model since 1933 and has grown steadily larger, to persistent public complaint. The company sells more cars than either of its British marques by a wide margin, and its M performance division has operated as a separate subsidiary since 1972.
Ownership timeline of BMW
Where BMW sits in BMW Group
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
Open the full BMW Group ownership tree →
See the full BMW Group brand portfolio (5) →
Other brands owned by BMW Group
BMW Group controls 5 brands on Brandtree, 4 of them in automotive.
Also in automotive
- BMW Motorrad (1923)
- MINI (1959)
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (1904)
Other brands in luxury cars, and who owns them
The 19 brands in luxury cars on Brandtree belong to 14 owners. The largest is Volkswagen Group, with 2; BMW Group has 2.
| Brand | Owner | Owner based in |
|---|---|---|
| Denza | BYD | 🇨🇳 China |
| Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz Group | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Jaguar | Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles | 🇮🇳 India |
| Audi | Volkswagen Group | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Lincoln | Ford | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Hyptec | GAC Group | 🇨🇳 China |
| Volvo Cars | Geely | 🇨🇳 China |
| Cadillac | General Motors | 🇺🇸 United States |
About the owner: BMW Group
BMW Group is a publicly listed company headquartered in Munich, Germany, founded in 1916. Brandtree records 5 brands under its control, and it is listed as XETRA: BMW.
BMW began building aircraft engines in 1916, which its blue and white roundel is popularly said to represent. It is controlled by the Quandt family, and it owns two British marques whose names are far better known in Britain than the German parent is.
🇩🇪 BMW and other German brands
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 252 brands that began in Germany. 93 of them (37%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country; BMW is not one of them.
- Audi — Volkswagen Group 🇩🇪
- Mercedes-AMG — Mercedes-Benz Group 🇩🇪
- Opel — Stellantis 🇳🇱
- 3 Glocken — Princes Group 🇬🇧
- A. Lange & Söhne — Richemont 🇨🇭
- ABOUT YOU — Zalando 🇩🇪
Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of BMW?
The parent company of BMW is BMW Group, a publicly listed company headquartered in Germany.
Is BMW German?
Yes. BMW originated in Germany in 1916 and its owner, BMW Group, is also headquartered in Germany.
Is BMW still owned by BMW Group?
Yes. As of 16 September 2026, BMW is still owned by BMW Group. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (1) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
- [1] BMW Group Annual Report 2025 — Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Annual report, published 18 March 2026; retrieved 16 September 2026.
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