Eisenacher Motorenwerk

Eisenacher Motorenwerk
FormerlyBMW
IndustryAutomobile and motorcycle manufacture
Foundedc. 1945 Eisenach, East Germany
DefunctDuring the 1950s
SuccessorBMW
Opel Eisenach (factory)
Headquarters
Eisenach
ProductsAutomobiles
Motorcycles

Eisenacher Motorenwerk (EMW) was an East German manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles based in Eisenach. EMW also entered Formula One as a constructor in 1953, but participated in only one race, the 1953 German Grand Prix. The car retired after 12 laps with exhaust problems.[1]

Continuing BMW production

1952-1955 EMW 340, with a redesigned grille

One of the pre-World War II BMW factories was located in Eisenach, which after the war was taken over by the Soviets, since Eisenach was situated in the Soviet occupation zone. The factory continued producing cars and motorcycles under the BMW brand, but after a lawsuit in 1952 they had to change the name to EMW instead. The logotype was also similar, but instead of the blue BMW used, EMW used red.

The Kasernierte Volkspolizei (a paramilitary police branch which preceded the National People's Army) and the succeeding East German armed forces needed vehicles and expressed interest in reviving production of the BMW 325, an unsuccessful wartime off-road Einheits-PKW (standardized military light utility vehicle) built by BMW in Eisenach. This was developed into the new EMW 325/3, of which 166 were built in 1952.[2] This remilitarization, however, was in violation of the terms of the Potsdam Conference and led to protests from the West.[3]

New designs

Later the automobile section of EMW became VEB Automobilwerk Eisenach and built the Wartburg. Motorcycle manufacture ended in the 1950s and was replaced by the AWO 425 built by Simson at Suhl.

An EMW. Note the BMW-like grille.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

EMW as a Formula One chassis constructor
Official name(s)Eisenacher Motorenwerk
BaseEisenach, East Germany
Formula One World Championship career
EnginesEMW 2.0l L6
EntrantsRennkollektiv EMW
First entry1953 German Grand Prix
Last entry1953 German Grand Prix
Races entered1
Race victories0
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers'
Championships		0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0

(key)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Points WCC
1953 EMW R2 EMW L6 D ARG 500 NED BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA n/a* n/a*
East Germany Edgar Barth Ret
Source:[1]

* Constructors' Championship not awarded until 1958.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to EMW vehicles.
  1. ^ a b Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 46. ISBN 0851127029.
  2. ^ Stünkel, Udo (2000), Bewegte Zeiten: Typenkunde DDR Fahrzeuge, Personen- und Lieferwagen [Moving times: model identifier for East German vehicles, passenger and delivery vehicles], Bremen, Germany: Verlag Peter Kurze, p. 22, ISBN 3-9806977-9-7
  3. ^ Kleinschmidt, Heiko (2016-08-03). "Eisenach: Horst Ihling erinnert an Kurioses und geheime Auto-Entwicklungen" [Horst Ihling reminisces about rare and secret automobile developments]. Thüringer Allgemeine (in German). Mediengruppe Thüringen. Archived from the original on 2017-08-16.