BMW is associated with Rolls-Royce.   The company is called BMW Rolls-Royce Aero Engines.  This joint company makes airplane engines for regional jets, large corporate jets and transport aircrafts.   BMW AG, München owns 50.5% and Rolls-Royce plc London owns 49.5% or the company.

Seven and a half years since it was formed on July 1st, 1990, BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH has become a leading European manufacturer of civil aero engines.

BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH was established as an independent company by BMW AG and Rolls-Royce plc. Rolls-Royce, one of the world´s leading aeroengine manufacturers, contributes decades of experience in engine design and construction, together with its worldwide service network. BMW provides system-related technical know-how. Direct access to current aviation programmes was assured by acquiring Motorenfabrik Oberursel, itself established as long ago as 1892 and today the headquarters of BMW Rolls-Royce

The rotating propeller, BMW's company logo, symbolizes the fact that BMW started its life as an aero engine manufacturer in 1917. Prior to that, German aero engines were being developed and supplied by Motorenfabrik Oberursel, the site now owned and operated by BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH. BMW later moved to the automobile industry via the development and production of motorcycles. The opposite was the case at Rolls-Royce. The company was established in 1906 as an automobile manufacturer with aircraft engines a later addition. BMW and Rolls-Royce simultaneously but completely independently developed the world's first production jet engines. They were used in 1944 in the German He 162 and in the RAF's Gloster Meteor respectively. Whereas BMW left the aerospace industry in 1965, Rolls-Royce became Europe's major aircraft engine manufacturer - its automobile manufacturing operations were at that time already completely separate.

When the Oberursel Motorenfabrik was purchased, its current contracts and business undertakings were honoured. At the centre for small gas turbines at Oberursel, maintenance, repair and overhaul services continue to be performed on engines for civil and military aircraft. In addition, BMW Rolls-Royce produces specific components for Rolls-Royce engines and other civil aero engines. Business in small gas turbines has also been expanded to the civil sector.

The aim of establishing BMW Rolls-Royce was to design, build and certify a new aero engine family, the BR700 series, based on a common core. The concept of a whole family of engines greatly increases the versatility of the project and the likelihood of commercial success. The low-pressure system integrated into the core engine can be adapted to provide the thrust values called for by individual aircraft manufacturers.

The core engine, which is identical for all versions of the BR700, has a ten-stage high-pressure compressor, an advanced combustion chamber and a two-stage high-pressure turbine. The BR710 has a 48 inch fan and a 2 stage low-pressure turbine. It has a thrust of between 14,000 and 17,000 pounds (62-75.6 kN). The low-pressure system of the BR715 engine consists of a 58 inch wide-chord fan with a two-stage booster, plus a three-stage low-pressure turbine. The BR715 has a thrust range of bewteen 17,000 and 23,000 pounds (75.6-102.3 kN), depending on the aircraft's specification. The BR710 engine is the first engine ever to be developed and produced in Germany by a German company and receive international certification.

The BR710 engine is designed to power the new generation of large, ultra long-range corporate jets. It is also ideally suited for 80 - 100 seater regional aircraft. The more powerful BR715 is optimised for 90 - 140 seater regional jets and large transport aircraft.

In 1992 the BMW Rolls-Royce BR710 was selected by Gulfstream Aerospace of Savannah/Georgia, U.S.A., as the sole engine for the Gulfstream V large, ultra long-range business jet with an initial order of 200 BR710 engines at 14.750 lb thrust. Only six months later, the Canadian manufacturer Bombardier of Montréal/Québec, Canada, chose the BR710 exclusively to power the Bombardier Global Express large, ultra long-range corporate jet. Today BMW Rolls-Royce is the sole supplier of engines in this market segment.

In 1994 the BR715 engine was selected as the sole powerplant for the McDonnell Douglas MD-95 aircraft programme and in October 1995 the U.S. carrier AirTran Airlines (formerly ValuJet Airlines became the launch customer for both the engine and the aircraft when it placed a firm order for 50 MD-95 aircraft and 110 BR715 engines with options for a further 50 aircraft.

On the 8. January 1998, the Boeing Company renamed the aircraft 717-200 and introduced it as the newest member of its commercial aeroplane family.

In July, 1996, the BR710 engine was chosen to power the Nimrod 2000, the British Royal Air Force´s maritime patrol aircraft, as part of a comprehensive modernisation programme involving the replacement of the propulsion systems. The order is for 87 marinised engines and it brought the company's total order volume to over 2.5 billion deutschmarks.

Throughout seven and a half year history BMW Rolls-Royce has met its deadlines in its very demanding time schedule. The core engine ran for the first time on August 14, 1993. This was followed, on September 1 1994 by the first run of the first full engine version, the BR710, right on schedule, at the company's high-tech development, test and assembly centre for the BR700 family in Dahlewitz. On August 14th 1996, on schedule, BMW Rolls-Royce reached its most important milestone to date when the BR710 engine received approval from the European Joint Aviation Authorities. This was followed a month later by Certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Authorities in September. The engine is now in service powering the Gulfstream V corporate jet. On October 13th, 1996, the Bombardier Global Express corporate jet powered by BR710 engines had its maiden flight. It is now undergoing an eighteen month flight test programme before entering into service in spring 1998.

Rated at 18,500 pounds thrust with an optional increase of up to 21,000 pounds thrust, the BR715 engine for the Boeing 717-200 ran for the first time on 28. April 1997 and the first engine was shipped for delivery to the Douglas Products Division of Boeing Commercial Airplane Group in Long Beach, California. Certification of the engine is scheduled for autumn 1998 followed by Entry into Service powering the 717-200 in mid 1999.

In June 1997, during the Paris Airshow, BMW Rolls-Royce signed an agreement with the Russian aircraft manufacturer Tupolev to power its Tu-334 100-seater regional jet with BR710 engines. The BR715 engine is also being offered for the Chinese AE31X and the Indonesian IPTN 2130 100-seater aircraft.

A BR700 turboprop engine with 9,000 - 12,000 shaft horsepower is being proposed for the new European Future Large Aircraft military transporter.