EMW 340

In 1928, BMW bought a car factory in the German city of Eisenach ( Thuringia ), which produced under the license of the British company Austin, Dixi cars. By the mid-30s, the company produced a line of BMW cars.

With the beginning of the Second World War, the Eisen Automotive Plant switched to manufacturing products for the Wehrmacht . After the end of the war, Thuringia, together with the city of Eisenach and the BMW automobile plant, fell into the Soviet occupation zone of Germany . Already in 1945, the production of BMW models 321 was resumed. In 1947, the company became part of the Soviet-German joint-stock company Avtovelo . At the same time, work began on creating a new model of a car. The new car was supposed to get a four-seater sedan type body. When working on the future car, the pre-war production of the plant was taken into account, in particular, the model 326 and the prototype 332 created in 1939/40.

The new car, which was ready by 1948, turned out to be more harmonious and modern than its pre-war predecessors, the headlights were integrated into the wings; The car received the designation BMW 340 and from the next 1949 began its production. In addition to the domestic market, the BMW 340 began to be exported. And here the Eisenach plant started having problems. The plant no longer belonged to BMW, whose administration remained in Bavaria, in the American occupation zone, and since May 1949 in the newly formed Federal Republic of Germany . Nevertheless, the cars of the factory wore the BMW brand and were sold under this brand, which was illegal. On this occasion, a number of international lawsuits took place, the result of which was the commitment of the plant not to use the BMW brand on its products. Hastily it was invented its own brand EMW - E isenacher M otoren W erkes (Eisenach Motor Plants). In fact, only the first BMW abbreviation was changed, and the logo was also changed. But this was already enough.

By the beginning of the 50s, in addition to a sedan car, the plant had developed and launched a station wagon (combi) as well as a commercial chassis for the installation of a van-type body. BMW / EMW 340 cars were also supplied to the USSR for reparation payments to the GDRs . The production of EMW 340 cars was completed in 1955, due to the preparation of the plant for the release of new Wartburg cars.

Value

BMW / EMW 340 cars were in fact the first self-created car in the GDR, as well as a symbol of the most socialist Germany of the 50s. They were actively used in the People's Police , medicine and other government services and bodies of the GDR. A certain number of cars of this model are preserved in the spaces of the former USSR, most of them lost their original appearance and original parts in the process of operation. Also, a certain number of cars remained in Germany itself. They are private guests at trade shows and runs of retro cars.

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  BMW 340 with BMW logo on the hood

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  The new logo adopted in 1951 with red and white flowers, with him the cars went under the brand EMW

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  EMW 340 Kombi

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  Wooden car body van

• Avtovelo
• Wartburg
• Trabant
• Ostalgia

• "EMW 340: The Angel of Socialism." Magazine "Driving" (c) .