BMW: Facts You Didn't Know About The German Luxury Car

5. There was time when BMW almost became Mercedes in the late fifties.
In 1959 BMW was near bankruptcy due to factors of Cold War. Mercedes’ parent company Daimler-Benz mounted a hostile takeover attempt. Collectively, BMW mounted a counter attack, enlisting even the lowest mechanics in the organization’s help in buying back shares. They eventually found the help of a major private investor, whose family still owns a chunk of the company today. This battle, of course, caused a major rivalry between the two brands that lasts to this day.