Bmw Shock (2010s)

Before it was the primary mode of yuppie transport, the "Bimmer" was Bayerische Motoren Werke, Bavarian Motor Works for those of you who do not speak Deutsch. Created from the ashes of another company post-WWI, military engineering was used to create some of the finest motorcycles and automobiles of the era. Today, BMW controls Mini Cooper and Rolls Royce, and as of June 2012, has been called the world's most reputable company by Forbes. Not bad for a firm that faced liquidation post-WWII.