Hartge Logo

In 1971, nestled in Merzig, Germany, Herbert Hartge embarked on a journey to transform the automobile industry, birthing the Hartge brand, which honed its craft in enhancing and customizing BMW vehicles. A few years later, in 1974, the burgeoning company shifted its base to Beckingen, setting up its primary centers for tuning and production.

Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, Hartge garnered acclaim for its exceptional expertise in revamping BMW engines, ushering in an era where they were celebrated for fitting larger engines from upscale BMW models into more compact frames. By 1985, their pioneering work didn’t go unnoticed, as they were conferred the status of an official manufacturer by Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority, empowering them to roll out wholly custom-made vehicles stamped with their unique VINs.

Throughout its history, Hartge showcased an array of performance-oriented renditions of various BMW line-ups, encompassing models from the 3 Series, 5 Series, and 6 Series to the M5, often adding a signature “H” to christen them, like the 540iH. But Hartge’s ambitions didn’t stop there. Venturing beyond the realm of BMW, they soon spread their wings, tuning illustrious brands like Minis and Land Rovers.

However, despite its storied legacy and prestige in the tuning domain, the latter part of the 2010s proved challenging for Hartge. Waning sales and financial turbulence took their toll, culminating in June 2019 when the company declared bankruptcy. Hartge’s chapter in Germany’s commercial annals was concluded as its assets were auctioned off, marking the end of an era that spanned 48 illustrious years.