Overview & Reviews

BMW is an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke AG -- or, in English, Bavarian Motor Works. Whatever you call it, the German-based company is one of the world's most respected automakers, renowned for crafting luxury cars and SUVs that offer superior levels of driving enjoyment.

Founded in Munich, the company began in the early 1910s as an aircraft manufacturer. BMW's current logo, designed to represent white propeller blades against a blue sky, reflects these origins; its blue-and-white color scheme also references Bavaria's blue-and-white checkered flag.

It wasn't until 1928 that production began on the first BMW automobile, the Dixi. The car proved tremendously popular, and its success helped the manufacturer weather the Depression. BMW's best-known pre-World War II vehicle was the Type 328 roadster, a supple two-seater that racked up more than 120 victories on the motorsport circuit between 1936 and 1940. Postwar BMW cars maintained this tradition, with several racing, rallying and hill climb victories.

The early 1950s saw the launch of the BMW 501, a roomy, voluptuous sedan that was resplendent with all of the hopefulness of that era. It was soon followed by the 502, which was powered by the world's first light-alloy V8, foreshadowing BMW's ongoing commitment to developing new technology. The best-selling BMW of that decade was the Isetta, a petite two-seat "microcar" typically powered by a 12- or 13-horsepower engine. The mid-'50s also saw the debut of the limited production and breathtakingly beautiful 507 sports car, which had an alloy body and used the 502's V8 for propulsion. In the 1960s, BMW sales strengthened significantly, thanks in part to the immense popularity of the 1500, a sporty family sedan.

By the 1970s, BMW was establishing itself as a full-fledged car company. It was a pioneer for many emerging technologies, including turbocharging and advanced vehicle electronics. BMW of North America was established at that time, and consumers who coveted both sports and luxury cars became loyal "Bimmer" owners. The '70s also saw the birth of BMW's three-tier sport sedan range consisting of the compact 3 Series, midsize 5 Series and large 7 Series cars and the creation of its performance M division. Though the 3 Series could be had with four-cylinder power, it was the company's inline-6 engines that developed BMW's reputation for spirited, yet highly refined performance. At decade's end, the limited production, short-lived M1 supercar debuted.

Throughout the 1980s, BMW became the unofficial poster car of yuppies, as the brand ostensibly signified one's financial success as well as a passion for driving. The elegant 6 Series coupe debuted, and the latter part of the decade saw the high-performance M division working its magic on various production models.

In the early 1990s, BMW replaced the 6 Series with the powerful (V12-powered at first) but heavy 8 Series grand touring coupe. A bit later, BMW introduced its popular Z3 roadster. The company also opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in the latter half of the 1990s.

The 2000s brought a midsize SUV (the X5) as well as a compact SUV (the X3) as BMW joined the hot-selling segment. Since then, BMW has replaced the Z3 with the Z4, introduced the compact 1 Series, produced hybrid versions of a few models and debuted the X6 fastback crossover. The company has also expanded its empire to include Mini and Rolls-Royce and continues to build motorcycles, something it has done since the 1920s.

BMW's famous advertising slogan describes each of its vehicles as "the ultimate driving machine," and it's not mere hyperbole. Over the past couple of decades, BMWs have become the standard for performance and luxury in most of the "over $30,000" segments. With family-friendly wagons, crisp sedans, distinctive coupes, nimble sports cars and spacious SUVs offered, BMW's model roster is diverse. But its vehicles all share a common characteristic: the ability to make drivers feel gloriously connected to the road.

User Reviews:

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  UPDATE since my last review (3/16/13) - 2010 BMW 5-Series
  By oakleyg - October 13 - 3:28 pm

  Purchased used with 37,000 miles. Now have 97,400 miles. Up to this point no issues. Have been averaging 28.5 MPG. Had first issue last week, very high pitched noise and rough idle at stop. Was traced to crankcase vent. Was covered under my extended warranty for $50 deductible. Tires and brakes were new at 37,000. Still OK, will probably replace tires before snow - live in USA Northeast.

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  Fun car, fear costly maintenance down the road - 2011 BMW 3-Series
  By spenceratx - October 7 - 9:21 am

  The 335i was a super fun car to drive. Although the 2011 got the slightly less tunable/powerful N55, it still had lots of grunt, even before mods. I loved the power, sound, and capability of the car. The 6MT was superb, and track time was great. Interior and exterior were well appointed. Having previously owned a G35S and thinking that the German cars were just too costly, I was very pleased to learn that the driving experience was much much better in the Bimmer. I was concerned with the cost of maintenance after warranty so I sold it to get a larger car for kids. I will own another 3 series (sedan) at some point. Costly. Took a bath on the sale price. ugh.

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  quick and nimble with no cost maintenance. sign me up. - 2015 BMW X1
  By jjedmunds - September 29 - 1:31 am

  i have now 13k miles on my X1. i got the 4 cylinder but it is very quick with 250lb torque. steering is precise and after 13k miles there is no problem and tires and brakes are fine. person wrote brakes gave out after 1,000 miles? he must be a cadillac dealer. there is no way they give out and if they did BMW replaces them. the start stop feature saves gas but its optional to use. i turn it off mostly so i can have more fun but it is optional, so its not an issue. the back seat is small. the cargo is small. it is not an SUV. its a cross over.

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  Wonderful purchase and daily driver - 2014 BMW 3-Series
  By petpipe - September 18 - 3:36 pm

  6 months, 6000 miles....Love it, bottom line! I am dealing with more city driving, getting 32-33 mpg. I do miss driving a manual trans. but the paddle shifters and sport mode make up for it. Space is amazing for hauling people under 6 ft.

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  horrible customer service - 2012 BMW 7-Series
  By lennyv1 - September 17 - 9:28 am

  i leased BMW 750i for 3 years and can tell you that I will never lease it again, I had the worst customer service experience and was overcharged by $650 at the end of the lease...

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  Try the 428i - 2014 BMW 4-Series
  By professorx - September 4 - 1:12 am

  Picked up my 428i yesterday. Was worried that the 4 cyl wouldnt be enough, and that I would not be getting the BMW "experience" if i didnt get the i6. None of these fools must have driven the 428i, because they could not have been more wrong. I started driving my car around and seeing what it can do and WOW... I couldnt possibly want more. This car is fast, and I mean FAST. This car is superb, and does not need the i6. In all fairness I am sure that the i6 is fantastic but make no mistake ladies and gents, the BMW 428i will knock your socks off and gives very, very little reason to upgrade to the 435i. I am aware that the M4 may be another story,but that will be reserved for big spenders

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  three months and counting - 2014 BMW 3-Series
  By vet4 - September 3 - 10:18 am

  Have owned it for 3 mos. includes premium package. Handles very well but would suggest getting an extended warranty if you plan to keep it beyond 4 yrs. Jeff S. at Passport BMW in MD gave me best price for Gold package by far.

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  Nice car but too many minor problems - 2000 BMW 3-Series
  By meodabeo - September 3 - 3:21 am

  Nice car to drive and have fun with but it has had too many minor problems with electrical system.

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  Just sold the car - 2003 BMW 7-Series
  By psecondo - September 2 - 6:21 pm

  My car 2003 760 IL was a fantastic car. I said "was" because after the first few years it became eminently unreliable and extremely expensive to fix. But I loved the car and, admittedly, I kept it for too long. Finally I just sold it after it developed a fuel problem (problems to start the car and to idle) that the BMW dealership deemed "unfixable".....the car had only 64,000 miles! I had a 760il of the previous generation that developed valve problems at 80,000 miles. I had a lot of problems with big Mercedes as well. I think I will skip German for a while.

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  Great Compromise - 2014 BMW X3
  By poppy42 - August 30 - 12:52 pm

  My wife wanted a mid size SUV which was NOT front wheel drive or front wheel biased. This pretty much directed us to Audi Q5, BMW X3and Mercedes GLK350. Each had its strong points, but the BMW X3 had the most useable space and no real negatives. Were very happy with our decision. Ours was pretty well optioned and had the highest sticker price of the 3, but with USAA and BMW incentives, wound up the least expensive. The base engine has plenty of zip and is reasonably fuel efficient (not quite up to EPA estimates, but still not bad). It handles nicely on the road. If I did not drive a Mercedes E350 Sport, Im sure I would be more effusive in my praise of the X3