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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  2011 BMW 535i Automatic, model not listed for review - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By batman38 - January 15 - 1:28 pm

  Have the car a month and all driving has been City. avg. 18 mpg. Car is exceptionally quiet and this car embodies all you would expect from this segment , from outstanding fit and finish to fine interior appointments. Ride and handling are excellent, surprising with the 18" run flats. For 2011 BMW still hasnt fixed the problem with a skittish non-navigation i-drive system as the radio screen keeps changing along with the station. Its as if its possessed and the dealer still hasnt responded with a fix. The other annoyance is that the car does not come equipped, as most luxury cars do, with the drivers seat moving to its rear position when one leaves the vehicle.

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  Buyer Beware - 2011 BMW X5
  By njbmw1 - January 13 - 9:07 pm

  Bought a X5 5.0 and it has been a disaster. Car has gone down (literally wouldnt start or drive) 3 times in under the first 7,000 miles. First time it was the battery/alternator. Second time it was an engine coil and now they claim my spark plugs went bad. This is not to mention a defective DVD player that had to be replaced. Also, one thing your salesperson wont tell you but every service guy knows right away is that Verizon Blackberrys do not work with the Idrive system. The Idrive will go down about every two months. You then have to unpair your phone, take the battery out and reset up the phone. They should tell people this before they buy the cars but they dont.

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  Love AND Reliability - 2005 BMW 3-Series
  By halohead - January 13 - 7:35 am

  Have had my 2005 325 convert for 4 years (bought it used), put 40k miles on it, and have treated it well. In return, it has been a joy to drive, beautiful to look at, and way more reliable than the Ford and Chevy Ive owned--on a par with the stalwart Altima on which I put 100k miles. This is the best car Ive ever owned, and Ive owned a few. There are things Id change (some of the interior fixtures could be better quality). But nothing beats hearing that growly engine and feeling the car drive like a part of myself.

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  335D 2011 - 2011 BMW 3-Series
  By jrjoseph - January 11 - 9:48 pm

  My first diesel, and my second BMW. I traded my 530XI for the 335D. Got the sports package, and all the bells and whistles. Drives really well, I am expecting to get a few speeding tickets with this car:) Great car however seems to have one simple flaw, the speedometer is off by 3 Km/H, not much however may have to see the dealer for a fix. I highly recommend this car to anyone, especially if you are on the green track and wont to feel good about not polluting the environment. Its way better than a hybrid, GREAT performance from a reputed mfg. Unfortunately 335D comes at a price, but I can assure you its all worth it.

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  Great Car! - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By sanjay8 - January 10 - 8:19 pm

  I bought this car used about 1 year ago with 35000 miles and I have put on another 10,000 miles in the past year. The drive is amazing. It has had no problems as yet. After reading the reviews I am not sure if should keep this car past its warranty, which is up in 6 months. Sounds like the twin turbo is a problem. There is a recall in Canada to correct the high pressure fuel pump.

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  Not recommended too crapy user interface not a luxury car at all!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2004 BMW 3-Series
  By prinze - January 9 - 5:28 pm

  Had this car since 2004 engine for this car is pretty good, but has a lot of little problems came up from time to time...The alignment is one of the biggest i took it to the BMW dealer for three times and they still couldnt completely fix the problem. The computer told them it is aligned but when i on road it always tends to go left. The interior wood got a lot the cracks i guess from the hot and cold weather. This car has very bad control interface, the cruise control responds is very slow. when i press the accelerator it didnt accelerate until least least 5 seconds later, same goes for decelerate. BWM should known better than in a highway 5 second disaster!!!

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  Automatic Transmission Issues - 2005 BMW 5-Series
  By panthersb - January 8 - 10:22 am

  In all, the 545i is a well-balanced rig -- amazingly fast and agile for a car of its size and comfort. My car has been plagued with electrical issues however, and a glitch with the transmission is enough to force me to replace it. When driving under slight power between 35 and 40 mph, the car feels as if there is a disruption in the fuel delivery or ignition. When I first demonstrated this to the dealer, a tech said it was the transmission, it was normal, and by shifting it to sport mode I could eliminate the issue. Unacceptable, in my opinion. This isnt "normal" behavior for any car, and I dont want to drive in sport mode to fix a transmission malfunction. Major buzz kill.

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  JUST A GREAT CAR - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By mike650 - January 6 - 8:57 pm

  This is my first BMW (not including my conv, which was my toy) and I must say it certainly beats my Benz and alll that preceeded it (Merecedes sinse 1986). Fast, quiet commfortable and a beauty. I have had it only two weeks but I just cant get over it. Before you drop $60M large try this thing, its amazing.

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  99 528i - 1999 BMW 5-Series
  By czego82 - January 6 - 10:21 am

  Purchased the car with 110,000miles and sold it with 200,000. Owned the car for 3 years and during that time other then $30 per oil change every 10k i had to spend $100 on new water pump. THAT IS IT. This car costed me nothing to own. If you are looking for a nice car that requires little to no maintenance - this is a car to get. Very good engine that has no problems, good performance and good MPG (30mpg on highway at 60mph).

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  04 330i with Performance Pkg - 2004 BMW 3-Series
  By czego82 - January 6 - 10:16 am

  This is my 4th BMW that I owned and the best one by far. What makes this car different from others is the ZHP package or Hight Performance Pkg which give it different look and options. O owned it for over 4yrs and never had any major problems. I purchased it with 44k and now has around 80. Maintenance on it cost me around $1k per year including oil changes and Michelin high performance tires. Car came with HID headlights, leather, navi and all available options.