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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  330 coupe - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By sp - October 30 - 10:00 am

  just pure joy to drive....

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  Not worth the aggravation! - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By Displeased - October 28 - 6:10 am

  My 8th new BMW is a 330xi. It looks good & it drives good, however, all the aggravation related to the run flat tires has not been worth it. At 30,000 miles, I am on my 3rd set of tires. The bottom line is I dont enjoy this car and I resent BMW for my unhappiness with the car & the company. All the tire noise, the rough ride and all the inconveniences have really soured me on the car. In addition, I find the turn signals and the start button to be needlessly annoying.

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  best sedan ever owned - 2003 BMW 5-Series
  By alan cole - October 24 - 10:00 am

  had em all, this is the best by a wide margin

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  I love my car - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By Margaret Ochs - October 24 - 10:00 am

  This is my second 3 series. I have had two 7 series BMWs and two 3 series. I enjoy the size for getting around town, but have found on the road the car is amazingly comfortable. The BMW is a very safe car and feels solid. The drive is responsive and reliable. I know that with a BMW exactly what I will be getting and I have never been disappointed. It is car that feels good to drive.

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  Love My 325i! - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By BlackBMW325i - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 325i BRAND NEW. I have put about 250 miles on it already and I LOVED EVERY MILE! The Inline-6 2.5L engine is superbly built and extremely smooth, yet powerful. Kudos to BMW, they have a winner with the 3-Series!

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  323I SPORT - 2000 BMW 3-Series
  By TIM RING - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM, IVE ALWAYS OWEN LEXUS GS400S AND THIS MY 1ST BMW/THE BMW MIGHT NOT BE AS POWERFUL BUT THIS IT THE BEST PERFORMANCE CAR AND AS GREAT HANDLEING, I WORK AT A PORSCHE DEALER AND I WILL ALWAY BUY BMWS NOW.

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  HUGE disappointment - 2006 BMW 5-Series
  By jw - October 23 - 1:06 am

  This car is highly overrated and Im very sorry I purchased it. I will never purchase a BMW again. Its not comfortable, and even at 3000 miles hasnt been reliable. I intend to sell it and purchase a true luxury car. The ride and drive arent smooth or what you should be able to expect from a car at this price. Most disappointing is that it isnt fun to drive. It feels like my fathers car with a little more hp. The cup holders are hysterical---the drivers and passengers are both on the passenger side---very uncomfortable to access and dangerous to use lean over to use when driving. The leg room is worse than most cars this size. My first and last BMW.

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  1200 miles in 3 weeks - 2007 BMW 3-Series
  By sabdy - October 22 - 2:36 pm

  First BMW and I love it - it is a drivers car - hands on - its so much fun I dont even want to use cruise control.

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  Meets a Lot of Needs - 2014 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo
  By carolinabmer - October 21 - 2:05 am

  I had a demanding set of criteria for this car. Im mid-50s, single, no kids at home. I enjoyed having multiple cars for my different moods and purposes - a 740iL for traveling, a Subaru Forester for bad weather and hauling, and two C6 Corvettes for pure, unadulterated fun. I also wanted to get better fuel economy than my old vehicles (harder than you might think as my V-8 vehicles all got 26 - 30 MPG Hwy, Subaru rarely >20). I wanted to get as much of these into one car as possible. Mission accomplished in the 335i Xdrive Gran Tourissimo.

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  BMW 530i - 2002 BMW 5-Series
  By middle age - October 19 - 6:43 pm

  Excellent sports sedan. Handles well and seats the whole family. One the few sports sedans in this class with manual transmission.