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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  WOW - 2004 BMW X3
  By QUALITY ONLY - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Great automobile - far better than I thought it would be.

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  great car great price - 2004 BMW 3-Series
  By jvant - January 17 - 10:00 am

  leased the car through Sterling BMW Newport Beach. Got it for almost $2000 under invoice. Great time to buy as the new body style is coming out in 05.

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  90,000 mile update for cool M Sport Package 328i - 2011 BMW 3-Series
  By Zoolander090 - January 10 - 4:03 am

  I have owned this vehicle for 2.5 years and have driven it 31,000 miles. So far so good. Feel free to look up my past reviews on the same vehicle. I bought it with 59k miles and my wife is the main driver. It has the M Sport package, the upgraded audio system, navi, etc. Most options minus the HID lights. Everything has held up pretty good. Nothing has broken and/or stopped working properly. Maintenance issues have only been: replaced spark plugs at 70k miles, and at the 90k mile service I got done last week they replaced the radiator, the oil filter housing gasket, re surfaced the front rotors, replaced the pads, transmission service, cabin filter, air filter and I cant remember what else for about $2000 labor included. So far I have gone through 2 sets of front tires to you get about 18k miles per set with conservative driving. Overall Im satisfied with the quality and reliability of the vehicle. Not impressed with the leaky radiator, it was a small leak but decided to replace it in order to avoid future issues. I originally planned to keep this vehicle for 2 or 3 years depending on experience. I think I will keep this vehicle for longer as it has held up pretty good. Still looks awesome and I plan to rather buy an SUV for my wife and start driving this car as a daily driver.

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  Spoiled - 2002 BMW 3-Series
  By Sly - January 9 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my 325Ci for just over a year and I love the car. Performs great and makes those curves in the road straight. Very solid car. Driving this car has spoiled me and I cant imagine driving anyhting else. I do want more power though. 330 would be nice but can you say M3? Mmmmm. Only problems Ive had with the car is the weather stripping in the door popped out and fell inside the door. Also sometimes the door locks have malfunctioned and Ive been locked in the car. Have an appointment next week to get them fixed.

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  Get ready to do everything twice.... - 2016 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo
  By Karen Santa - January 8 - 11:38 pm

  Great car to drive. Fun, peppy, comfortable. Great space in both trunk and seat area. However, the logic of BMW controls baffles me. Turning off the car? Press the button (only engine turns off). In order to turn off the electronics (they DO NOT turn off automatically after a period of time), you must press the on/off button AGAIN with your foot off the pedal. Dont forget that, or else you will turn the car BACK ON. This same logic applies to almost every aspect of the car....from unlocking the doors while inside (no way to program an "all unlock") to navigation to Bluetooth. Yikes. I realized that I would be working with a learning curve when moving from a Lexus to BMW, but really? No front camera to help with parking? Wait, yes there is, but one must - wait for it - press the button, to activate (while parking???). As someone who places their purse behind the front seat while driving, I can only say that I guess I will have a permanent bruise on my leg from reaching ALL THE WAY INSIDE the car to get to the unlock button (why cant that be on the door with all the other door features? It seems unfortunate to have a car this fun to drive and look at that is so incredibly infuriating to utilize.

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  love it - 2013 BMW 3-Series
  By Shana Andries - January 7 - 6:35 pm

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  I think everyone should drive this car. - 2005 BMW 3-Series
  By LBaquiran - January 4 - 2:40 am

  The ultimate driving machine? Pretty darn close. Excellent ride and handling. Quality and craftmanship is one of the best in class. May not be the quickest in its class, but who cares you wanna be seen in this car anyway.

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  A joy to drive - 2007 BMW 3-Series
  By sp` - January 3 - 8:30 am

  Car handles well, performance is amazing, braking is great. BMW finally got a high end 3 series that really gets up and goes.

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  what a great sportwagon - 2000 BMW 3-Series
  By muoicali - January 3 - 2:00 am

  First time I bought a Bmw, and I will never go back to Japanese cars. This Bimmer is the highest quality car, driving it is always a pleasure,even after 3 years with 33000 miles. No problems at all. I think the 3 series sport wagon is a rare find,that makes it look more exquisite than the regular sedan. Its a stylist family car, and looks great for sports folks too: skiing,camping,surfing,biking,... excellent car all around.

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  2003 BMW 330 CI, AUTOMATIC - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By jjones1261 - January 3 - 2:00 am

  My previous cars, prior to owning the BMW (this is my first), were all Japannese cars. And they were all good cars. However, my experience driving the BMW is taking the enjoyment of driving to the next level. In past cars, I would turn the volume of the radio up to listen to the music, now I turn the radio off to listen to the engine. It is truely a wonderful experience to own and drive a BMW.