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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  Absolutely the best 2 door coupe - 2007 BMW 3-Series
  By Nathan - May 27 - 12:23 pm

  This car outperforms 95% of the vehicles sold today. The car has beautiful styling and the interior fit and finish is superb. No need to spend thousands more on a 5 or 7 series BMW because this car has the perfect blend of luxury and performance.

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  awesome car! - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By mr.pro - May 24 - 10:00 am

  This car is just excellent!Fun to drive,great feel of the road and plenty of power with great fuel economy.Its my first BMW and the hype of bmw is true>

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  Enjoying it - 2003 BMW 5-Series
  By nb525 - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Just put 1000 miles on it in two weeks and enjoyed every minute of it. Have been driving the solid Volvo 940 and sporty Maxima, 525 is much better than the sum of the two. Hope the 525 will last even longer (240k for Maxima, 240k Volvo is still running).

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  Great Driving, poor spacer - 2016 BMW X5
  By Peter Carson - May 22 - 2:39 pm

  If want cargo area for SUV, very disappointing. Previous model much better

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  Follow-up review after 2K miles - 2009 BMW 3-Series
  By Michael - May 22 - 10:46 am

  Driving in about 4 inches of unpaved snow, slush and ice: In straight lines it accelerates and stops under complete control. To test out the traction around corners, I took a couple turns at relatively unsafe speeds, close to 15 MPH. The DTS flickered and appeared to do something, but it definitely felt like I drifted out of my lane. During sensible speeds, drifting was not an issue. Slight hesitance may be confused with skidding, but its actually DTS doing its thing to keep you on your intended path. X-drive is very capable. However, I honestly feel Subaru sets the bar when it comes to AWD technology. Basically if youre looking for a luxury AWD coupé, look no further.

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  An awesome sports car! - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By user728941 - May 21 - 12:30 pm

  This car drives phenomenally. Going 100 mph feels like you are doing 40 mph. Its hugs the road around turns and sucks up all the bumps so you dont feel it. The inside is super quiet when driving. If I had known that BMWs were so much fun to drive, I would have bought one years ago.

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  Who asked for iDrive and runflat tires? - 2007 BMW 3-Series
  By quidycat - May 19 - 3:56 pm

  I have had 2007 335cic for a year now. The hardtop has been repaired once. The engine malfunctioned and was in the service dept for 2 weeks for repair. Seat belt didnt retract and had to be replaced. iDrive freezes up periodically and BMW service dept cant fix it because they couldnt reproduce the same problem. Run flat tires are expensive, short lasting, and dont handle well compare with regular tires.

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  Wow - 2007 BMW 3-Series
  By K - May 19 - 7:20 am

  An awesome car. Very fast and fun to drive! I traded my Volvo S60R AWD for this, it makes the Volvo seem like a bus!

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  BMW convert - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By QwazyWabbit - May 11 - 9:30 am

  I have always owned Japanese import cars, and had never driven a BMW. Now I know what I was missing. This car is simply one word--JOY. The technological prowess the BMW engineers is exceptional-nothing can touch the performance of this "ultimate driving machine". Although Japanese electronics seen to be more reliable over the long run, BMW has far exceeded any other manufacturer in terms of safety (including Volvo) and performance. After all, the safest airbag is the one that doesnt have to go off.

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  Love my car! - 2004 BMW 3-Series
  By sloan - May 11 - 2:00 am

  My 325i is fantastic. However, I have moved to CO from TX and now I find I need an AWD vehicle. I am completely spoiled by being a BMW owner and now cannot contemplate driving any other car. So, its either wait for the X3 to come in or get a 325 XiT (the wagon). Either way, I know Ill be satisfied. The best car out there for the money (if you want a fun driving experience!). You must get the manual transmission!