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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  Great car, but... - 2001 BMW 3-Series
  By rhody - December 19 - 2:00 am

  This is my first BMW and I was very impressed with the quality of the overall package. It is very fun to drive and it handles well although it is not nearly as quick as I had hoped. The Steptronic system gives you the best of both worlds and helps a bit with the acceleration. I love this car, but if you live somewhere where it snows, dont let this be your only car!

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  Good Fun Doesnt Come Cheap - 1996 BMW 3-Series
  By FLS - December 16 - 2:00 am

  Great engineering went into the design of 328i. Great handling, good ergonomics, lots of cool gadgets, unbelievable at top speeds, but expensive to maintain. Other BMW owners seem to have the same comments.

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  My Wife Misses the Radio - 2002 BMW 7-Series
  By toothdoc - December 11 - 2:00 am

  The car rides great, except if their is snow on the ground. this is no Audi I,m getting the new A8 in June. My wife hates i-drive she needs a radio. I think that not having steptronic in a vehicle that cost 80,000 is unaceptable. the car is a great cruiser and comfortable. i-drive is a little bit of a nuisance, you have to select sport mode each time you start the car for edc control. The shifter and keyless is a nightmare for valet parking and car washes.

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  "The Ultimate Driving Machine - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By C1234567 - December 10 - 2:00 am

  Overall a Great Car. Lots of power, smooth transmission. Exterior is good looking. Interior is not as nice as a Mercedes but it is still very nice. Older people may not like the loud yet pleasent pur the car gives or the bumpy ride if you get the sports package. Lots of excitement. You can do things in this car with more reliability than most cars(i.e turning, handling). Fuel economy (miles per gallon) is standard in comparison with like cars, but the car is so fun to drive that you feel inclined to drive it really hard and end up burning more gas than the stated miles per gallon.

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  Good Buy? - 2008 BMW 3-Series
  By J.Schumacher - December 7 - 2:30 pm

  I have owned this vehicle almost one year now and I really do like it. My biggest concern revolves around, when does technology outpace the needs of the average driver. Building a car that requires the buyer to only frequent BMW for service is smart on their part but when does that backfire ? That being said, the car has been problem free and is still the best handling car Ive ever owned. To do it all over again... maybe Audi A4 next time. After an exhaustive search for a new vehicle it was neck and neck with the BMW.

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  too many defects - 1998 BMW 7-Series
  By anheinz - December 7 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has been into the dealership for so many minor problems, torsion bar instability, brake lights out repeatedly!!!!!!!!!!!!! dealer says thats the way they are!!!!!!!! beautiful wood trim fell off one day. right mirror fell off hanging by wires only. power steering problems. the repair print out on this vehicle takes a few minutes to process. I will admit that the local dealer will address the problems and with the extended warranty, I only have to pay the $50 each time. Radiator inlet cracked and had to replace with new complete radiator. on and on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  Very clean - 1997 BMW 5-Series
  By johnnybadboy - December 7 - 2:00 am

  the best car i ever had

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  Same $ as a camry - 1997 BMW 5-Series
  By Mike . - December 3 - 2:00 am

  well, for the price of a new camry 2003, I got a 5 yr old bmw 5-series with only 41k and a full warranty...which was the better deal? duh. my only complaint is the window rubber trim is crappy...is brittle and weathered too much for a BMW

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  Keep the dealer on speed dial. - 1992 BMW 5-Series
  By JosephJ - December 3 - 2:00 am

  The car handles curves and cruising on the highway like no other car I have ever owned, but on acceleration the car lacks any real power. It is the slowest BMW I have ever driven. You might be 0 to 60 in half a minute. The car eats cash. Minor repairs are still in the hundreds of dollars. The smallest of plastic parts are expensive and when you include labor at ANY BMW dealer, you can count on even a dashboard light replacement costing you about $200. I have owned this car for 2 years and have spent nearly $4000 in repairs and upkeep. In addition, I have had three dead stops and had to be towed to the dealer.

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  A BMW Boat... - 2016 BMW 6-Series
  By theandrew - December 1 - 4:49 am

  I am a big fan of BMW and have had several of their models in the past and still have a 118d in the UK and an X5 from the same year, but I have to say that I was not a fan of this particular car will not be renewing my lease. It accelerates and brakes fantastically and has a surprisingly roomy trunk for weekend trips. There was also plenty of headroom for my 61" body and with the 17,000 miles Ive had this car there were no issues with it and it was plenty fuel efficient. Itll also do 110 mph on a straight highway all day long and its quiet for a convertible. But either because of its enormous weight (over 4,200 pounds) or the fact that it is a convertible and thus not as stiff, no matter what mode the car is in the car is really too wobbly and you feel this from lane changes, slightly twisty roads, and definitely on mountain roads. Because of this, I feel this is more of a highway cruiser than a sports car, I wouldnt even call it sporty. It rolls around like a boat and I hated the way the car felt when the road even got remotely twisty. Another thing that takes away from the sporty DNA I typically associate with BMW is the fact that the it has BMWs fantastic new 8-Speed transmission, but you really have no idea what the engine is doing because you could barely feel or hear the engine. I also had major gripes with the value because besides the LCD dashboard screen, the interior didnt feel any bit as different as the interior of my X5 from the same year, which was much cheaper and has the same engine. The X5 even had a plus on this thing because it had these interior mood lights which made you feel like you were in a nightclub or something. The entertainment was also the same in that the stereo wasnt any better, and there werent any more features as what I could work out. Overall I thought this car was fast and comfortable on a highway, dependable and efficient, but also too expensive, boring, and the handling is terrible.