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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  Puts Fun In Every Day - 2009 BMW 1-Series
  By Stan - March 27 - 10:52 am

  Traded my 2002 911 Targa, without any sacrifice in performance or comfort, and with much greater practicality. This is a terrific car! Simple, elegant, fast, safe and distinctive. Everything works just as you want it to. And every time you step on the gas or go into a quick turn, youre reminded why you bought it.

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  Good car - 2001 BMW 5-Series
  By Dutch in Texas - March 27 - 9:06 am

  The 540iA with Sport Package is great to drive. The car is rock solid on the road, but I have had a number of parts replaced. My one gripe with the car is it sits too low to the ground. My front bumper cover and front air spoiler were torn off by objects. The car is solid to speeds up to 145 mph (yes, we drove it that fast once as per the speedometer). There is likely some small amount of speedometer error. I purchased the extended warranty, and it was a wise investment. The extended warranty cost ~$3,300, but it got me a new factory radio, radiator, radiator expansion tank, power steering pump, and several thousand dollars of replacement suspension parts (plus service).

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  What a snow ride - 2004 BMW Z4
  By Mecho - March 26 - 10:41 pm

  I had this 2004 Z4 3.0 for the last 4 years. Silver titanium. It is impressive, I love it very much. Drove it all year around in Detroit and Minneapolis. This car is great on snow with the right tires. It is fun to drive. I test drove the SL55 AMG as my next car possibly. Let me tell you, I have to think twice now. Z4 is even more than what we may think. It has been difficult to choose something else after you drive this car. Most likely it will be SL55 AMG though for me tough decision to move from the Z4 even after more than 4 years driving it all year around. Never drove a car for that long. Go get one dont even think twice about Z4. :)

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  Too Good To Be True - 2009 BMW 5-Series
  By DonRay - March 26 - 6:31 pm

  Traded in my E46 M3 after 6 years. Purchased a white 550i with Sport & Cold Weather packages & lots of other goodies. The car looks fabulous the LED side & rear lights and Angel Eye DRLs make the car unique and very attractive. The acceleration, handling and fuel economy are comparable to my old M3 but without the "nervousness". Ive never purchased a car that gave me the satisfaction of ownership that I receive from my 550i. The whole automobile is a work of art, from the anthracite tailpipes to the black front air intake a study in black and white. The Sport Package makes the current 550i better and more modern looking than the 2010 version.

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  I Love Going Fast - 2005 BMW 5-Series
  By Slicrazy06 - March 26 - 10:38 am

  The 2005 BMW styling is great. All avid 5 series owners fall in love with it sooner or later. My favorite aspect of the car is its reliability, Ive had to fix nothing! Pretty fast with the V8, does 0-60 in 5.5 sec and is wonderfully smooth through the transitions. Great fuel economy for a V8 at 18 city and 26 hwy The sports suspension with active steering does wonders and the interior is really well done. BMW continues to be a leader in the auto industry.

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  Thriller! - 2009 BMW 1-Series
  By Greg D. - March 26 - 10:37 am

  OMG! I bought my black on black 2009 BMW 135i coupe a little over a month ago and have put ~1600 miles on it to date. This is THE most fun car to drive that I have ever owned. I have owned more powerful cars, more comfortable cars and better handling (just a little!) cars but this is the first time that it has all come in the same small package. Plenty of low-end torque and horsepower, reasonable gas mileage (if I keep my foot out of it which is impossible!), comfortable on long trips and around town and absolutely gorgeous looks. I was at the racetrack recently and my car was parked next to much more expensive and exotic cars and guess which car got the most attention? The 135i!

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  Too early to tell - 2009 BMW M3
  By Mark - March 25 - 8:43 pm

  Presently have only 1400 miles. Havent been too aggressive yet in the car. The engine sounds fantastic, but the car is definitely not a rocketship. The car turns a lot of heads, but it isnt real comfortable to drive. Hoping to take it out onto the local track to see how she handles under pressure. Except for the power mode setting, can barely feel a difference between any of the other M settings. Hopefully a little more time behind the wheel will help with the learning curve. Weve had a number of other Beemers - Im still more comfortable driving the X5 or 550i.

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  Solid, fun Car - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By bmwmerc - March 24 - 11:09 pm

  330 i Black sedan sports/premium package chrome wheels. One of the funnest cars to drive in it class. Have had Lexus, Mercedes and this one tops the cake. 3 years of playing the radio loud every day and the sound system still rocks. Had two small problems when car was new airbag light and steering wheel lock, but since then car has been very reliable and actually am surprised. Steptronic is so fun if you know how to use it right it really feels realistic.The car is sensitive to every pothole but no biggie had to replace only one run flat tire but do to huge nail on side wall that wouldnt be fixable on a regular tire. Replace first set of run flats at 31k and I drive crazy so no complaints.

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  Dont make em like this any more :) - 2002 BMW 5-Series
  By K Johnstone - March 24 - 11:08 pm

  Every once in a while things come together and result in a special product. The BMW E39 is an example of such. - The 540iA Sport Package is a near ideal blend of sports sedan and luxury cruiser. Build quality is superior to modern BMWs with thicker body work metal and orange peel free paint. Hoping that the new F60 will match it - somehow I doubt it. The E39 is I think that special.

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  2003 BMW 525i Sedan - 2003 BMW 5-Series
  By MD - March 24 - 2:00 pm

  This is our first BMW which we bought new with 4 miles on the odometer and its still going strong after 6 years and 135,000 miles. We average 500 miles per week on it back/forth to work. Highway gas mileage averages 26 mpg. My wife loves the car and I hope it lasts another 100K miles. Weve had no engine problems, but regular maintenance is expensive. Our dealer had to repair the moon roof 3 times due to the guide rails - kept breaking. Fortunately those repairs were under warranty and we solved that problem by not using the moon roof anymore. The LED dash display burns out and is very expensive to replace - my mechanic tells me this is a known defect that BMW will not acknowledge.