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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  Looks great, performes well, but ??? - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By Rich C - January 9 - 4:27 am

  When it come to repairs, tires, and maintenance, it will cost you a bundle. However, if you want a ride that looks great at 10 years old, gets unexpectedly good mileage on the highway, drive well in the curves, and is nicely appointed, youll like it. You need to have confidence in your dealer and repair shop because you will see them way too often. Also, the run-flat tires are noisy, wear out quickly, and are rough riding. Its too much of a price to pay for not having a spare tire. If you fancy yourself a BMW driver, youll love this car. If its for tooling around town, get something else. It is a highway (autobahn) car!

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  325 isnt what it was - 2001 BMW 3-Series
  By Ellah - January 1 - 10:00 am

  Dont think BMWs are what they once were. Window motors have failed on 2 windows, water leaks due to faulty seals and more have happened so far. The car is totally babied and it should be better than this.

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  BMW M3 - 1999 BMW M3
  By John Elliott - December 29 - 12:25 am

  Overly hyped -- not really that fast -- very nose heavy with lots of body roll. Acceleration is torquey but not blazing at all. This is my second and last BMW. They are very much like Audis -- kind of nice but unrealible and not really all that great a car.

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  Better have deep pockets and patience. - 2008 BMW X5
  By Matthew eichmann - December 16 - 11:21 pm

  My 2008 X5 3.0 is a love hate relationship. One of my absolute favorite cars...the styling is amazing, the interior is simple but extremely well built. Power is smooth from the inline 6 engine, and the handling is like a sports car. But.....the least reliable car I have ever owned, by a long shot. Bought the car new, and at 90,000 miles Ive had ...Radiator replaced ...coolant expansion tank ...valve cover gasket, twice! ...I drive controller ...water pump ...various gaskets that always amount to $1k each in labor ...Hydraulic sway bar ($2k just for the part alone) ...Valve cover ...Vanos solenoids Even after all that, I still enjoyed the car and did all the repairs. Til it developed a well known flaw of the 3.0 engine. Camshaft bearing failure. Which requires 25 hrs labor and a whole new cylinder head. Minimum $5k at a independent shop. More like $7k at the dealer. Suffice it to say that ended my love affair with the X5, and I traded it in. Great cars, but dont own one without a warranty, and better yet, another car to drive while its in the shop. Youll need it.

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  UDM no - be careful selecting a dealer - 2004 BMW 3-Series
  By FoggyDew - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Its always being a dream of mine to own a BMW. I guess the moral of the story is be careful what you wish for... it might come true. It is a nice car to drive, good handling, performance is somewhat lacking with the manual transmission, but Ive brought it back to the shop almost every month since it was 3months old with one problem or another. Tulley BMW of Nashua are terrible, guess their a known problem in BMW circles. BMW have put me in touch with another dealer who hopefully resolve the problems you wouldnt expect in a car that costs this much.

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  Miserable $60,000 Car - 2004 BMW 5-Series
  By Rich D. - November 28 - 2:30 am

  This car, while brilliant in performance characteristics, is utterly unreliable. With only 23,000 miles driven, the list of mechanical and electrical problems I have experienced are too numerous to mention. Suffice it to say that this car and the BMW service from the dealer where the car were purchased have provided me with the worst car ownership experience I have ever had. Although born in Germany, I will never purchase another German made car - Japanese cars are simply far superior - an imperceptible loss in performance is worth the peace of mind of knowing you own a reliable, well built machine.

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  Be Afraid, Be VERY Afraid - 2001 BMW 3-Series
  By DowninTX - October 21 - 10:00 am

  I warn you - do NOT buy a BMW! I was very excited when I bought my BMW 325i new in 2001 - after shelling out lots of cash for the car, I expected it to hold up, but I was let down quickly. In the 3 years that Ive owned the car, Ive had to replace all of the window motors, sunroof motor, CD player, engine sensor, & now my air conditioner!!! CRAZY!!!!!!!

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  Horrible Gas Mileage- dont believe the stats from - 2016 BMW X5
  By charles - October 1 - 4:03 pm

  I have had the BMW X5 for 7 months. It rides comfortably. The voice commands are still iffy and make mistakes. I speak clearly with no accent and it still makes mistakes, especially on navigating and pulling up your phone contact list. I drive 50% in traffic in Atlanta and 50% highway driving on GA 400. The gas mileage on highway never gets above 18 to 19mpg. The gas mileage in traffic gets 15 to 17mpg. The average per the computer is 17.3 after 6 months. I took the car in and the technicians said this is normal and there are no settings to improve the gas mileage other than using eco-boost. I frequently use the eco-boost mode and it makes about .2mpg difference. Very little. I am light on the throttle and brakes about 80% of the time, so I dont think thats a big factor. The technician said the advertised mpg from BMW is shown under ideal conditions on a track and going 55 miles per hour. I wish BMW disclosed this when I first purchased the car. I end up filling my car twice a week now. My wifes Lexus RX 350 is a comparable SUV and gets about 24 miles per gallon, with similar driving habits and good acceleration. Its a much better deal. Corvette gets better gas mileage which is pretty sad. The only thing I like better about the BMW X5 over the Lexus RX350 is the entertainment system. Much more intuitive and easier to use in BMW. If thats not as important to you, then, save some money and get the Lexus.

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  One X5 is enough - 2005 BMW X5
  By Kay - September 24 - 4:13 pm

  Had my 2002 X5 since new. At 3000 miles experienced overheating problems. At 17000 miles the entire HVAC unit had to be replaced-water flooding the interior P/S. Speedo has a 5mph error (slow) that I was told was inherent in BMWs - dealer quote "BMW does not want their owners driving too fast". I/P center stack has a severe rattle at the radio cover, console has a severe rattle at the cupholder cover, to date the dealer has not been able to repair either. When I use the heated seats the headlamps dim. Steering is very heavy feeling, difficult in tight, low- speed turning. Would not recommend this car to anyone.

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  E46 M3 - 2006 BMW M3
  By Steve F - September 24 - 2:46 pm

  I like this car a lot, it has the razor sharp body, and it is just what I wanted in a sports car.