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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  Dissapointmet in BMW - 2002 BMW 3-Series
  By coolmike - July 16 - 10:00 am

  Well i bougth the car in febraury and the car interior is small for 65" persons.the interior is nice and the body lines are gorgeous but is not the best BMW ever.The car broke the tranny at 1600 miles at 1900 miles I got electrical problems with interior and at 2000 another tranny and a brand new engine. this is my last BMW ever! after owning a 750 a 740 and a 735

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  Disappointed - 2004 BMW 5-Series
  By Marilyn Fitzgerald - May 23 - 1:13 am

  This was my 3rd BMW. I am truly in love with this car, I have taken excellent care of it. Maintenance wise, I have done everything I am supposed to do and more. It only has 75,000 miles on it. I purchased it in 2009 and repairs have been minimal until now. The computer has been in and out (works most of the time) have been to 2 different dealerships and they dont have a clue whats wrong with it. I can live with that, however, my emission system has caused the "check engine" light to be on because of "increased emissions" and was told by the dealer that the cost of repairing this would be more than the car is worth. What the heck! I live in Cobb County and am forced to get an emission sticker each year when I renew my tag. What am I supposed to do now???? I am basically driving a car that is "totaled" because of the repair. What is BMW thinking when they put such a system on a car?. Would like to hear from anyone else about this to see if this is a defect on this car and if there is anything that can be done by BMW to remedy this.

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  Typical 1st year Bimmer - 2004 BMW X3
  By Skater - April 19 - 10:00 am

  BMW tends to use the 1st model year out as a beta tester, and the X3 seems no different. Im not a BMW basher, just someone who had an E36, then an E39, collectively, for 10 years. My suggestion is to wait a year or two, BMW will get the X3 right.

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  Too much for average quality - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By tv550 - April 8 - 6:20 am

  Poor storage space for little items like sunglasses, wallets, change, phones. Ride position is very low with the sport package. Transmission and brakes make for poor stop and go traffic comfort. Rough shifts in the mornings. Handles and drives like no other sedan above 70 mph. Horrible car for speeds below 30 mph. Large turning radius and bad blind spots. I bought this car with much regret and cant wait to get out of it. Nice looks and performance at high speeds but worthless in every day traffic. IDrive is plain horrid and after 6 software flashes it crashes randomly for 2-3 days at a time. Techs cant figure out why. Bluetooth works great, nav is the worst I have seen. Not worth price.

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  $60K+ Fun to drive, but has some interior rattles - 2016 BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo
  By John McDonough - March 28 - 8:49 pm

  At times I think this is the Ultimate Rattler. Less than two weeks into ownership and there are LOUD rattles emanating from the plastic entertainment console. Simply pressing on the frame halts the annoyance for a brief time or until the next bump. Other rattles are starting and cant determine their source. My 10 year old Infinitis have zero rattles. This car is difficult to get in and out from and the command center is not very intuitive. Im 62" and sports seats have good support but the seat section could be wider. More than enough leg room, which is great. The car has terrific storage capacity, comparable or better than many SUVs. Never have to worry about the car bottoming out on rough road or a steep driveway, as it rides fairly high. AWD gives immediate handling confidence.

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  Not worth the money... - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By beemer - February 26 - 2:00 am

  I have a new 325ci and have had nothing but problems.BMW fixes them but thats about it. They need to learn how take care of the people who buy them otherwise they will get customers like me who will never buy another one and will go to Lexus for there next car. Word of advise.. DO NOT go to BMW of the Hudson Valley in NY if you want to get treated right..

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  Tires, Tires, Tires - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By JohnMcNH - February 16 - 9:13 am

  The run flat tires on this car have been a nightmare. I have owned 6 3 series since 92 and loved, I repeat loved every one of the until now. The noise coming from these tires at speeds lower than 60 mph all the way down to 3-6 mph is unacceptable. I was told at 8K miles that I had to replace all four tires. The controls are also very difficult to reach. I am tall and I have trouble but anybody with short arms is in trouble. The outside is very nice. The auto traction does some strange things at low speeds and when I pull into the garage it actually brakes when I contact the lip to the floor.

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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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  The Ultimate Tool Box - 2004 BMW 5-Series
  By MBZ Lover22348454154 - December 6 - 10:00 am

  The Benz E500 has the same level of handling as the BMW with none of the rough ride. The Benz shocks adjust their damping rate 100 times per second, and have the ability to stop body roll entirely. Does the Bimmer have any of this? Nope 4 plain old shocks that are adjusted to dislodge your molars at the first pothole. A stiff ride does not mean that your car handles better, It just means that its stiff and LOW Tech. BMW does not offer Nav system until the fall. BMW does not offer Bluetooth until next year. BMW does not offer 7 speed transmission, period.

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  Buyers beware - 2000 BMW 3-Series
  By garlic7 - October 28 - 10:00 am

  Before this car I would have bought BMWs for the remainder of my driving days. Now, I will not buy another one. True, it is fun to drive. Although sluggish on the uptake, the sport auto transmission makes up the difference. Mechanically this car is a nightmare. Mine is in the shop every 6 weeks and when I get it back I call the next week to set up another service appointment. For city dwellers with less than expressway quality roads, dont buy this car. You will be replacing wheels (rims) every year at a cost of $1200+ and tires every 15k miles. Keep your money and buy something more economical and reliable.