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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  To Infinity & Beyond - 2002 BMW M5
  By Emphatic5 - March 5 - 5:01 pm

  The M5 is everything the car mags say. Its fast, its fun to drive, it handles well, and it gets mediocre gas mileage. The build quality is solid and feels like a tank. No rattles just the sound of pure 400hp performance. Get one if you can!

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  2002 BMW M3 F1 - 2002 BMW M3
  By HUANG - March 5 - 2:43 am

  Awesome Car. Spec for a street race car. F1 shifter takes a learning curve to get use to it. Reasonably priced compared to M-B CLK AMG, plus you get to play with the sequential shifter.

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  Awesome - 1997 BMW 7-Series
  By AAC - March 4 - 1:03 pm

  This is the best car I have ever driven. The ride is fast and smooth. The stereo is unbelievable-- it lets you block out the outside noises and traffic jams. Although expensive, the used prices are a bargain for what you get.

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  318is Fun - 1993 BMW 3-Series
  By Elliot - March 3 - 9:16 pm

  Great fun at a reasonable price. Superb handling plus good acceleration with optional Dinan chip (well worth it). At nearly 110k miles, car is a solid and trouble free as when it was bought.

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  BMW - 1998 BMW 5-Series
  By grefer - March 3 - 5:52 pm

  I enjoy driving my car.

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  Best 3 Series Ever - 1999 BMW 3-Series
  By BMWFan - March 3 - 3:11 pm

  Best car in this price range. BMW is the Ultimate Driving Experience!

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  fast as a bitch - 2002 BMW M3
  By car90 - March 3 - 5:39 am

  this is the fastest car for its price range, its smooth, comfortable and looks amazing

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  Still my favorite - 1998 BMW 5-Series
  By duggan - March 1 - 9:05 pm

  Over 4 years now, and I still love to get in this car. Its my second 540ia, the last being a 1995 540ia also. We live on the west coast, travel the mountain highways across the rockies, so that we get to use the V8 on the winding twisting passes. In summary, the car is understated, fits nicely in both the country and the city, whereas I think the Mercedes E-quivalent is overstated and somewhat pretentious for what it does for similar money ...

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  Better than any jap 4 cylinder - 1996 BMW 3-Series
  By Justapanda - March 1 - 4:31 pm

  The 318ti is one of the best four cylinders on the market..besides s2000 and other really new sport jap cars. But the ti is a great car...its all about speed...guys love it and ladies wanna be there for it. The car handles like a dream...although at times at high speeds like over 75 mph wind noise can be annoying but everything else is solid.

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  Great Little Car - 1998 BMW 3-Series
  By Rick R - March 1 - 2:11 am

  I wont bore you all with a long, drawn out review. Getting to the point, I love everything about the car except the small 1.8 liter engine.