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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  Too Many Problems - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By kblack1 - January 12 - 12:10 pm

  Just to start, this is not my first car or my second. I understand there are no guarantees in life and cars are finnicky. Sometimes you just get a bad apple. But for the $$$ a 550i costs those apples should be fixed properly and the owner satisfied. I have owned quite a few vehicles in my now 17 years of driving. 2 of which were a 2003 325xi and a 2006 330i sport. Both of which had no problems. I purchased the 550i in 2010 with 33k miles. It was a CPO, which gave me comfort purchasing a used car. Not any more!!! I seriously doubt this car was properly inspected. Which is what I told BMW, and they passed the buck to the dealer who basically told me F off. Consistent problems!

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  water pump fail - 2008 BMW X5
  By beemerx5 - January 11 - 11:38 am

  We bought an 08 X5 6 cyl in Oct/2011 w/ a little over 48k miles, had it serviced while still under warranty, cracked air-intake boot replaced, faulty left mirror adj switch replaced, oil-gasket leak repaired & new brake pads & sensors replaced on all 4 - all warranty work. Then in Jan/2012 the elec water pump failed causing eng over-heat & the car automatically forced my wife to slow down. This, in itself to me, is quite dangerous, depending on what sort of traffic one might be in when this occurs. At the time, the car had just past 50k miles by 200 miles. We still got a free tow (under warranty) & BMW did pay for the water pump part, but not the pricy labor involved. This is our 1st BMW.

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  Great Car...So Fun To Drive! - 2007 BMW X3
  By bbimmer7 - January 9 - 8:31 pm

  Purchased my Platinum Bronze Metallic X3 certified pre-owned in 2010. Ive owned many cars, and exclusively SUVs (2 Grand Cherokees and a Toyota Highlander) since the early 90s and this is by far the best handling, best performing car Ive ever owned. It accelerates like a dream. If youre buying one CPO, purchase the extended maintenance warranty. Ive had several repairs after the "service soon" light came on, and they were all covered under the warranty. All around a great car, loaded with luxury features, and and exhilarating driving experience!

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  Another BMW 328 xdrive w/ Nav - 2011 BMW 3-Series
  By nick831 - January 9 - 1:35 pm

  This is my 4th BMW. Had 2,3series, one x3, and one 5series. The 3 series is my favorite to drive. I cant imagine driving anything else. Once you drive one you will be hooked. There is no car that drives like it. I have tried them all.

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  M3 convertible...its true what they say - 2005 BMW M3
  By starrdog - January 9 - 1:14 am

  i bought my m3 convertible about a month ago. i took me a bit to get use to it, get familiar with it and its all i expected it to be and more. you get alot of attention with it. when you drive it you know your driving a sophisticated, high level performance machine. from the steering to the clutch, to the shifter,to the seats, everything is just a great driving experience. i really cant think of any flaws. oh wait, the second cup holder is useless because the arm rest covers it. thats about it. yes you pay a premium for it even used but when you own it, you will know why. it has great resale value if there is such a thing with cars. fuel mileage is not great. outside of that its a pleasure.

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  Suprised at the poor quality from BMW - 2002 BMW 5-Series
  By lisa112 - January 8 - 11:38 am

  Ive owned my BWM for 6 years and have been disappointed with the reliability and the quality of the interior. The cupholders broke early on because they are cheap plastic. There are controls on the panel that are falling apart. The LCD panel is almost completely burned out and I cant see what radio station or time it is. Even the odometer and gas mileage readout is starting to burn out. BMW told me it would be about $2000 to fix it. I am so surprised that a $50,000 car doesnt have better quality materials. I have also been disappointed with the reliability. Last year I spent about $4,000 on repairs. I wont buy another BWM.

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  Excellent car! - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By btr08 - January 6 - 9:56 pm

  Bought a new 528i, and had it for 2 years and drove only 8K miles. The bad: the pressure pump light came on initially (a relatively common issue addressed by several other BMW reviewers). This was promptly fixed by the dealership without any charge. The good: everything else! One of the best, if not the best, car Ive ever driven. Great handling!!! Definitely unique! Seats are awesome! Stereo very good! 21 mpg (85% city- 15% hwy). Extremely quiet cabin, etc. In summary, it gives you that rich person car drive felling. Then I traded it in, as I got a great deal on a Volvo XC60, which is also great. If BMW were overall more reliable, the competition would really suffer.

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  295k - 1996 BMW 3-Series
  By mbj5 - January 6 - 6:39 pm

  I bought this car 6 years ago with 187k on it. I was a poor college kid at the time and it was a relatively inexpensive car. Well the past 3 years I have driven the heck out of it. An hour commute on the backroads of PA (terrible roads), and an hour commute on highways of MD. Ive put 100k on it in those 3 years. I have had to replace a lower control arm, and the heater control unit, so about $500 in parts. The speakers have blown and the radio backlight doesnt show up too well. I nearly get 40 mpg and hammer it on the backroads and never ride slower than 80 mph. Great car! I would love another one.

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  Thoroughly Impressed! - 2012 BMW 6-Series
  By porsche_05 - January 6 - 8:49 am

  I traded in my M3 convertible and purchased the 2012 650i. I went with the M3 in 2008 because the design of the previous model was just not to my taste but the 2012 model definitely turns heads. The 650 isn’t the sports car the M3 was, but it more than makes it up in comfort and design. Don’t get me wrong, the 4.4-liter, 32-valve 400-hp V-8 engine with TwinPower Turbo is plenty enough for any road in the US (excluding race tracks) for most drivers and enthusiasts. It is definitely a great balance of power, performance, gadgetry, and style. Much better than the previous model.

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  Great Choice - 2012 BMW X3
  By intejer - January 5 - 3:32 pm

  Ill preface my review in that this is my 3rd BMW. Each time Ive gone to find a car, I have done an exhaustive analysis with spreadsheets multiple test drives and comparison figures recorded. Lets face it, cars arent cheap and we should be happy with our choice after the deal is done and we drive off the lot. On each search, while the BMW wasnt the winner for all of the categories it had the best combination of features/performance and price that I was looking for. My advise, order one, and you can still work your dealers over and you can get a much better price -- even as good as one already built. Also work them on financing and get the deal you want youll enjoy the final x3.