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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  Fun to drive when it was in my possession - 2010 BMW 3-Series
  By Todd - November 22 - 9:10 pm

  Repair shops have had "ownership" of this vehicle an estimated 6 months of my 3.5 years of ownership. I put $2800 into turbo purchase, $1500 into labor then a new turbo blew so another $1500 for labor since the subframe had to be dropped again to install the new turbo. For what the car is worth Ive had turbos replace, replaced the valve cover myself due to pcv crack, injectors replaced, fuel pump replaced so Ive spent almost half of the cars worth in repairs!!!!!!. Maintenance wise just a nightmare, but a fun car to drive.

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  My sporty coupe - 2008 BMW 3-Series
  By Nancy - November 21 - 9:14 am

  This car came from my Aunt, the original owner. It only has 16,600 miles. I have large dogs and this car cannot accommodate my dogs.

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  Great Car - 2015 BMW 2-Series
  By Dennis Didier - November 18 - 11:39 am

  I started out to buy a 4 series. I liked the style and performance. I was all set until a salesman asked if I had looked at the M235i. I hadnt ever considered it because I thought it was a rehashed 1 series. I took the M235i for a test drive and was thoroughly impressed. A while later, I tested a 228i and really liked it. In fact, I liked it so much, I ordered one. I ordered my MSport 228i pretty much loaded: MSport, track pack, tech pack, premium pak, Harmon Kardon, etc. I chose the 2 over the 4 because I have all the same running gear with 200+ lbs less weight. And that equals better performance and mileage. When I drive the car in "comfort" mode, it is the easiest car Ive ever driven. But, when I punch "sport" mode, the car completely changes personality. The steering tightens, the car lowers, throttle response changes the only thing that doesnt change is the radio station. It eats corners and accelerates very smoothly. The car possesss no perceptible turbo lag. It is a great looking and great performin car. It is what a BMW should be. It puts a grin on my face.

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  OH MAN - 2015 BMW M4
  By charles reid - November 18 - 10:08 am

  This car is a beast!!! The car flat out flies and will get you into trouble if you dont watch your foot. The interior is ok, it is not the real leather that you would expect from a 80,000 dollar car. My 09 z4 has beautiful real leather seats and wood trim that to this day is beautiful and so nice.

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  Worst Car Ive Ever Owned - 2009 BMW 5-Series
  By John Brennan - November 17 - 4:23 pm

  At 58,000 miles this BMW began failing on nearly every other drive. Even when I was selling it, it broke down on two consecutive test drives. The repairs were nearly $3,000.00 just for those two repairs. Its a fun enough car when its running correctly but, given the performance of far more economical cars, I would never consider another BMW. I also have to comment on the tires: if you think this AWD car is going to perform in snow, youll be disappointed. Theres not enough tread depth in the low profile tires. Youll need dedicated snow tires if you drive in snow regularly. All in all, it was a bad experience. The car is overpriced. The dealership service department tries to gouge you (politely, of course) and the car is completely unreliable. I would never consider another one.

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  Sold the V12 Mercedes to go electric - 2015 BMW i3
  By Michael Chard - November 16 - 6:36 pm

  I hesitantly sold my Mercedes CL600 and decided to lease the i3 REx to replace it. I am not a tree hugger but I am a technology geek and the i3 has some fantastic technology built in. My first impression of the i3 was that this is one ugly car and I did not like the look of the pizza cutter tires. However, after driving it for several weeks, not only have the looks grown on me (as well as the 20 inch skinny tires), but i find it the car extremely enjoyable to drive. In fact, it is so enjoyable that my wife prefers the drive to her Range Rover Sport and is constantly asking me to leave it at home so she can drive it. The off-the-line acceleration is fantastic, which has helped alleviate the sorrow of losing my V12 gasoline engine. The interior room for the front occupants is extremely roomy (I am 61" with a large frame). For a sub-compact car, this feels roomier than most other much larger cars. The user interface took a while to learn, but now that I am familiar with it, I am very impressed. The entertainment options are endless, especially when I connect my iPhone and use all of the music, streaming and pod cast services. I use the car primarily to commute to work, 36 miles round trip. I am also able to charge the car at work. For commuting, the car is ideal. I do have the range extender, but I have never actually used it as I have good charging options between work and home but it does take range anxiety out of the equation. If I had to pick anything that I dont like, it is the placement of the electrical charging port, which is located on the back, passenger side of the car. This requires me to get the charging cable and walk around to the other side. While this is clearly a first-world problem, it would have been much easier to locate the charging port close to the drivers door. The materials inside are excellent and I especially like the wood in the dash. I leased the vehicle because I am not yet comfortable with the residual value of an EV, but given the subsidies available, and the fact that I no longer buy gasoline, this is a very economical vehicle to operate. Overall, I was just looking for a very different car experience from buying another internal combustion car. The experience so far is highly recommended.

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  X1 perfect and fun - 2013 BMW X1
  By David Miller - November 16 - 6:31 pm

  A small SUV with decent ground clearance in the 2WD version, it is perfect for two people and a pet to take on forest service roads to remote fly fishing spots, will hold bikes with the front tires mounted, accelerates briskly, gets good gas mileage, handles very well, and cruises effortlessly. At 50,000 miles we have had zero problems.

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  What a waste of money!!!! - 2011 BMW 7-Series
  By K Rasheed, M.D - November 16 - 1:59 pm

  Please do not spend any big dollars and buy BMW. I have this car and it has been to dealership five times in matter of just three years. Car stopped while I was driving!!! they had to change fuel injectors and then it happened again after few months. Then the back up camera did not work!!! The fuel injectors started to make clicking noise and they said it was normal. !! I have just 27000 miles and it is four years which is not much for any car. So please take my advice and think and do more research before you spend huge amount of money on this car.

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  Best value for the money - 2003 BMW M3
  By Grant - November 16 - 7:33 am

  This car is possibly on of the greatest M cars ever built. The car handles like a surgeons scalpel. Acceleration is good, but not great. When compared to my dads car which is an e60 M5, it lacks the "push you back in your seat" factor that you get from that nazi V10. As my daily driver, it is very comfortable to drive around town as well as on the freeway. The SMG is NOT BAD! Treat it like the transmission it is. It is not an automatic. Simply let of the gas when you are changing gear. I do sometimes wish I went for the good ol standard box, but when driving home late at night, its nice to have an auto mode to take care of changing gear for me. The car has potential for good gas mileage, but if you drive it like its meant to be driven, it wont. We loved this car so much that we bought another one for strict track use. With a little effort and a sawzall, we got her down to about 2900 without a driver. The already insane handling was exponentially increased with some of KW coil-overs and a set of slicks. Nothing more was needed from that 8000 rpm screamer so we left it alone. When in doubt, get the M. You wont regret it.

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  My only spoiled child treated me like a bad parent - 2007 BMW 3-Series
  By Marlene M - November 16 - 2:39 am

  I special ordered a 2007 BMW 328i coupe in 9/06. I did the BMW destination pickup in NC. Went through a 3.5 hour delivery and 4 hours of BMW driving school learning all features. ABS, traction control, etc. I know my car inside out. I ordered the 328i over the 335i because, I wanted to put the extra money into the inside. Believe me the 328i is fast enough unless you are going to race on a track. I put $11,900 of packages and options on this car because, I wanted to keep it forever. I love my car I even put Active Steering which makes it a baby 6 series. It is Space Grey with Red interior. I wanted heated seats and being from the south that was not an option unless you were in the northern region at the time. They got it for me. I wrote a check with taxes and fees for $49,451. I have changed the oil every 6K miles instead of 15K as suggested. I have 71,181 miles which is an average little over $8000 miles a year since I took delivery in 11/06. This car stayed in the shop with electrical issues for the first 2 years. I drove their loner cars more than I drove my car. I ran out of time on my warranty before miles so, I bought their expensive extended warranty and used it twice. I think I was about 1K up on that $3200 and ran out of time before miles again. Please do not let your battery go dead. No one told me that. Then modules go out and it cost me over $1500 for a battery and the modules that blew. Let me say this that I have a good aftermarket BMW repair shop that I found that is honest and is about two thirds or less of the BMW dealership cost after my warrant was gone. Once your battery goes dead you get a steering wheel lock. It will count down how many times you can start the engine then you are locked out of starting your car. BMW will not let the dealership reset this error but, you have to get the steering column replaced. Thank GOD again I found a good honest aftermarket repair shop. This car is a money pit. There is something every other month now. I could be paying payments on an S Class Mercedes for the repairs now. I went to trade it in on an Infiniti which, the same dealership has a BMW dealership and got an estimate of $5,500 trade. I told them I would burn it in front of the BMW dealership before I would take that for it. The Louis Vuitton purse I had on my arm cost more than that at the time. It makes me sick that I have treated this car like a only child and been treated like a bad parent. The only thing I can say so far, knock on wood, I have not had any problem with the engine and it will run like a scaled dog. Yes, I have had it around 140 on the interstate. In sport mode it will out run cars that it would surprise you. My poor child will have to go to some bone yard somewhere. I just refuse to pay payments on a car paid for in full. Everything that goes wrong should be a recall on MOST BMWs. What happen to them. I thought it was the Ultimate Driving Machine. I guess it is as long as it is running! Should I had bought that Mercedes CLK coupe instead? I also will never buy the first new module year car coming out. You have to let them get the bugs out the first year.