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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  What a Hassle! - 2004 BMW 5-Series
  By SLVRG35Coupe - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful car, but has caused me nothing except problems! One day the engine wouldnt start and when it finally did the engine would rev and the Service Engine Soon light would be on. Also, the Passenger Airbag Off is always lit. To top off the trouble, today the car completely broke down! Less than 3 months old, and it is dead. Engine wouldnt start, emergency lights wouldnt work, dead! Unbelievable, nobody can believe it, this is a BMW were talking about! I have no clue what is going to happen, but I am being dead serious. I hope and am pretty sure that this doesnt and wont happen to anyone else, but theres always a chance, so beware buyers!

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  2004 325xi - 2004 BMW 3-Series
  By cooker - January 5 - 10:00 am

  Just purchased from Princeton BMW in New Jersey. Have owned a Mercedes C280 and numerous Honda Accords (most recently an EX-L 2003). This BMW is by far the most fun to drive. I shopped the Acura TL and BMW 325xi and was able to get both vehicles for a little over invoice. The price points were comparable, though I was looking at the BMW with not many extras; automatic, moonroof and heated seats. While the Acura TL comes loaded for the same price. The BMW rode better. The Acura had a nicer interior.I believe you would be happy with either vehicle.It depends on what you want. I really wanted a sedan with AWD.

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  Growing on me - 2005 BMW 5-Series
  By Mac M - January 3 - 12:59 am

  The dominant item of this car is the V-8 engine. It is nothing but superlatives: extremely powerful, very fuel efficient, wonderful sounding, impossible to operate smoothly in stop and go traffic, incredibly complicated (I hope valvetronic is reliable). The car itself is very modern. Most of it is made of aluminum. The interior (standard seats) is comfortable, though storage space is limited. Brakes, transmission, electronics such as Logic 7 radio and nav are first rate. The latter, of course, is already outdated by todays hard drive systems, but the basic car still remains leading edge. I cannot overemphasize how good the engine is. Dont even consider the 6 cylinder.

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  Fun to drive. - 2008 BMW 1-Series
  By Danny - January 2 - 10:28 pm

  My 128i coupe is the only one left in this country with red leather & black ext. It is equipped with Premium, Sport, and Cold packages. It is very stable, you cant feel driving over 70 mph. Handling and corning are smooth. Overall of this vehicle is fun to drive with, but too expensive to own it. MBenz C300 sport is worth of buying, theyre nearly the same price.

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  2000 Z3 for me! - 2000 BMW Z3
  By Pong123 - January 2 - 10:41 am

  I purchased my Z3 last year and have loved driving it. The power is just right and the look is sweet. I have had no problems and the dealer takes great care of me. I thought it would cost more to own this car but it is about the same if you add up all the oil changes on a regular car. BMW does whatever it takes to make their owners happy. It has been a pleasure owning this car.

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  Stiff ride - 2005 BMW X3
  By snowgoddess - January 2 - 12:59 am

  It is unbelievably bumpy and you will feel every seam and pebble in the road. The handling is great, though and braking is the best Ive ever experienced. Peppy and plenty of power but at an expense (91 octane fuel) The leatherette seats are just awful, ugly and uncomfortable. Cold in the winter and probably hot in the summer. Get the leather. The wood and aluminum trim provide the only other classy touches to the interior. Its a head turner around town. Black sapphire is gorgeous in the sunlight.

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  I love my 328ci - 2000 BMW 3-Series
  By Tony Lau - December 31 - 4:11 pm

  We all have our priorities and I like to spend my money on cars. You wont find another car which has this level of luxury & handling combined. The resale value is low which is why people like me can afford it. M52 engines have one big problem, around 100k kms you will need to replace all the parts used by the cooling system. Otherwise youll be making lots of trips over the next year or 10k kms. If you love BMWs combination of luxury & handling then you wouldnt mind spending money on cars.

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  Love my 330Ci - 2003 BMW 3-Series
  By Dennis Soapes - December 31 - 2:01 pm

  The car now over 5 years and still very fun to drive. Reliability has been spotty. Warranty: sunroof, ignition coils, left window regulator. Ive paid to have the passenger side electronic door lock replaced ($700) and the CD player. It started skipping. Factory replacement would have been over $700. I put in a Pioneer Premium with Sirius, HD radio, iPod and MP3 player for about $1000. But the car is great and I love it. The lumbar adjustment has stopped working Ill live with it.

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  Beware of night vision - 2008 BMW 7-Series
  By Fustrated w/BMW - December 29 - 11:24 am

  Stay away from night vision. I thought it would be great option but be warned, it is not. It is difficult to use as a driver and by time you see something, there is no time to react. But the downside is that the engineers mounted the camera in a place where rocks and debris can easily damage the lens. I didnt have 3k miles on my car before it went kaput! And, BMW will not fix it for free and the cost of repairs is $4,500.00. And the engineers of BMW also removed the sensor to tell you when a tail light is out. Well mine went our and the 3.00 bulb has been replaced by a LED light that takes the service dept 8 hrs to fix. And after 3 weeks, its out again! Whats going on?

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  Best fun car in its class - 2009 BMW 5-Series
  By murali - December 28 - 9:27 pm

  This was the best fun car in its class. I always look forward to drive this machine every day. Handles the sharp corners exceptionally well. It has pretty good MPG in city too. Overall am thrilled to have 300 horses it in my stable.