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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  Lots of Smiles - M Sport Package - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By chasman9 - April 7 - 1:23 am

  Car is very fast (have no idea why anyone would want the V8). Had a 2009 535i before this and it is every bit as quick. Handling is excellent, but as reviewers have stated, steering gives your less feel of the road. 19" rims are nice, but now no spare. Cup holders with 6-Spd Manual are a joke. Totally non-functional and cups (any size) interfere with shifting and IDrive. German engineering at its worst. Gray Traffic Info screen is very hard to read. Look, inside and out is terrific (really like interior lighting at night). Also, and this is new, the sound this car makes under hard acceleration is shear music. Wow. Zero problems so far at 2500 miles. Its a keeper.

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  Run Flats ruin the ride - 2008 BMW 3-Series
  By jdlewis95 - April 4 - 11:11 pm

  Ive been buying BMWs since 1994, and this is one of the best models that BMW has ever built. BUT BMW ruined it with those horrid run-flat tires. The smallest of bumps make the car shake because the run flats are so hard. Ive bent the front rims 4 times in 3 years so bad that the steering wheel shimmied like crazy. When BMW starts building cars with the Sport Package without the run-flat tires, the I will buy BMW again. The fuel pump went out at 30K and BMW replaced it, no problems. The run-flat tires ruin the ride, so I have put BMW "on-hold".

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  love it - 2001 BMW M5
  By atorreon - April 1 - 3:27 pm

  great car!!!! this is the most fun car ive ever owned. no matter how sucky of a day i have going this car always puts a smile on my face. the only thing i dont like about this car is the constant oil burnoff

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  sets the bar above the rest - 2011 BMW X3
  By bmwrat - March 29 - 4:53 pm

  total redesign for 2011, the exterior a perfect balance between what sporty and luxurious should be. driving impressions feel solid and responsive. powerful v6 engine even for the 28i model. interior design and technologies completely brought up to date, unlike many luxury car makers whos interiors look like from 1985. idrive is improved but still too many sub menus, somewhat difficult to adjust while driving. priced slightly higher than competitors but well worth the money. you wont be disapointed.

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  Solid machine (Automatic) - 2002 BMW 3-Series
  By jdez09 - March 28 - 11:53 am

  I recently sold my 93 Lexus LS400 for the newer and smaller BMW 325i. Man what a difference. This car has less horses than the old lex but i would prefer the 180 some-odd horses to be called clydesdales because of how fast this thing takes off! Its quick, and feels light but is actually a heavy car. The safety of these things are out the roof. Great build quality and materials inside and out are easy to maintain and clean. Gas mileage is great, I have driven on highways and have averaged over 40 mpg with careful pedal use. City miles arent near as good but it balances out very well. DONT USE REGULAR GAS! It lowers your fuel economy, these cars are made to perform efficiently with 93 Ot

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  1994 325i convertible is awesome! - 1994 BMW 3-Series
  By mjbocanegra - March 28 - 8:52 am

  Bought this liittle black gem for $2900.00. Drove it back to San Antonio from Austin and off the bat just loved the way it felt. I must admit, it is smaller than what Id had which was the large 740il however my goal was to save on gas. Its a four seater but in reality your not really going to fit anyone but those between 8 and 10 years old comfortably and that is if the two in whe front are 59" max. The ride is nice and tight the manual five speed wants me to race through those gears and let me tell you that Ive had on a few occassions where Ive had to step on the pedal. It is fast for a six cyl !! Im liking the 3 series due to the available parts and DIY.

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  Critics are too OLD! - 2010 BMW M5
  By m3isme - March 24 - 1:52 pm

  Have used my friends for a month (we traded I have an M3) and its a great car! So many complaints from critics, but the trick is that you really have to tinker with the settings first. Everything is programmable. Set the M mode to everything power and its frighteningly fast. For people who complain about the stability control not being able to fully disengage, youre testing the car in a controlled environment. In a real world setting, a car with this much power and this much mass needs it to be on. Steering is a bit numb however. Sound system and idrive are a big upgrade. Styling is still understated. Seats are very comfortable. Overall great car, but still love my M3.

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  Loves it - 2005 BMW 5-Series
  By paulmiceli - March 21 - 9:49 pm

  Owned my 2005 530i for 3 years and never had one problem with it. Drove like a dream and always loved driving it. I put on about 12,000 a year mostly city driving and it performed great. A little tight up front (Im 63) but overall the space inside is good. The interior design is very good the bluetooth always worked great with my phone and IDrive didnt bother me once I got used to it. The cup holders are ok theyre not to bad never had a problem with them. The car is also very safe I got into an accident and the car held up great. Just recently sold it with 57,000 miles I upgraded to a 2008 535xi I hope I have the same luck with it !

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  Tires, Tires and More Tires - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By sleepy8 - March 21 - 2:54 pm

  This was the car I thought I always wanted-500xi with Msport package--what a mistake. This car can not handle a single small road defects without the Goodyear LS2 run flats getting a bubble in the sidewall. I have less than 2500miles and have gone through four tire and two rims. This all wheel drive car was not properly tested to handle the roads in the USA. It could do well on the autobahn, but not here. It should not have been marketed with 19 inch wheels and fragile sidewall run flats--what a mistake! Look elsewhere if you want a car that you can actually drive vs on that just looks good in the driveway.

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  Oldie but fricken goodie - 1997 BMW Z3
  By solarus - March 20 - 9:23 pm

  The 1997 Z3 1.9L straight-4 is really a unique find, at a great price. I would not pay more than $8,000 for one with around 80,000 miles on it, which is the car I got for myself. Incredible value for a truly zippy and economical car! Lots of fun to drive, and a real head turner for those of us who are into that type of thing. Dark green with tan interior and top is the way to go. Engine without a drop of any fluid on it. Very tight gearbox for a manual transmission, will get you up to 40 miles per hour as quickly as need be. Perfect commuter car!!!