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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  A Dream Car... But Not Very Practical - 2002 BMW 3-Series
  By Emiroo - March 14 - 3:39 pm

  My wife and I love the way this car looks and performs so much that we overlook several complaints we have. Its beautiful and handles like a racecar! That being said, the upkeep on a BMW can be crippling. Whatever a part costs for a regular car, double (if not triple) that on a BMW. The trunk & backseat are smaller and not very helpful when we take our 2 children places in it. The stereo is incredibly weak and muddled for a car of this caliber. The door unlock button is right by the poorly placed cupholder making it likey to be the victim of a short after a spill (ours did). Still, the car is a blast to drive and turns heads! Not great for families, but still too much fun to get rid of.

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  Ready to buy a Mercedes - 2006 BMW 3-Series
  By German Car Man - March 13 - 10:40 pm

  Run flat tires are terrible had I been informed of expected mileage I would not have purchased as not everyone sells them and/or authorized to install. Run flats also create a very stiff and rough ride. BMWs all-inclusive service of 4 yr/50,000 miles is a joke: 3 oil changes is what is basically guaranteed as they do not rotate run flat tires, and first major service does not include wheel alignment! I traded-in a 2000 323i with over 150K miles, and wish I would have kept it.

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  Beautiful, but full of bugs - 1997 BMW Z3
  By metralla - March 13 - 3:54 pm

  I bought my Z3 used with 86,000 miles showing. It has many of the typical flaws of this car. Sagging glove box, sliding seats, leaky top, seriously crappy sound system, and cracks forming in the rear subframe. It will be worth the price of admission once all the gremlins are finally taken care of.

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  2007 BMW M6 - 2007 BMW M6
  By Marc - March 11 - 7:57 pm

  This car incredibly fun to drive and the handling is second to none.

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  Check before you buy - 2001 BMW 3-Series
  By hadjistefcho - March 9 - 4:00 pm

  I got it used at 69000 miles. Amazed by low end torque, but annoyed by DSC intervention at quick take offs. Engine sounds nice even at high rpm, exhaust as well all the time. Quiet and comfortable ride. Nice and precise handling all the time. Lots of available upgrades for power, styling and suspension, although most are gimmicks. The car is fun as she is, but supercharger will make her a beast. On the bad side: door and window trims loosen and need to be glued over and over. Stalls due to needed software update. Control arms and bushings need replacement after 70000 miles. Sunroof shade fixed due to poor materials used. Snow tires are a must in snow. High maintenance unless DIY.

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  Over rated - 2007 BMW 6-Series
  By M Grant - March 8 - 12:24 pm

  This is NOT a sports car. It is a "sporty" two-sedan. The manual transmission is very disappointing. The car corners well, but is not very quick 0-60 mpg. However, it does well getting on the freeway (30-70mph) It does not compare very favorably to a 911 Porsche, but it competes well with the SL 500 Mercedes.

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  VERY Expensive to Maintain - 2000 BMW 7-Series
  By Frank - March 7 - 7:02 am

  Without question, this is the greatest car I have ever driven. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive car on the planet to drive. Since the car went out of warranty in Oct 2005, Ive had to put nearly $20k into the car. Something seems to fail every six months, and as someone else noted the cost of a typical repair is anywhere from $700 to $4,500. Ive had many different mechanics work on the car, and all say the same thing: Best car to drive, worst car in terms of maintenance. Expect to put $5,000 into the car each year for repairs/maintenance. You mat get 300k miles out of the engine, but itll cost ya $300k to do it! That said, the BEST ride on the road, hands down!

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  Good commuter so far - 1999 BMW 5-Series
  By Eric - March 6 - 8:16 pm

  Ive always liked this body style- more so than the new 5 series. I found this grey one in fine shape at 88K miles. It handles very nicely and is so sneaky quiet Ive got to be careful not to speed too much. I got 29.5 mpg going to Florida over holidays and was so shocked I checked it again for 2 more tanks of gas. Same, over 29 mpg each time. Wow. Ive had to replace 2 power steering hoses and oil filter manifold gasket for $800. All else is good so far at 91,000 miles. Car alarm goes off sometimes needlessly which is annoying. Id like to to disable it. Motor on.

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  agree to disagree - 2017 BMW X1
  By alan - February 28 - 6:41 am

  previous owner of earlier bmws, mini cooper S, porsche and ferrari, as well as a slew of others, I am compelled to disagree with earlier gentleman statement about harsher ride, this X-1 we bought precisely because as a small cross-over this rides impeccably well, so much more than we ever anticipated, which is why we bought it! Keep it out of sport mode! Or not I use it for performance purposes, my spouse does not, the choice is ours to make. We looked at four door clubman, f-pace jags, MB slams & cs, none do what this car does especially for the price, none!

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  Great car under 70k mi - 2001 BMW 5-Series
  By Maddog - February 25 - 6:03 pm

  Awesome car right up to 75k miles, when the car started having many coolant sys problems. Long term reliability not acceptable for people like me who like to keep their cars.