Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG was formed in 1916. This company was renamed to Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) in 1922. However the name BMW dates back to 1913, when the original company to use the name was founded by Karl Rapp (initially as Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH). BMW's first product was a straight-six aircraft engine called the BMW IIIa, designed in the spring of 1917 by engineer Max Friz. Following the end of World War I, BMW remained in business by producing motorcycle engines, farm equipment, household items and railway brakes. The company produced its first motorcycle, the BMW R 32 in 1923.

BMW became an automobile manufacturer in 1928 when it purchased Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach, which, at the time, built Austin Sevens under licence under the Dixi marque. The first car sold as a BMW was a rebadged Dixi called the BMW 3/15, following BMW's acquisition of the car manufacturer Automobilwerk Eisenach. Throughout the 1930s, BMW expanded its range into sports cars and larger luxury cars.

Heinrich Ehrhardt founded the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach (FFE) in Eisenach on 3 December 1896 as a stock company. Initially he produced bicycles and guns, but after two years he started to produce a motor car which he called the Wartburg, a licensed model of the French Decauville. In 1903, the Ehrhardt family withdrew from management due to financial losses and also because the license to build Decauvilles was revoked. The factory began building under the new name, Dixi, in 1904 with Willi Seck as chief engineer. The top model, the type U35, was introduced in 1907 and was soon recognized for its reliability and performance with 65 hp and a top speed of 85 km/h.

In 1928 BMW acquired the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach A.G. (Marke "Dixi") bringing the independent existence of Dixi to an end and the Eisenach factory became the birthplace of car manufacturing by BMW. The Dixi continued briefly as the BMW Dixi but the renamed BMW-Factory Eisenach soon started making an updated version called BMW.

1928  dixi  da1

After the war, Thuringia was part of the Soviet sector, and the factory became a Soviet Stock company named Sowjetische AG Maschinenbau Awtowelo, Werk BMW Eisenach (Soviet Awtowelo Co., Eisenach BMW Works). In 1952, the Soviet owners handed the company over to the German Democratic Republic, and it became a state-owned company. By that time BMW from Munich was able to secure its tradename, logo, and typical double-nostril grille appearance, and started to produce cars again. The Eisenach company was renamed Eisenacher Motorenwerk (EMW), its logo being a variation of the BMW logo, the blue quadrants replaced by red ones. EMW participated in the 1953 German Grand Prix. One year later it received its final name VEB Automobilwerk Eisenach (AWE).

The German reunification of October 1990 meant the end for AWE, as it could not compete with modern methods of production. While most of the factory has been demolished, one part (Building O2) has been preserved to house the Automobilbaumuseum Eisenach.

501/502

The BMW 501 was a luxury car manufactured by BMW from 1952 to 1958. Introduced at the first Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, the 501 was the first BMW model to be manufactured and sold after the Second World War, and as the first BMW car built in Bavaria. The 501 and its derivatives, including the V8 powered BMW 502, were nicknamed “Baroque Angels” by the German public. The BMW 502 was the first postwar German car to be manufactured with a V8 engine.

While the 501 and 502 model numbers were discontinued in 1958, variations of the model, with the same platform and body, were continued until 1963.

The 501 was an all-new platform and was powered by the M337 engine, a development of the BMW M78 used in the pre-war BMW 326.

The body was designed in house by Peter Schimanowski. After seeing the prototype, BMW's management commissioned Pininfarina to build an alternative. The Pininfarina prototype was thought to be too similar to his design for the Alfa Romeo 1900 saloon, so BMW stayed with Schimanowski's design.

The V8 engine was introduced at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show as the engine of the new BMW 502 saloon car. Using the same chassis and basically the same body as the 501, the 502 was more luxuriously appointed and, with its light V8 engine producing 100 horsepower with a single two-barrel Solex carburettor, was much faster. The published top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) was far higher than that of the first six-cylinder version of the Ponton Mercedes launched the same year. 

isetta

1955 isetta

The car originated with the Italian firm of Iso SpA. In the early 1950s the company was building refrigerators, motor scooters and small three-wheeled trucks. Iso's owner, Renzo Rivolta, decided to build a small car for mass distribution. By 1952 the engineers Ermenegildo Preti and Pierluigi Raggi had designed a small car that used the motorcycle engine of the Iso Moto 200 and named it Isetta.

The Isetta caused a sensation when it was introduced to the motoring press in Turin in November 1953. It was unlike anything seen before. Small (only 2.29 m  long by 1.37 m  wide and egg-shaped, with bubble-type windows, the entire front end of the car hinged outwards to allow entry. In the event of a crash, the driver and passenger were to exit through the canvas sunroof.

Renzo Rivolta wanted to concentrate on his new Iso Rivolta sports car, and was interested in doing licensing deals. Plants in Spain and Belgium were already assembling Isettas and Autocarros using Italian-made Iso components. BMW began talking with Rivolta in mid-1954 and bought not just a license but the complete Isetta body tooling as well. Rivolta also negotiated licensing deals with companies in France and Brazil. After constructing some 1,000 units, production of the Italian built cars ceased in 1955, but Iso continued to build the Isetta in Spain until 1958.

507

1956-1960

The BMW 507 is a roadster that was produced by BMW from 1956 to 1959. Initially intended to be exported to the United States at a rate of thousands per year, it ended up being too expensive, resulting in a total production figure of 252 cars and heavy financial losses for BMW.

The BMW 507 was conceived by U.S. automobile importer Max Hoffman who, in 1954, persuaded the BMW management to produce a roadster version of the BMW 501 and BMW 502 saloons to fill the gap between the expensive Mercedes-Benz 300SL and the cheap and underpowered Triumph and MG sports cars. BMW engineer Fritz Fiedler was assigned to design the rolling chassis, using existing components wherever possible. Early body designs by Ernst Loof were rejected by Hoffman, who found them to be unappealing. In November 1954, at Hoffman's insistence, BMW contracted designer Albrecht von Goertz to design the BMW 503 and the 507.

Thirty-four Series I 507s were built in 1956 and early 1957. These cars had welded aluminium fuel tanks of 110 litres capacity behind the rear seats. These large tanks limited both boot space and passenger space, and gave off the smell of fuel inside the car when the soft top was up or the hardtop was in place. Series II and later 507s had fuel tanks of 66 litres  capacity under the boot, shaped around the space for the spare tyre.

The engine was BMW's aluminium alloy OHV V8, of 3,168 cc making the car accelerate from  0–100 km/h in 11.1 seconds and gave a top speed of 196 km/h.

700

The coupé and saloon versions of the 700 were shown at the 1959 Frankfurt Motor Show. BMW's internal model code was E107, with the later Cabriolet becoming the E110. After the show, BMW received 25,000 orders for 700s. Production of the BMW 700 Coupe began in August 1959, with the saloon version following in December.

The large number of orders was welcome news for BMW, which was in a financial crisis. In December 1959, shareholders blocked a proposal by BMW's supervisory board to sell BMW to Daimler-Benz. The subsequent heavy investment in BMW by Herbert Quandt  has been attributed in part to the success of the 700.

By April 1960, production of the 700 was at 155 cars per day. 188,211 BMW 700s were built in five years of production.

3200 cs

The BMW 3200 CS was a sports touring car manufactured by BMW between January 1962 and September 1965. It was designed by Bertone and was introduced at the 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show. More than five hundred were built.

The 3200 CS was the final variation on BMW's early postwar luxury platform that began with the 501 introduced in 1951. The styling of the 3200 CS influenced the 2000 CS coupe version of the New Class and the later New Six coupes.

The 3200 CS was the end of an era. It was the last of BMW's early postwar luxury cars.  As such, it was the last BMW automobile to have pushrod-operated engine valves, a perimeter frame, or a solid rear axle.  It had a 3,168 cc, twin-carburetor version of the BMW OHV V8 engine, delivering 160 horsepower and four speed manual gear box.

Stylistically, however, the 3200 CS gave a view of what was to come. The low beltline, tall greenhouse and thin pillars of the 3200 CS became a template for BMW's later coupes, including the 2000 C and CS coupes based on the New Class sedans, and the E9 "New Six" coupes. Both BMW cars introduced at the 1961 Frankfurt show, the 3200 CS and the 1500, featured what became known as the Hofmeister kink, but sales started only in 1962 and it was the 3200 CS, sold from February 1962, which was the first BMW offered for sale incorporating this styling cue.

One 3200 CS convertible was built by BMW for their major shareholder, Herbert Quandt.

neue klasse

The BMW New Class  was a line of sedans and coupes produced by German automaker BMW between 1962 and 1977. These models ensured BMW's solvency after the company's financial crisis of the 1950s and established the identity of BMW automobiles as sports sedans.

1500

1800

1600

2000

neue klasse coupe

The BMW New Class coupé range, which comprised the BMW 2000 C and BMW 2000 CS, was a coupé body style built by Karmann for BMW from the summer of 1965  to 1969. In 1965, BMW ended production of their Bertone-bodied 3200 CS coupé, the last of their line of V8 powered luxury cars from the 1950s. BMW decided to continue with a coachbuilt coupé. Based on the New Class platform, the 2000 C and 2000 CS introduced the 2.0 L version of the M10 4-cylinder engine and replaced the 3200 CS as BMW's flagship model in 1965. The New Class coupes were replaced by the E9 coupés, which were based on a stretched 2000CS chassis and use a 6-cylinder engine.

2000c/2000cs

e9

02 series

The BMW 02 Series is a range of compact executive cars produced by German automaker BMW between 1966 and 1977, based on a shortened version of the New Class Sedans.

The first 02 Series produced was the 1600-2 (later renamed 1602) in 1966. In 1975, the 02 Series was replaced by the E21 3 Series (except for the 1502 model which continued until 1977). The 1600-2, as the first "02 Series" BMW was designated, was an entry-level BMW, and was smaller, less expensive, and less well-appointed than the New Class Sedan on which it was based.

Beginning in 1967, a convertible based on the 02 body was built by Karosserie Baur. A hatchback, called the Touring model, was developed from the 02 body, being available from 1971. Only 25,827 Touring models were sold before the bodystyle was discontinued in 1974.

e3

The BMW New Six (also known as the BMW E3) is a line of mid-size luxury sedans and grand tourer coupés produced from 1968 to 1977. All models used the then-new M30 straight-6 engine. It marked BMW's return to the full-size luxury sedan market after a hiatus of 5 years and was introduced as a response to growing market segment dominated by Mercedes-Benz. It was important in establishing BMW's reputation as a maker of sporting, luxury sedans.

The BMW New Six coupés (better known as the BMW E9) are built on a shortened version of the E3 platform. The E9 coupés share engines, transmissions, suspension and many other features with the E3 sedans.

After a long hiatus, BMW decided to develop a six-cylinder car in the early 1960s. Work on what was to become the E3 commenced in 1965. The engine was based on the existing fours, sharing their overall layout while not merely an addition of two cylinders. The design team was led by Wilhelm Hofmeister, with some detail work executed by Italy's Bertone and Michelotti studios. A goal was to allow for more passenger space and comfort than the earlier "Neue Klasse" saloons had been able to offer. The new sedan was noticeably a "driver's car", focusing on the front-seat occupants, and the smaller coupé was only barely a full four-seater.

A total of 221,991 sedans and coupés were built.

E81: This generation was produced from 2004 to 2013 and is sometimes collectively referred to as the E8x. The E8x replaced the 3 Series Compact as the entry level models of the BMW range. All models were rear-wheel drive, which was a rare configuration in the hatchback market segment. The engines available were four-cylinder turbo-diesel, four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol, six-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol and six-cylinder turbocharged petrol (the latter only available on coupé and convertible models).

F20: From this generation onwards, the coupé and convertible models have been marketed separately using the BMW 2 Series nameplate. The F20/F21 was initially powered by inline-four petrol, inline-four diesel and inline-six petrol engines. In 2015, inline-three petrol and diesel engines were added to the model range. All engines are turbocharged. Unlike most hatchback competitors, the F20/F21 uses a rear-wheel drive (rather than front-wheel drive) for most models. The F20/F21 is the first 1 Series to offer an optional all-wheel drive (called "xDrive" by BMW).

F40: The third generation of the 1 Series was released in 2019. Unlike the previous generation F20 1 Series, the F40 1 Series uses a front-wheel drive configuration with an all-wheel drive option, and sharing its platform with the F48 X1, F39 X2, 2 Series Gran Coupé, and others. The F40 1 Series is only available as a 5-door hatchback.

F52: The 1 Series (F52) is a four-door sedan that began production in 2017 in China. The F52 has been built specifically for the Chinese market by BMW Brilliance, a joint venture between BMW and Brilliance Auto. Unlike other BMW 1 Series cars of the time, it uses the front-wheel drive UKL platform.  Due to its success in the Chinese market, the BMW F52 was later sold in Mexico in 2018.

F22: The first generation of 2 Series was launched in the coupé and convertible body styles, both based on a rear-wheel drive platform. A year later, the Active Tourer 5-seat compact MPV body style was added, based on the unrelated front-wheel drive platform shared with the Mini Hatch (F55/56/57). This was followed by a 7-seat version called the Gran Tourer.

F45: The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is a five-door, two-row compact MPV produced since 2014. The vehicle is built on the front-wheel drive-based UKL2 platform with an optional all-wheel drive (xDrive). It is the first BMW model to not use the rear-wheel drive configuration. A longer version called the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer was released shortly after in 2015.

F44: BMW revealed a four-door sedan variant under the 2 Series range in October 2019 as the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé. It is built on the front-wheel drive UKL2 platform like the Active Tourer (F45) and Gran Tourer (F46). In markets where the vehicle is being sold, it is the smallest four-door sedan offered by BMW, except in China and Mexico where the smaller F52 1 Series sedan is offered.

The first generation of the 3 Series was only available as a 2-door coupé; however, the model range has since expanded to include a 4-door saloon, 2-door convertible, 2-door coupé, 5-door estate, 5-door liftback ("Gran Turismo") and 3-door hatchback body styles. Since 2013, the coupé and convertible models have been marketed as the 4 Series; therefore, the 3 Series range no longer includes these body styles. The 3 Series is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the BMW brand's annual total sales (excluding motorbikes).  The BMW 3 Series has won numerous awards throughout its history. The M version of the 3 series, M3, debuted with the E30 M3 in 1986.

E21: The E21 replaced the 02 Series and was initially available as a 2-door sedan (also described as coupé). At launch, all models used carburetted 4-cylinder engines; however, fuel-injected models were introduced in late 1975 and 6-cylinder engines were added in 1977.

E30: On introduction in 1982, the E30 was produced solely in the 2-door sedan body style. Four-door sedan models were introduced in 1983, convertibles were introduced in 1985 and estate ("Touring") models were introduced in 1987.

E36: The E36 was the first 3 Series to be offered in a hatchback body style. It was also the first 3 Series to be available with a 6-speed manual transmission (in the 1996 M3), a 5-speed automatic transmission and a four-cylinder diesel engine. 

E46: The E46 generation introduced various electronic features to the 3 Series, including satellite navigation, electronic brake-force distribution, rain-sensing wipers and LED tail-lights.  All-wheel drive, last available in the E30 3 Series, was reintroduced for the E46.

E90: In 2006, the 335i became the first 3 Series model to be sold with a turbocharged petrol engine. The E90 also saw the introduction of run-flat tires to the 3 Series range. Consequently, cars with run-flats are not equipped with a spare tire.

F30:  For the F30/F31/F34 series, the coupe and convertible models were produced until the 2013 year until 2014 when they were split from the 3 Series, redesigned, and sold as the BMW 4 Series. A new body style was introduced into the 3 Series range: the 3 Series Gran Turismo, a long-wheelbase hatchback.

G20: The BMW 3 Series (G20) was unveiled at the 2018 Paris Motor Show on October 2, 2018. The official images of the vehicle were revealed a day prior to its unveiling. The seventh generation of the 3 Series is also offered as a station wagon. The more powerful M3 will be delivering globally starting in 2021.

F32: This generation has been produced since 2014 and is often collectively referred to as the F32. The F32 was introduced as the successor to the E92/E93 coupé/convertible models of the fifth-generation 3 Series range. The F32 is produced alongside - and shares many features with - the F30 3 Series. As with the F30 3 Series range, the F32/F33/F36 is powered by turbocharged petrol and diesel engines with 3 cylinders (petrol only), 4 cylinders, and 6 cylinders.

The high performance F82/F83 M4 models were introduced in early 2014. They are powered by the S55 turbocharged straight-six engine.

G22: This generation was launched in June 2020 and is currently in production. The G22/G23/G26 will be produced alongside - and shares many features with - the G20 3 Series. As with the G20 3 Series range, the G22/G23/G26 will be powered by turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. Unlike its predecessor, the new 4 Series has a significant departure in design from the 3 Series in order to distinguish between the two models and to move the 4 Series upscale. The most notable of the design changes is the large kidney grille at the front which was inspired by the 1930s BMW 328.

E12: The E12 is the first generation of 5 Series, which was produced from 1972 to 1981. It replaced the New Class sedans and was produced in the sedan body style. The initial models were powered by four-cylinder engines, with a six-cylinder engine being introduced a year later. There was no M5.

E28: The E28 is the second generation of 5 Series, which was produced from 1981 to 1988 in the sedan body style. It was initially produced with petrol four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines. The E28 was the first 5 Series with the centre console angled towards the driver and the option of anti-lock brakes (ABS). The E28 M5 began the line of M5 high performance models that has continued through every generation since. 

E34: The E34 was the first 5 Series to be available with the wagon body style, all-wheel drive and V8 engines. It also saw the introduction of stability control (ASC), traction control (ASC+T) a 6-speed manual transmission and adjustable damping (EDC) to the 5 Series range. There was an unusually large range of engines fitted over its lifetime, as nine different engine families were used. These consisted of four-cylinder, six-cylinder and V8 petrol engines, and six-cylinder diesel engines. The E34 M5 is powered by the S38 six-cylinder engine and was produced in sedan and wagon body styles.

E39: The E39 was the first 5 Series to use aluminium components in the front suspension. The proportion of chassis components using aluminium significantly increased for the E39, in order to reduce weight. Unlike its E34 predecessor and E60 successor, the E39 was not available with all-wheel drive. The E39 M5 sedan was introduced in 1998, powered by the 4.9-litre S62 V8 engine.

E60: The E60 generation introduced various new electronic features to the 5 Series, including iDrive, head-up display, active cruise control, active steering and voice control. The E60 also was the first 5 Series to be available with a turbocharged petrol engine, a 6-speed automatic transmission and regenerative braking. The E60/E61 M5 was released in 2005 and is powered by the S85 V10 engine. It was sold in the sedan and wagon body styles, with most cars using a 7-speed automated manual transmission ("SMG III").

F10: The F10 is also the first 5 Series to offer a hybrid drivetrain, a turbocharged V8 engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, a dual-clutch transmission (in the M5), active rear-wheel steering (called "Integral Active Steering"), electric power steering, double-wishbone front suspension, an LCD instrument cluster (called "Black Panel Display") and automatic parking (called "Parking Assistant"). The F10 M5 is powered by the S63 twin-turbo V8 engine with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. It is the first M5 to use a turbocharged engine.

G30: The G30 is based on the same modular platform as the 7 Series (G11). BMW plans to release a saloon- and estate-style plug-in hybrid, the 530e iPerformance, which would have the advanced driver-assistance systems found in the 7 Series.  The F90 M5 is the M5 performance model for the G30 generation, and is the first M5 to employ an all-wheel drive powertrain. It is powered by an upgraded version of the S63 twin-turbo V8 engine used in the previous generation F10 M5.

2023-  g60/g61 

G60: The new eighth-generation BMW 5 Series has arrived and has brought along the biggest change in the model’s history so far in the shape of the all-electric i5. The 5 Series saloon is due on sale in the UK this October with Touring estate models due in 2024. 

The 5 Series is a huge seller for BMW and like the 3 Series it features much more restrained kidney grilles than those on the latest 7 Series, the i4 and iX that have proven so controversial with BMW fans. The car is also bigger than before, sitting 10cm longer and three centimetres wider than the outgoing model with an extra 20mm allocated to the wheelbase, which should allow a little extra legroom for rear-seat occupants.

The powertrain lineup will include  traditional petrol variants as the 530 and 540 , with no diesel option offered at all. A plug-in hybrid version will arrive in 2024. and an all-electric i5 variant as well as the performance-oriented M5 sports sedan will arrive in 2024.

E24: The BMW E24 is the first generation of 6 Series and was produced from 1976 to 1989. It replaced the E9 coupés and was solely produced in the 2-door coupé body style. Aside from the M635CSi/M6 models, the E24 was powered by a range of M30 straight-6 engines. The E24 M635CSi (called the M6 in North America and Japan) is considered the start of the M6 model line. In most markets, the M635CSi is powered by the M88 straight-6 engine. In North America and Japan, the M6 is powered by the less powerful S38 straight-6 engine.

E63: The E63/E64 uses a shortened version of the E60 5 Series chassis and shares many features with the 5 Series. The car initially drew criticism, due to its controversial styling and complicated iDrive system. The M6 model was released in 2005 in coupé and convertible body styles. It is powered by the S85 V10 engine and most cars were sold with a 7-speed automated manual transmission.

F06: The BMW F06/F12/F13 is the third generation 6 Series and was sold from 2011 to 2018. The body styles of the range are a 4-door coupé (F06 model code, marketed as "Gran Coupé"), 2-door convertible (F12 model code) and 2-door coupé (F13 model code). The F06/F12/F13 M6 is powered by the S63 twin-turbo V8 engine with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. It is the first M6 to use a turbocharged engine.

G32: The body style of the G32 is a 5-door fastback and it is marketed as "6 Series Gran Turismo" (replacing the previous generation 5 Series Gran Turismo). The range of engines consist of turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol, 6-cylinder petrol and 6-cylinder diesel engines. Most models are rear-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive (called "xDrive" by BMW) available as an option for some models.

2022-present  g70

E23: The E23 is the first generation 7 Series, and was produced from 1977 to 1987. It was built in a 4-door sedan body style with 6-cylinder engines, to replace the E3 sedans. From 1983 to 1987, a turbocharged 6-cylinder engine was available. The E23 introduced many electronic features for the first time in a BMW, including an on-board computer, service interval indicator and a "check control panel".

E32:  It was initially available with a straight-six or V12 engine, the latter being Germany's first in a passenger car since World War II. In 1992, V8 engines became available. The 750i was the first car adhering to BMW's self-imposed speed limit of 250 km/h (155 mph). The 'iL' models were the first time that a long-wheelbase option was offered by BMW.

E38: The petrol engines available consisted of straight-six, V8 and V12 engines. The E38 was the first 7 Series to be available with a diesel engine; initially a turbocharged straight-six, which was joined by a twin-turbocharged V8 in 1998. The E38 was the first car available with curtain airbags. It was also the first European car to offer satellite navigation and the first BMW to offer an in-built television.

E65: The E65/E66/E67/E68 is the fourth generation 7 Series, which was produced from 2001 to 2008. The model range consisted of standard length and long wheelbase ("Li" models) sedans. It was the first BMW to include iDrive, "flame-surfacing" exterior styling, active anti-roll bars, a 6-speed automatic transmission, an electronic smart Key (dispensing with the traditional metallic key) and night vision. The 760i model was the world's first production V12 engine to use direct injection.

F01: The F01 was the first BMW to be available with a hybrid drivetrain ("ActiveHybrid 7"), an 8-speed automatic transmission and a turbocharged V12 engine. It was also the first 7 Series to be available with a turbocharged petrol engine and all-wheel drive (xDrive).

G11: The G11/G12 is the first car lineup of BMW Group to be based on the modular OKL platform (Oberklasse, German for luxury class). The OKL platform adopts technology first introduced in BMW i models, namely the introduction of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer as structural chassis components. As part of BMW's strategy of introducing plug-in hybrid variants for all future car models, both, the short and long-wheelbase models will be available with hybrid powertrains under the designations 740e and 740Le in 2016.

G70: The BMW 7 Series debuted on April 20, 2022. It has a electric variant, the BMW i7, along with 6-cylinder 740i and V8 760i (not to be confused with the last generation V12 M760i) models. It adopts the new "horizontally split headlight units" featured on the new X7 also launched in April 2022. The V12 was discontinued as well as the X Drive AWD 6 cylinder models and the RWD V8 models.

The 8 Series was introduced in 1990 under the E31 model code and was only available as a two-door coupé. It is powered by a range of naturally aspirated V8 and V12 petrol engines. The E31 started production just as E24 6 Series production ended, however it is not considered a direct successor. The E31 was discontinued in 1999 due to poor sales.

1990-1999: Design work of the first generation E31 8 Series began in 1984, with final design phase and production development starting in 1986. The car debuted at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, and was produced until 1999. The 8 Series was designed to move beyond the market of the original E24 6 Series, featuring greater performance and an increased price. The 8 Series was the first road car to offer a V12 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and was one of the first vehicles to be fitted with electronic drive-by-wire throttle. The 8 Series was also among one of BMW's first cars to use a multi-link rear axle.

2018-  :The BMW 8 Series (G14) was announced on June 15, 2018 with sales commencing from November 2018. It was initially available as a coupé (codenamed G15), with the convertible (G14) and four-door Gran Coupé (G16) variants introduced later, succeeding the F06/F12/F13 6 Series lineup. Production commenced in late 2018 at the BMW assembly plant in Dingolfing, Germany.

Direct competitors to the BMW 8 Series coupé and convertible are the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupé & cabriolet. The BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé which has improved rear passenger space dimensions compared to the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé (F06), is seen as a flashier sportier alternative to its platform-mate, the more traditional BMW 7 Series sedan, and is expected to compete with the rumored next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class four-door coupé

BMW M GmbH, formerly known as BMW Motorsport GmbH, is a subsidiary of BMW AG that manufactures high-performance cars.

BMW M ("M" for "motorsport") was initially created to facilitate BMW's racing program, which was very successful in the 1960s and 1970s. As time passed, BMW M began to supplement BMW's vehicle portfolio with specially modified higher trim models, for which they are now most known by the general public. These M-badged cars traditionally include modified engines, transmissions, suspensions, interior trims, aerodynamics, and exterior modifications to set them apart from their counterparts. All M models are tested and tuned at BMW's private facility at the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany.

BMW M also provides M packages for the BMW S1000RR motorcycle, with a limited-production 2021-onwards homologation-special, race-type machine designated M1000RR.

Established in May 1972 with 35 employees, it grew to 400 employees by 1988, and is currently an integral part of BMW's market presence. The first racing project was BMW's 3.0 CSL. After the success of BMW M products like BMW 3.0 CSL in racing venues and the growing market for high performance sports cars, M introduced cars for sale to the public. The first official M-badged car for sale to the public was the M1, revealed in 1978. 

In 1993, BMW Motorsport GmbH changed their name to BMW M GmbH.

At present, BMW M has offered modified versions of nearly every BMW nameplate, except for the Z1, 7 Series flagship luxury sedan and the X1 compact crossover SUVs.

m1

The motorsport division of BMW headed by Jochen Neerpasch had been wanting to compete in motorsports using a car developed for competition racing in order to compete with arch rival Porsche in Group-5 racing, thus the development of the M1 was initiated. 

 As BMW wasn't able to build 400 road going examples of the car in the required time period as stipulated by the rules, the company partnered with Lamborghini to work out the details of the car's chassis, assemble prototypes and manufacture the vehicles. The tubular steel space frame chassis was the work of Gianpaolo Dallara but soon Lamborghini's financial position and the possibility of the car's production by the Italian manufacturer became bleak and BMW reassumed control over the project in April 1978, after seven prototypes were built. 

The M1 coupé was hand-built between 1978 and 1981 under the motorsport division of BMW as a homologation special for sports car racing. The fibre glass body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, taking inspiration from the 1972 BMW Turbo concept car.

The BMW M1 is the first car to be solely developed by BMW M and employs a 3,453 cc  M88/1 petrol six-cylinder engine. 

xm

The BMW XM is a full-size automobile manufactured in the United States by German marque BMW since 2022. It is a crossover SUV with a plug-in hybrid electric drivetrain, and is the second car developed entirely by BMW M, after the BMW M1 in 1978. A more powerful special-edition trim, the "Label Red", was also announced alongside the unveiling of the XM on 27 September 2022.

Along with its 4.4 L V8, the BMW XM uses an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic gearbox that produces 197 PS and 281 N⋅m. BMW mentioned that this system is also used in their BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh car. The electric motor is powered by a 25.7 kWh (92.5 MJ) battery, which has an estimated range of 48 km, and has regenerative braking recharging abilities. The electric battery, charging at its maximum of 7.4 kW, can charge from 0-100% in 4.25 hours. The towing capacity is 2700 kg for braked trailers, and 750 kg for unbraked trailers.

The XM has permanent four-wheel drive.

The XM's internal combustion engine, the twin-turbocharged BMW S68,  has been revised to have a stronger crankshaft, and the turbochargers have been placed closer to the exhaust manifold. It produces 489 PS, and in combination with the electric motor, produces a total of 653 PS.This gives the XM a 0–100 km/h time of 4.2 seconds.

z series

At the start of 1985, BMW set up a division called BMW Technik GmbH to develop concepts for new vehicles and technologies. The director of BMW Technik GmbH was Ulrich Bez, who oversaw the Z1's development. Control of the project was turned over to Klaus Faust when Bez left BMW in October 1988. The lead designer was Harm Lagaay.

The doors are unique in that they retract vertically, instead of traditional designs which swing outward or upward (the first car with retractable doors was the 1954 Kaiser Darrin, although those Kaiser Darrin doors slid forwards not downwards). The body with its high sills, offers crash protection independent of the doors, and it is possible (although perhaps not legal in some countries) for the Z1 to be driven with the doors lowered.

The "Z" in Z1 originally stood for Zukunft, the German word for future. Later cars in the Z Series are the Z3, Z4, and Z8, which were all available as 2-seat convertibles (however some models were also available as 2-seat coupes).

The Z1 was produced from March 1989 to June 1991, all at BMW's plant in Munich, Exactly 8,000 cars were produced.

z8

The BMW Z8 is a roadster produced by BMW from 2000 to 2003. The Z8 was developed under the codename "E52" through the efforts of a design team led by Chris Bangle.  The exterior was designed by Henrik Fisker and the interior by Scott Lempert. 

The Z8 originally was designed as a styling exercise intended to evoke and celebrate the 1956–1959 BMW 507. Prototypes were spotted testing between 1996 and 1999. A concept was later developed to preview the Z8, called the Z07 and was showcased in October 1997 at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The Z8 had an all-aluminum chassis and body, and used a 4,941 cc  V8 engine which has a power output of 400 PS at 6,600 rpm and 500 N⋅m of torque at 3,800 rpm. This engine, known internally as the S62, was built by BMW Motorsport and was shared with the E39 M5 sports saloon. The engine is located behind the front axle in order to provide the car with a 50/50 weight distribution. The factory claimed a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 4.7 seconds; Motor Trend magazine achieved 0–96 km/h in 4.2 seconds.

Every car was shipped with a colour-matching metal hardtop with a rear defroster. Unlike many contemporary hardtops, which are provided for practical rather than stylistic considerations, the hardtop of the Z8 was designed from the outset to complement the lines of the car's styling. The Z8's spaceframe was produced in the Dingolfing Plant and the car was hand-finished in Munich.  A total of 5,703 Z8s were built.

nazca

nazca m12 1991, c2 coupe 1992, c2 spider 1993

The Nazca trio kicked off with the M12 unveiled in 1991. When BMW and Italdesign get together, you can be sure great things will happen and this is a prime example of the tie-up. The origins of the V12-powered machine can be tracked back to 1990 when the famous Italian design house took the wraps off the Bugatti ID 90, a rather semi-obscure concept.

Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son Fabrizio then decided to effectively turn the Bugatti into a BMW. Thus, the Nazca M12 was born and was actually the first car signed by Fabrizio. The talented duo took inspiration from Formula 1 and Group C cars and came up with a low-slung curvaceous body made from carbon fiber. The frame was also from carbon fiber, quite impressive for the early 1990s. Corroborated with a multitude of other lightweight components, the weight of the concept was kept down to only about 1,100 kilograms. The M12 had a 5-liter, 300hp V12 from the BMW 850i; C2 Coupe had the same engine tweaked by Alpina to deliver 350 hp; C2 Spider came with a larger 5.6-liter V12 pushing out 380 hp borrowed from the 850 CSi.

Out of the three, only the C2 Coupe was actually produced, albeit in an extremely limited series of just 3 cars sold to wealthy individuals.

The Rover Group plc was the British vehicle manufacturing conglomerate known as "BL plc" until 1986 (formerly British Leyland), which had been a state-owned company since 1975. It initially included the Austin Rover Group car business (comprising the Austin, Rover, Mini and MG marques), Land Rover Group, Freight Rover vans and Leyland Trucks. The Rover Group also owned the dormant trademarks from the many companies that had merged into British Leyland and its predecessors such as Triumph, Morris, Wolseley, Riley and Alvis.

The Rover Group was owned by British Aerospace (BAe) from 1988 to 1994, when BAe sold the remaining car business to the German company BMW. The group was further broken up in 2000, when Ford acquired the Land Rover division, with the Rover and MG marques continuing with the much smaller MG Rover Group until 2005. Ownership of the original Rover Group marques is currently split between BMW (Germany), SAIC (China), and Tata Motors (India), the latter owning the Rover marque itself with its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover owning much of the assets of the historic Rover company.

Millions of pounds of investment by BMW failed to turn the company into profit. It has been estimated that the entire Rover bankruptcy cost BMW fifteen billion Marks. In March 2000, BMW announced it planned to sell the Rover Group. Within two months, the core of the group (the MG and Rover sections) had been sold to the Phoenix Consortium, while BMW retained the rights to build the forthcoming new Mini family of vehicles.

x5

E53: The BMW E53 X5 crossover was manufactured between 1999 and 2006. The E53 X5 was developed just after the acquisition of Land Rover by BMW, and benefitted from the company technology. It shares many components and designs from the Range Rover L322 model (specifically the hill descent system and off road engine management system), while the engine and electronic system is shared with the BMW E39 5 series. A range of petrol inline-6s, V8s and diesel engines was offered, ranging from 3.0-litre to 4.8-litre.

E70: The BMW E70 is the second generation X5. It was released in July 2006 for the 2007 model year. The second generation X5 features many new technological advancements including BMW's iDrive system as standard equipment and, for the first time in a BMW, an optional third row seat raising passenger capacity to seven. Sharing the same powertrain as the BMW X6 M, the X5 M features the first M Power V-8 Turbo, 555 hp and 680 N⋅m of torque, and comes with M Dynamic Performance Control for impressive handling.

F15: The BMW F15 is the third generation X5 crossover, unveiled on 30 May 2013 and launched in November 2013.

It featured the same chassis and same wheelbase of previous generation and launched with a choice of three engines: a 450 hp V8 petrol engine (xDrive50i) and two six-cylinder in-line diesel units, producing 258 hp with one turbo (xDrive30d) and 381 hp with three turbos (M50d M Performance), respectively. As with the previous model, it was assembled at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, United States.

G05: The new 2019 G05 X5 is the fourth and current generation X5 model and was unveiled online on June 6, with a planned November 2018 launch date. It is based on the new Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform shared with other BMW models. All 2019 X5 models are xDrive all-wheel drive only, while an sDrive (rear-wheel drive) X5 was added to the US lineup as a 2020 model. The 2020 X5 sDrive is only available with the inline-6 petrol B58 powerplant, and is marketed as the X5 sDrive40i.

x7

The BMW X7 is a full-sized luxury sport utility vehicle manufactured by BMW. It is BMW's flagship SUV, and the largest and most expensive in its line-up. The X7 was first announced by BMW in March 2014. It was officially unveiled on October 17, 2018, with pre-orders being taken online. The X7 has been available at dealers since March 2019.

The BMW X7 is a full-sized luxury sport utility vehicle manufactured by BMW. It is BMW's flagship SUV, and the largest and most expensive in its line-up.

The X7 was first announced by BMW in March 2014. It was officially unveiled on October 17, 2018, with pre-orders being taken online. The X7 has been available at dealers since March 2019.

In April 2022, BMW launched a new revised X7. The design is very similar to the original first generation design, with minimal changes to the side profile and rear. The major changes are a heavily revised front end design premiering new "horizontally split headlight units" and a revised curved widescreen focused dashboard within an otherwise largely unchanged interior. It is widely thought that the aesthetic function of the horizontally split headlights is to increase the proportion of the front design dedicated to the headlights relative to very large kidney grill. The new headlights were also featured on the new 7 Series and i7.

i8

2014-2020 

First introduced as the Concept Vision EfficientDynamics, the i8 is part of BMW's "Project i" and it is being marketed as a new brand, BMW i, sold separately from BMW or Mini. The BMW i3, launched for retail customers in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2013, was the first model of the i brand available in the market, and it was followed by the i8, released in Germany in June 2014 as a 2015 model year. Other i models are expected to follow.

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car is a plug-in hybrid with a 1.5L three cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Additionally, there are two electric motors with 139 hp. It allows an acceleration to 100 km/h  in 4.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. The maximum driving range of the BMW i8 on a full fuel tank and with a fully charged battery is more than 500 km.

i7

2022-present

The seventh generation of the BMW 7 Series (model code G70) are luxury saloons consisting of internal combustion versions and a battery electric version known as the BMW i7. It was introduced by BMW on 20 April 2022 during the nameplate's 45th anniversary.

The G70 7 Series is offered with petrol, petrol plug-in hybrid, diesel, and battery electric powertrains, with the latter being marketed as the i7. A V12 petrol engine option is no longer offered. The vehicle is only available in long-wheelbase form, with 130 mm longer exterior dimensions, 48 mm wider and 51 mm taller compared to the previous generation long-wheelbase model.

The i7 is powered by two electric motors generating a combined output of 536 hp. It can accelerate 0–100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and range around 480 km.

xm

The BMW XM is a plug-in hybrid electric full-size luxury crossover SUV manufactured by BMW under the BMW M subsidiary. It is the second car developed entirely by BMW M after the BMW M1 in 1978. A more powerful version, named "Label Red", was also announced alongside the unveiling of the XM on 27 September 2022.

BMW would enter a gentlemen's agreement with French carmaker Citroën in order to be able to use the name "XM" for its vehicle, since Citroën originally used it for the XM.

The XM's internal combustion engine, the twin-turbocharged BMW S68, has been revised to have a stronger crankshaft, and the turbochargers have been placed closer to the exhaust manifold. Combined with the 4.4 L V8 is an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic gearbox, producing 196 PS, for a total of 653 PS.  BMW mentioned that this system is also used in their BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh car, and will give the XM a 0–100 km/h time of 4.2 s. The electric motor is powered by a 25.7 kWh battery, which has an estimated range of  88 km (WLTP), and has regenerative braking recharging abilities.

The XM has permanent four-wheel drive, with a bespoke M Sport differential situated at the rear axle allowing for torque vectoring. The XM's handling is controlled by 48-volt electrical active anti-roll bars along with steel springs, adaptive M dampers and active steering. Power is sent via an 8-speed automatic transmission to the 23" wheels which are shod in 275/35R23 tyres at the front and 315/30R23 at the rear.

A more powerful version, named "Label Red", was announced on the same day the XM was unveiled, the 27th of September, which BMW says will have a power output of 748 PS.

neue klasse

2025

The Neue Klasse platform is specifically for EVs and it integrates batteries into a vehicle's structure. The packs range anywhere from 75.0 to 150.0 kilowatt-hours, with the drivetrain supporting 800-volt packs and fast charging at up to 270 kilowatts.

Since Neue Klasse is a vehicle architecture rather than a single model, it can support multiple types of vehicles. The first product on this platform will reportedly be an electric crossover that will take over the iX3 moniker. The second will be a 3 Series-sized sedan allegedly in i320 or i330 variants. The company will also develop Neue Klasse vehicles specifically for China, and Mini will even use the Neue Klasse underpinnings, too.

BMW will launch four more vehicles on this platform by the end of the decade. They'll reportedly include i1 and i2 entry-level EV offerings. There will also be an iX4 coupe-shaped crossover in 2026.

BMW has been involved in Formula One in a number of capacities since the inauguration of the World Drivers' Championship in 1950. The company entered occasional races in the 1950s and 1960s (often under Formula Two regulations), before building the BMW M12/13 inline-four turbocharged engine in the 1980s. This engine was the result of a deal between BMW and Brabham, which resulted in the team's chassis being powered by BMW engines from 1982 until 1987, a period in which Nelson Piquet won the 1983 championship driving a Brabham BT52-BMW. BMW also supplied the M12/13 on a customer basis to the ATS, Arrows, Benetton and Ligier teams during this period, with various degrees of success. In 1988, Brabham temporarily withdrew from the sport and BMW withdrew its official backing from the engines, which were still used by the Arrows team under the Megatron badge. Turbocharged engines were banned by the revised Formula One Technical Regulations for 1989, rendering the M12/13 obsolete.

BMW decided to return to Formula One in the late 1990s by signing an exclusive contract with the Williams team, which needed a new long-term engine supplier after the withdrawal of Renault in 1997. The programme resulted in the creation of a new V10 engine which made its race début in the Williams FW22 in 2000. The following year saw the partnership move from the midfield to challenging for race victories, but the desired championship remained elusive due to the dominance of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari in the first half of the 2000s. By 2005, the relationship between BMW and Williams had deteriorated, and BMW chose to part company and buy the rival Sauber team outright.

BMW bought Swiss team Sauber in June 2005 to form the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The takeover came after BMW's relationship with Williams had deteriorated in the previous months, the partnership ending at the end of the 2005 season. The team, operated under a German racing licence, was based at Sauber's headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland and BMW's headquarters in Munich, Germany.

The team scored two podium finishes and came fifth in 2006, its first season in Formula One. This was followed by a second place in 2007 after the McLaren team had been excluded from the championship. Robert Kubica took the team's only Grand Prix victory at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. Following a poor 2009 season, BMW withdrew from Formula One and sold the team back to founder Peter Sauber.

Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH & Co. KG is an automobile manufacturing company based in Buchloe, in the Ostallgäu district of Bavaria, Germany that develops and sells high-performance versions of BMW and Mini cars.

Alpina works closely with BMW and their processes are integrated into BMW's production lines, thus Alpina is recognized by the German Ministry of Transport as an automobile manufacturer, in contrast to other performance specialists which are aftermarket tuners. For instance, the Alpina B7 is produced at the same assembly line in Dingolfing, Germany (BMW Plant Dingolfing), as BMW's own 7 Series. The B7's twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 is assembled by hand at Alpina's facility in Buchloe, Germany, before being shipped to BMW for installation, and the assembled vehicle is then sent back to Alpina for finishing touches.

The firm was founded in 1965 by Burkard Bovensiepen, a member of the Bovensiepen family of industrialists.

Alpina's roots can be traced back to 1962 when Burkard Bovensiepen developed a Weber dual carburetor for the BMW 1500. This carburetor was well received by the automotive press, as well as BMW's own sales boss Paul G. Hahnemann. In 1964, BMW certified the quality of this Alpina product by awarding BMW vehicles fitted with the Alpina system the full factory guarantee.

Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen KG was established on 1 January 1965 in Kaufbeuren, Bavaria. The company had eight employees.

alpina b5 turbo e28

Distinctive features of Alpina vehicles are the fact that these models are literally "manu-factured", meaning "hand-made". The production process switches between fine tuning the engine, delivering it to the BMW plant, marrying engine and body there, bringing it back to Alpina for interior upgrade with Alpina's specific components, again all in a hand-made process that allows only limited production numbers. Besides engine and interior, Alpina also optimizes the transmission and installs steering wheel mounted button-shifters (called Switch-Tronic) on most cars, with paddle shifters used on the B4 S Edition 99. 

classics

current lineup

2022

The BMW Group buys the ALPINA brand from the ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH + Co. KG. BMW ALPINA automobiles will continue to be developed and produced in BUCHLOE until the end of 2025.  The family run company will rebrand itself under the BOVENSIEPEN name, invest in the business related to classic automobiles and will continue to offer different, exciting new mobility solutions.
The ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH + Co. KG and the BMW Group will continue to cooperate closely in the future, but in a new form and inter alia, with a focus on engineering and development services.

The Mini is a two-door compact city car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original Mini is considered an icon of 1960s British popular culture. Its space-saving transverse engine and front-wheel drive layout – allowing 80% of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage – influenced a generation of car makers. In 1999, the Mini was voted the second-most influential car of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T, and ahead of the Citroën DS and Volkswagen Beetle. The front-wheel-drive, transverse-engine layout of the Mini was copied for other "supermini" designs including the Honda N360 (1967), Nissan Cherry (1970), and Fiat 127 (1971). The layout was also adapted for larger subcompact designs.

This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. It was manufactured at the Longbridge plant in England located next to BMC's headquarters and at the former Morris Motors plant at Cowley near Oxford, in the Victoria Park/Zetland British Motor Corporation (Australia) factory in Sydney, Australia, and later also in Spain (Authi), Belgium, Italy (Innocenti) Chile, Malta, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia (IMV).

The performance versions, the Mini Cooper and Cooper "S", were successful as both race and rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965, and 1967. In 1966, the first-placed Mini (along with nine other cars) was disqualified after the finish, under a controversial decision that the car's headlights were against the rules.

On its introduction in August 1959, the Mini was marketed under the Austin and Morris names, as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor. The Austin Seven was renamed Austin Mini in January 1962 and Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969. In 1980, it once again became the Austin Mini, and in 1988, just "Mini" (although the "Rover" badge was applied on some models exported to Japan).

BMW acquired the Rover Group (formerly British Leyland) in 1994, and sold the greater part of it in 2000, but retained the rights to build cars using the Mini name. Retrospectively, the car is known as the "Classic Mini" to distinguish it from the modern, BMW influenced MINI family of vehicles produced since 2000.

A total of 5,387,862 cars had been manufactured, nearly 1.6 million of which were sold in the UK, although the majority of these were sold at least 20 years before the Mini's demise, meaning that the majority of those sold had been scrapped before the end of the original Mini's production life.

morris mini traveller and austin mini countryman

These models were two-door estate cars with double "barn-style" rear doors. Both were built on a slightly longer chassis of 2.1 m compared to 2.038 m for the saloon. From the start of production both models had a decorative, non-structural, ash wood trim on the rear body, in the style of a pre-war shooting-brake. This gave the car a similar appearance to the larger Morris Minor Traveller and gave rise to these cars simply being called a woodie.

In October 1967 the Mk2 version was launched with the same changes as the saloon.

Approximately 108,000 Austin Mini Countrymans and 99,000 Morris Mini Travellers were built. Variations of this model were also built in South Africa, by Innocenti in Italy and by Industria de Montagem de Automoveis in Portugal.

moke

A utility vehicle intended for the British Army was built with a twin-engined 4-wheel-drive. Although the 4WD Moke could climb a 1:2 gradient, it lacked enough ground clearance for military use. The single-engined front-wheel-drive Moke enjoyed some popularity in civilian production. About 50,000 were made in total, from 1964 to 1968 in the UK, 1966 to 1982 in Australia and 1983 to 1989 in Portugal. The Moke was marketed in holiday locations such as Barbados and Macau, where they were also used as police cars. "Moke" is archaic British slang for a donkey.

clubman

In 1969, under the ownership of British Leyland, the Mini was given a facelift by stylist Roy Haynes, who had previously worked for Ford. The restyled version was called the Mini Clubman, and has a squarer frontal look, using the same indicator/sidelight assembly as the Austin Maxi. The Mini Clubman was intended to replace the upmarket Riley and Wolseley versions. At launch all Clubmans were powered by the 998cc engine as already used in the Mini 1000, with 38bhp. A more sporting model with the 1275cc single-carburettor 59bhp engine, dubbed the 1275 GT, was slated as the replacement for the 998 cc Mini Cooper (the 1,275 cc Mini Cooper S continued alongside the 1275 GT for two years until 1971). The Clubman Estate replaced the Countryman and Traveller. The original "round-front" design Mini remained in production alongside the Clubman and 1275 GT in 850 and 1000 forms as lower-priced models in the new Mini range.

mini hatch

The Mini Hatch (stylised as MINI hatch, or MINI Hardtop in the US), also known as Mini Cooper, Mini One, or simply the Mini, is a three-door or five door hatchback first introduced in early 2000 by German automotive company BMW. The second generation was launched in 2006 and the third in 2014. A convertible version was introduced in 2004, with the second generation following in 2008.

The Mini concept was originally unveiled at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September 1997, whilst the Mini marque was still a part of the Rover Group, owned by BMW, where it was intended to replace both the classic Mini and the larger Metro/100-series. The Mini Hatch was the first model launched by BMW under the new MINI marque that was created following BMW's divestment of the Rover Group in 2000, and the classic Mini's discontinuation that same year. The new model built by BMW is technically unrelated to the former.

The Mini is produced in Cowley, Oxfordshire, England, at Plant Oxford, and, since July 2014, at VDL Nedcar (the former DAF/Volvo plant) in Born, Netherlands. The Mini convertible is, since 2015, only assembled in The Netherlands.

Between 2001 and 2012, 2.5 million Minis have been sold.

In addition to all-electric models, Mini also offers models such as the new MINI Cooper with two petrol engine. With an output of 204 hp, the four-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper S accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds with a maximum torque of 300 Nm. The 156 hp three-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper C delivers a torque of 230 Nm and accelerates the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds.

First generation R50/52/53; 2000-2006              Second generation R56/57; 2006-2013                  Third generation F55/56/57; 2013-2024           Fourth generation: 2024-present

countryman

The Mini Countryman, also called Mini Crossover in Japan, is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV, the first vehicle of this type to be launched by BMW under the Mini marque. It was launched in 2010 and received a facelift in 2014. The second generation vehicle was released in 2017.

The design of Mini's first five-door crossover echoed that of the Mini Crossover Concept. The ALL4 all-wheel-drive powertrain includes electro-hydraulic differential, positioned directly on the transmission's final drive, to vary the power distribution from front to rear. Under normal driving conditions, up to 50 percent of the engine's power goes to the rear wheels.

The second generation Countryman was introduced at the LA Auto Show in November 2016. The new Countryman is 203 millimetres  longer than the first generation, and 25-millimetre  wider. The Cooper Countryman will be powered by a turbocharged 3-cylinder engine, while the Cooper S will use a new 2.0-litre turbo I4.

u25  2024-present

mini cooper

The fifth generation Mini Cooper has been revealed, and this electric car gets a raft of new technology and improved range over its predecessor. This is the all-new Mini Cooper Electric, and it’s the fifth iteration of the retro-inspired hatchback. It gets refreshed styling, a totally revamped interior and improved range over the outgoing car.

There are two versions of the new Mini Cooper Electric, called the E and the SE. The E uses a 40.7kWh battery, while the SE has a 54.2kWh battery. For comparison, the outgoing Mini Electric uses a 33kWh pack. Both versions have a single motor powering the front wheels. The Mini Cooper E has 184hp and will do 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds, while the SE has 218hp and completes the sprint in 6.8 seconds.

The new 2024 MINI Cooper Electric will be complemented by a range of petrol-powered and all-new MINI 3-door, MINI 5-door and MINI Convertible models. These will still be made at the firm’s famous Oxford factory in the UK. They will share a modern new look, set to be previewed by the 2024 MINI Cooper Electric. 

In addition to all-electric models, Mini also offers models such as the new MINI Cooper with two petrol engine. With an output of 204 hp, the four-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper S accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds with a maximum torque of 300 Nm. The 156 hp three-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper C delivers a torque of 230 Nm and accelerates the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds.