BMW model series form the historical and technical backbone of the brand. Each series reflects the engineering philosophy, design language and market positioning of its era. From pre-war handcrafted sports cars and post-war luxury sedans to compact performance models and modern electric vehicles, BMW has consistently evolved its identity as a driver-focused manufacturer.In this category, models are grouped according to their historical lineage and series designation. This structure allows visitors to follow BMW’s development through time and understand how each series has shaped the brand’s reputation, technology and design.
BMW Model Series
Pre-War BMW (1908-1940)
Pre-War BMW (1908–1940) brings together the era in which BMW’s automotive story was still taking shape and during which many of the principles that would later define the brand were first established. Although BMW itself only began car production after taking over the Eisenach factory in 1928, the earliest part of this page reaches back …
Post-War BMW (1951-1962)
Post-War BMW (1951–1962) brings together the period in which BMW resumed car production after the war and began rebuilding the brand’s identity through luxury, innovation and distinctive design. The era began with the introduction of the BMW 501 in 1951, marking BMW’s return to passenger car production and its immediate re-entry into the luxury segment. …
BMW Neue Klasse
The BMW Neue Klasse represents one of the most important turning points in BMW history, because it was this model family that laid the foundation for the brand’s modern identity. In the early 1960s, the Neue Klasse helped move the company into a new era by introducing modern, sporting and technically well-developed sedans that clearly …
BMW 02 Series
The BMW 02 Series represents one of the most important model families in the entire history of BMW, because it was through this range that the brand’s image as a maker of sporty and driver-focused compact sedans became firmly established. Introduced in the second half of the 1960s, the 02 Series grew out of the …
BMW E3 – Large Sedans
BMW E3 – Large Sedans represents the period in which BMW returned to the upper luxury segment in the late 1960s and laid the foundation for its later flagship sedans. Introduced in 1968, the E3 generation brought large six-cylinder sedans into the BMW range, combining elegant design, a high level of comfort and the driver-focused …
BMW E9 – Large Coupés
BMW E9 – Large Coupés represents the period in which BMW combined elegance, performance and the prestigious character of a large coupé into one of the most iconic model families in the marque’s history. Introduced in 1968, the E9 generation grew out of the earlier 2000 CS and quickly became one of BMW’s most recognisable …
BMW 1 Series
The 1 Series represents BMW’s compact model family, combining smaller dimensions, everyday practicality and the brand’s traditional driver-focused character. From the first generation introduced in 2004, the 1 Series brought something rather unusual to the compact segment for BMW – rear-wheel-drive driving dynamics, balanced handling and a more sporting character than was typical in this …
BMW 2 Series
The 2 Series brings together BMW’s more compact coupés and the sporting special versions derived from them, combining smaller dimensions, a driver-focused character and the dynamic qualities traditionally associated with the brand. The 2 Series brought a clearly defined compact coupé back into BMW’s range, offering both everyday usability and a more sporting driving experience …
BMW 3 Series
The 3 Series is BMW’s most important and influential model family, shaping the standard for the sporting mid-size class since 1975. More than any other model line, the 3 Series has expressed BMW’s driver-focused character, balanced driving dynamics and the idea of a car that combines sportiness with everyday usability. Each generation has introduced technical …
BMW 4 Series
The BMW 4 Series was introduced in 2013, when BMW decided to separate the coupé and convertible versions of the 3 Series into their own distinct model family. With this step, the aim was to emphasize their more independent identity, sportier character and more emotional image. While the 3 Series has traditionally represented BMW’s more …
BMW 5 Series
The BMW 5 Series has, since 1972, been one of the most important pillars of BMW’s model range and has played a very clear role in shaping the brand’s image as a maker of sporty and driver-focused executive sedans. With the arrival of the first-generation E12, BMW created a model line positioned between the more …
BMW 6 Series
The BMW 6 Series represents BMW’s larger and more luxurious coupés and convertibles, bringing together elegant design, powerful engines and long-distance comfort. Since the arrival of the first-generation E24 in 1976, the 6 Series became the model line through which BMW carried its sporty and driver-focused character into the upper grand touring class. While the …
BMW 7 Series
The BMW 7 Series has, for decades, represented the very top of BMW’s model range, embodying the brand’s idea of luxury, technological progress and a prestigious driving experience. From the E23 generation introduced in 1977 onwards, the 7 Series became the model through which BMW first introduced many of its most innovative solutions in the …
BMW 8 Series
The BMW 8 Series represents a model line in BMW history in which luxury, technical ambition and a clearly distinctive grand touring character come together. When the E31 generation was introduced in 1989, it marked an important step for BMW, because it was not simply a large and expensive coupé, but an entirely new flagship …
BMW X Series
The X Series brings together BMW’s higher-bodied models, combining everyday practicality, greater spaciousness and the driver-focused character that is so typical of the brand. Since the launch of the first X5, the BMW X Series has become one of the most important parts of the marque’s model range, introducing both luxurious SAV models and more …
BMW Z Series
The Z Series brings together BMW’s most distinctive two-seat sports cars, combining open-top driving pleasure, sporting design and a clearly driver-focused character. The origins of this model line go back to the second half of the 1980s, when BMW Technik GmbH developed the Z1 — the car that became the starting point of the entire …
BMW i Series
The i Series represents BMW’s world of electrified and forward-looking models, combining innovative technology, the idea of sustainability and the dynamic character typical of the brand. From early concept cars and development projects to production models, the i Series clearly shows how BMW has explored new ways of combining electric mobility, lightweight construction and modern …