10 reasons we love... BMW

Mercedes went all weird on us with big bubbles of metal and outrageous prices for for its EQ models; Audi gave us the e-tron range which felt good but not that special; and BMW quietly went about doing properly graceful, clever things with wood and backlit glass in its “i” range, and decarbonisation events featuring professors at the Natural History Museum. Brainy and beautiful.

Has there been a better way to open up the premium brands to more people, before or since? No. The iconic model is always in the top five most searched-for cars on Auto Trader and remains peerless in its democratisation of superb handling and ride qualities. It made a saloon, an estate, a convertible, a hatch and an SUV out of the “3”, and spawned the 4 Series coupe, so drivers, couples and families could all enjoy Germanic engineering. It was a stroke of genius.

This hybrid sports car remains the favourite car of Auto Trader’s Editorial Director, Erin Baker, who says “The i8 is a classic in waiting, and I’m still in mourning for its production demise. An incredible exterior design and super-smart, pared-back interior that looks futuristic years later, make this one of BMW’s most intelligent models ever dreamt up. Now going for an absolute bargain, so grab one while you can on Auto Trader."

No marques have improved on BMW’s legendary steering. The brand’s engineers found the sweet spot between weight and feedback decades ago, and haven’t ruined it, despite the introduction of SUVs and electric cars, both have which have mucked about with the physics of the humble automobile. Hands up and hats off to those Munich scientists.

The coolest character on TV over Christmas, Ben Wishart’s professional hitman in Black Doves, Sam, drives a BMW 635 (E24 for the nerds). This is because Sam is the master of kooky understatement: he shoots people in the face but he wears tinsel while he does it. He’s a loyal friend and a contract killer. The contradictions are enormous and perfectly framed, as is the brown BMW. Could there be anything more achingly understated and perfectly cast on our screens in 2025? (clue: no).

Yeah, it’s bling and we love it. The current 7-Series has the option of a massive screen that whirrs down from the ceiling in the rear, to stream all your favourite TV shows, films and apps. You can listen to it via the surround-sound audio in the car or through Bluetooth headphones. What a way to keep the kids quiet on long trips. Could have been naff, but instead it’s amazing.

It’s a massive, totally unapologetic, hugely expensive, embarrassingly arrogant, in-your-face SUV, and we love it. Slightly less conspicuous than a Bentley Bentayga or Mercedes GLS, however, it’s sublime to embark on a long journey in; passengers can sit back and relax, surrounded by luxury, comfort and a full suite of safety systems. Let’s call it a guilty pleasure, and move on.
Click here to read our review of the BMW X7.

One for the purists, this, but has anyone else noticed that BMW appears to mow the footwell carpets in its new cars? You get the same contrasting stripes that you get on posh lawns of big houses. They smell nice too, which perhaps reveals more about how the Auto Trader road-test team spends its days than it should.

We love the fact that you don’t have to be a track-day warrior or spend gazillions on buying a proper M-badged BMW to get a flavour of the fun. You can simply tick the box for the M-Sport trim on many models, which will give you the blue and red stripes on the seat belts, key and steering wheel, and some more aggressive exterior styling bits. Some petrolheads will sneer, but we like the fairness of it all - it’s like Ferrari selling baseball caps. Why can’t everyone join the club?

All of them (although everyone has their favourite, and the version they think is a donkey). What a bunch of loony monsters. For us, however, it’s less about the handling traits of each M5, superb as it all is, and more about BMW’s decision to whack a shedload of power and aggressive tuning into what is in essence a boring commuting saloon. That says a lot about the general spirit of innovation at BMW. Long may it continue.