At least they used to try to be look a very precise, very german, drivers car. They stuck with rear wheel drive, and used fantastic inline 6 engines until CAFE regulations pretty much made them unfeasible. They lost me and become a marketing company when the model names started being what i would call “un-german”. With the model, you used to know what you got. 325t? 3 series, 2.5l displacement, has a turbo. 540ci? 5 series, 4.0l, coupe. Sometimes in 2007-2011 timeframe, the number no longer corresponded to what the vehicle was. 330 was a 2.0l turbo, 335 was a 3.0l turbo... they just couldn't put smaller numbers on the model. Thats marketing, thats not what I want in my very precise driving machine. Its been a downhill slide ever since. But thats what the masses want and buy... so whatever. Also they dont make a manual M5 anymore, ultimate driving machine my ass. Their maintenance has always been a gate-kept rip off though.

I currently own a 23 yo and a 10 yo BMW. The first is a fun fun fun car to drive, and the reason I haven't sold it yet. The second is an awesome car... and cost me an ungodly amount of money to get and keep in shape.

They definitely were a car enthusiast company, at some point. My next car will be Japanese.

which 23yo bmw do you own?

316i, 2 door.

They have marketed well. But BMW also knows a little bit about making really nice, quiet, powerful, fun to drive cars.

And motorcycles.

The cars are good though. I owned one once, and it drove like magic.