- The 3 Series has been on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list 18 times, from 1992 through 2009, making it the longest running entry in the list.

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, better known as BMW, started as a motor manufacturing company that specialized in aircraft engines. The Roundel logo that is so familiar to BMW owners stems from the days of its aircraft heritage, and symbolizes a spinning propeller.

In 1928, the Dixi 3/15 PS marked the beginning of BMW automobile production. It was built under license from Austin and was essentially the same model as the US Bantam and the Japanese Datsun. The first Dixis had an open roof and were powered by a 743cc 4 cylinder engine producing a whopping 15 horsepower. Top speed was around 50 mph (80 km/h).