How Well Do You Know Your BMW Numbers?

AUTO

By: Robin Tyler

7 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons via Siegfried von Brilon

About This Quiz

BMW, or the Bayerische Motoren Werke as it is known in Germany, is one of the top car makers in the world. Their cars offer many things. First and foremost, they are about luxury and comfort — but don't forget performance! Some BMW models are simply incredible when it comes to how they treat their drivers and passengers. The brand also offers the latest gadgets in their cars, including satellite navigation, parking aids and other driver assists.

For the past eight decades, the famous grille of BMW models is easily recognized around the world. A BMW is certainly a classy car. But did you know the company, founded in 1916, started out making aircraft engines? After the First World War, it moved on to first motorcycles and later, automobiles.

Its first car was produced in the late 1920s although it was a copy of an Austin model at the time. After that, BMW started making its own cars and designs, and the company quickly established itself as an important automaker, not only in Germany but the rest of Europe as well.

Following the Second World War, BMW took some time to get back into the business (making pots, pans and motorcycles in the meantime). It was only in the 1950s that it began producing vehicles again. Much like the company's start in car manufacturing, it first copied a car under license. This small micro car has become a sought-after model today.

Some models followed with BMW building its reputation globally as well. And today, BMW has a range of incredible models in different categories. But can you identify them — especially given their numbering nomenclature? Be warned: Only true BMW aficionados are going to get anything approaching a perfect score. Are you up to the challenge? 

Good luck!

First seen in 2014, this is the very pinnacle of BMW hybrid technology. What vehicle is shown in this image?

A hybrid sports car first seen in 2014, the i8 is not only good for the environment but it is one of the best-looking cars on the road today. And, for a hybrid, it is incredibly quick, going from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. It also gets approximately 80 mpg.

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Perhaps the lesser-known microcar when compared to the Isetta, do you know this BMW model?

Based on the two-seat Isetta microcar, the 600 microcar was bigger and could seat four occupants. It was the first four-person car produced in Germany after the war but was not much of a success in terms of sales and was only built between 1957 and 1959. The 600 was powered by a 585 cc engine. The "front" door of the vehicle was actually the entire front of the vehicle which was hinged on the driver's side.

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In this image, we have the first-ever SUV made by BMW. What is it called?

Part of the X-series of SUVs, the X5 was introduced by BMW in 1999 and remains in production today. This was the first SUV produced by the company. It is currently in its fourth generation and offers two gasoline and one diesel power plant options.

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What a stunner! This roadster from BMW hit the streets in 2000. Can you identify it for us?

Powered by a 4.9-liter V8 motor, the Z8 Roadster not only looked good, but it offered excellent performance as well. It was designed as an homage to the BMW 507 from the mid- to late-1950s. Built between 2000 and 2003, the Z8 had been in development since 1993. The company produced 5,703 of them.

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An engine capable of 591 horsepower makes this a super-fast car. What BMW model is it?

BMW M models have a reputation as some of the finest passenger cars ever produced. The M5 is no different, but this is also a beast thanks to its S63 V8 engine, which provides an amazing 591 horsepower. Versions of this vehicle first hit the streets in 1984 and are still going strong.

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Name this classic BMW model powered by a 15-horsepower engine.

The BMW 3/15 was the first car ever produced by the company. Made between 1927 and 1929, the car was a version of the Austin 7, made under a licence from the Austin Motor Company. There were three models of the 3/15 — the DA-2, DA-3 and DA-4 — and its engine was capable of producing 15 horsepower with a top speed of 45 mph.

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The BMW model in this image is the __________.

Now in its seventh generation, the 5 Series was introduced in 1972. Larger than the 3 Series, this was the first model to use the three-digit naming convention employed by BMW to this day. The current model offers a number of different power plants, including gas, diesel and hybrid versions.

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Elvis owned not one but two of these BMWs. Do you know what they are?

Only 252 units of the 507 convertible were built by BMW between 1959 and 1959. Elvis Presley owned two 507s, which he bought in Germany while stationed there with the U.S. Army. He had one painted red because fans kept leaving lipstick marks on it.

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Any idea as to the model of this beautiful roadster?

Part of the Z model series, the Z4 Roadster — introduced in the series' fourth generation — hit the streets in 2002 and now, in the sixth generation, is still part of the BMW fleet.

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Name this mid-sized luxury crossover SUV from BMW.

This mid-size luxury crossover SUV based on the BMW 5 and 6 series was first produced in 2007. Now in its second generation, around 7,000 are sold in the United States each year. The vehicle's third generation is scheduled to hit showroom floors in 2020.

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The BMW in this image is from a series introduced in 2002. Do you have any idea what it is?

Introduced in 2004, the 1 Series offered BMW fans a smaller car than both the 3 and 5 Series. A subcompact executive car, the line includes a hatchback option, not a model type often found in the BMW range. The third generation of the vehicle premiered in 2019.

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In this image, we have the first car exclusively designed by BMW. What is it?

The first car designed exclusively by BMW, the 3/20 was produced from 1932 to 1934. It was available in three body options: a four-seat saloon, four-seat cabriolet and a two-seat convertible coupe. The 3/20 was powered by at 788 cc motor capable of 20 horsepower.

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Name this BMW coupe, please.

BMW produced a little over 600 examples of this sports touring car from 1962 to 1965. The 3200 Coupe was essentially seen as a two-door grand tourer and was powered by the first-ever V8 car engine produced by the company, capable of producing 160 horsepower.

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Going green? This is the BMW for you — but what is it?

The i3 is an all-electric vehicle offering from BMW. While buyers of this vehicle want to have as little impact on the environment as possible, they also want an engaging ride and the i3 fits the bill. The performance and handling are both to BMW's expectations while the interior is top class. The car, which offers in the neighborhood of 175 horsepower, first hit the streets in 2013 and is still being produced.

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The car in the image was the first that was mid-engine BMW. Only 453 were made. Can you tell us what it is?

Designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro, the M1 sports car was released in 1978 and built for a three-year period, in which 453 were made — enough where the model qualified to be a production racing car. This was BMW's first mid-engined car and was powered by a 3.5-liter double overhead cam straight-six engine. It had a top speed of 162 mph.

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The BMW in this image is a _______.

An economy model in the 02 series designed during a time the oil crisis, the BMW 1502 first entered production in 1975. Powered by a 1,573 cc engine, the 1502 was made until 1977, even though production on the rest of the 02 range was stopped in 1975.

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First introduced in 2014, in this image we see a subcompact car from BMW. Tell us what model it is, please.

A subcompact executive car from BMW, the 2 Series has a range of body styles including a coupe, active tourer and grand tourer. It was first introduced in 2014. This isn't to be confused with the BMW 02 Series, which ran from 1966 to 1977.

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Can you name this vehicle, the smallest SUV offered by BMW?

The smallest of BMW's SUV models, the X1 entered the market in 2009. It is currently in its second generation and is powered by either turbo gasoline or diesel engines. Around 160,000 have been sold in the United States since 2012.

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Any idea as to the BMW model shown here? It was in production for a period of nine years.

Sold for a period of nine years from 1966 to 1975, the BMW 1602 was a two-door cabriolet that included a high-performance version, the TI. This model was not sold in the United States because of its more-stringent emission standards at the time.

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BMW manufactured almost 16,000 examples of this sedan. Name the model, please.

Released as a four-door sedan and a two-door or four-door cabriolet, the BMW 326 was produced between 1936 and 1941. Powered by a 1,971 cc straight-six engine, close to 16,000 were built during a five-year period.

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Aimed at the U.S. market, this BMW performed poorly sales-wise. Do you know the model?

This two-door, 2+2 seater came in the form of a coupe or cabriolet. Its first post-war sports coupe, BMW produced it between 1956 and 1959, with 413 built during that period. It was aimed in particular at the U.S. market, but sales performed poorly and the model was a costly one for BMW.

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This is one of BMW's top-selling brands. What is it?

Introduced by BMW in 1975 and still going strong today, the 3 Series is one of the German carmaker's top-selling brands. In fact, worldwide, more than 2.1 million of these vehicles have been sold in the last 60 months. The vehicle is currently in its seventh generation.

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Identify the BMW this race car is based on, please.

A small family car, the 303 was manufactured by BMW from 1933 to 1934. This was the first of the maker's models to feature the grille that is so famous today as well as being the first BMW vehicle to have a six-cylinder engine. The vehicle in the photo, by the way, is a race car built from the chassis and mechanics of the 303.

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One of the most expensive vehicles in the BMW range, can you tell us the model?

BMW's Gran Coupe was first introduced in 2011, with production running through 2018. It came standard with a 3.0-liter inline-six turbo engine, able to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.

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Name this BMW that is powered by a 5.7-liter engine and is capable of 193 mph.

First shown as a concept car in 1991, BMW constructed three models of the Nazca C2 were built before pulling the plug on the project. Powered by a 5.7-liter V12 engine, the Nazca C2 was capable of 193 mph and produced 350 horsepower.

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Identify this BMW SUV model, please.

The X3 is a compact crossover SUV and part of the company's X-line of vehicles. It is based on the 3 Series platform and was first produced in 2003. The third-generation X3, introduced in 2018, offers two gasoline- and two diesel engined models.

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This open-top sports car is known as the BMW _______.

Produced from 1936 to 1940, this Roadster from BMW is simply beautiful. The 328 — a two-seater, open-top sports car — was powered by a 2.0-liter straight-six engine coupled to a manual four-speed transmission. Only 464 were built.

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The BMW in the image was powered by a 2.5-liter V8 engine. Do you perhaps know the model?

The beautiful BMW 501, a mid-sized luxury car designed by Peter Schimanowski, was marketed by BMW from 1952 to 1962. This was the first BMW model to be made by the carmaker after World War II. It was available in three body styles: four-door sedan, two-door cabriolet, and two-door coupe. Top-of-the-range models were powered by a 2.5-liter V8 engine.

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This unit was made from 1965 to 1969 and is part of BMW "New Class." What is it?

Marketed from 1965 to 1969, the BMW 2000 was a coupe that was part of the BMW series called the New Class. It was powered by a 2.0-liter engine, which produced around 100 horsepower.

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Name this vehicle, the flagship of the BMW fleet.

BMW introduced the 7 Series in 1977. It is currently in its sixth generation and is the flagship of this German automaker’s fleet. The full-size luxury car comes with a range of engine options including a hybrid model.

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The first BMW with an automatic hardtop roof is shown in this image. What is it?

The Z4 was introduced by BMW in 2009 and remained in production until 2016. This was the first BMW convertible to have an automatic hardtop roof. The top-of-the-range model was powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine capable of producing 335 brake horsepower. The Zagato Roadster version of the Z4 was introduced in 2012 and went from first design to a finished, manufactured model in just six weeks.

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A concept car from 1995, name this BMW, please.

An odd design of an off-road roadster, the Z18 was a concept car from BMW in 1995. It was powered by a V8 engine which produced 355 horsepower. Incredibly, the body of this vehicle was built out of plastic and had a modular configuration that would have allowed it to be converted into a four-seater convertible or even a pickup truck.

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This compact crossover was introduced by BMW in 2014. Can you name it?

Launched in 2014, the BMW X4 is a five-door compact crossover SUV. It features a range of engines from 2.0 to 3.0 liters, including diesel- and gas-driven options. More than 232,000 of the vehicle were produced between 2014 and 2018.

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Name the first car ever made by BMW shown in this image.

When BMW — then a motorcycle manufacturer — wanted to move into making cars, the company bought another auto manufacturer, Automobilwerk Eisenach, that was making the Dixi, which was a variant of the Austin 7. The cars made in 1928 were known as the BMW Dixi; in 1929, the "Dixi" was dropped it became the BMW 3/15.

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This BMW model was fairly popular. In fact, more than 180,000 were produced. What is it?

Around 180,000 models of the BMW 700 were built during its production run from 1959 to 1965. The 700 came in various body styles including saloon, coupe and convertible. The 700 was powered by a 700 cc flat-twin motor that could produce about 30 horsepower.

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The BMW vehicle shown in this image a ________.

Although it had a strange shape (often called the "Clown Shoe"), the M Coupe was another winner from BMW in the 1990s and 2000s. Released in 1998, the first generation was powered by a 3.2-liter straight-six engine capable of 316 brake horsepower.

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One of the most popular BMW models ever, more than 1.3 million of these vehicles were produced in the 1970s and '80s. What is it?

The first generation of BMW's famed 3 Series was released in 1975 and remained in production until 1983. More than 1.3 million were built, and the line included a convertible model designed with the help of coachbuilders Karosserie Baur.

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Identify this BMW coup, please.

A coup in the Grand Tourer class, the E9 was produced by BMW from 1968 to 1975. It helped to put BMW on the racing map as it was very successful in touring car events around Europe. Around 30,000 were built in total.

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Name this all-conquering BMW race car.

Part of the 3 Series and one of the most adaptable racing cars ever seen, the BMW E30 M3 won seven touring car championships, two rally championships and was even successful as a hill climber. The car had a long run, being produced between 1986 and 2018.

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First launched in 1989, can you name this grand tourer from BMW?

First introduced in 1989, the first-generation 8 Series was a Grand Tourer, powered by either a V8 or V12 engine and ended its run in 1999. BMW relaunched the series in 2018 with turbocharged inline-six or V8 gas engines or an inline-six turbocharged diesel.

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