By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Heads turn as you cruise by, top down, in the curvaceous 2019 BMW M850i convertible with its muscular haunches and sleek lines sitting on beautiful 20-inch wheels. It's hard to conceive that it gets any better than this in style, comfort and performance. We think it’s reaching automotive nirvana. The 850i is the epitome of modern BMW DNA styling starting with the slightly larger, familiar kidney-shaped grille and imposing air intakes up front and continuing to the sculpted LED taillight clusters in the rear.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Being behind the wheel of the 2019 BMW M5 Competition had us in awe of its massive performance. It was a never-ending source of brute force with driving and handling proficiency in spades. The M5 is the ultimate companion for someone who is addicted to power, but needs comfortable room for four adults, a suitable commuter car, and a long-haul vacation vehicle.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

It seems every automaker wants a full range of SUVs to satisfy our SUV/crossover crazed world. So it behooved BMW to build a full-sized sport utility — bigger than its mid-sized X5 — to compete with such luxury models as the Audi Q7, Lincoln Navigator and the Mercedes-Benz GLS Class. Enter the new South Carolina-built X7, which is BMW's largest SUV ever with a useable three rows of seating.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

While the popular BMW 3 Series has grown bigger and more expensive over the years, the German company known for its "ultimate driving machine" has filled the space once occupied decades ago by a smaller 3 Series with the compact 2 Series giving buyers the opportunity to purchase a smaller point-and-shoot fun-to-drive car.

Sold as a coupe or convertible, the 2 Series has been on the market since 2014 and now comes in two standard formats — the 230i with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and the M240i with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder making 335 horsepower and 396 pound-feet of torque.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The 2018 BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo is a new 5-door hatchback, effectively the next generation 5 Series Gran Turismo. BMW in its zeal to add niche products to the lineup designed the Gran Turismo as a swoopy car-like crossover, but in fact it doesn't have the versatility of a crossover. It's more a sedan with a hatch. And, by the way, it's much better looking than the outgoing 5 Series.