3 Car Brands Owned By BMW

The three car brands owned by BMW are MINI, BMW, and Rolls-Royce. These three brands cover a very wide range. MINI makes smaller, entry-level, but upscale vehicles. BMW has a large number of vehicles, which start at relatively affordable prices but end up in the stratosphere. Rolls-Royce makes the ultimate in high-end vehicles for the fraction of the 1% who can afford them. When viewed this way, the BMW Group of car brands hits nearly every price point. This progression starts with the entry-level Mini Cooper at $29,500 MSRP (plus $1,175 destination and handling fee) and proceeds through the BMW lineup that goes from $39,600 MSRP for the 2 Series Gran Coupe to $160,500 MSRP for the XM SUV. It tops out with the most expensive Rolls-Royce, the Phantom EWB (Extended Wheelbase) at $595,000 MSRP. The BMW and Rolls-Royce prices are estimates and do not include destination and handling fees, so for the final price, please contact your selected dealer.

Both MINI and Rolls-Royce had extensive histories before they became part of the BMW Group. While MINI had been part of the Rover Group until its purchase by BMW in 1994, Rolls-Royce cars and aero engines had been a division of the Vickers Group, which sold the Rolls-Royce automotive brand to BMW in 1998 with an effective date of January 1, 2003. For more on the parent company BMW, here's what BMW stands for (and the history behind the name).

The first BMW-produced MINI One and MINI Cooper models came off the production line in Oxford, England, in April of 2001 and were launched in July of that year, followed by the high-performance MINI Cooper S in October 2001. Some other milestones for the BMW version of the MINI include the 500,000th MINI produced in 2004, the 10,000,000th built in 2019, and the first fully electric MINI coming off the line in 2020. 

Today's MINI lineup includes the MINI Cooper, which comes in two-door coupe, four-door sedan, and two-door convertible variants; and the Countryman ALL4 SUV, which is available as both an internal combustion engine (ICE) version and as an electric vehicle (EV). In addition, a super-high-performance John Cooper Works (JCW) trim is available on the Cooper coupe and convertible as well as the ICE Countryman ALL4. Our review revealed that the 2025 MINI Cooper S is a small car that is big fun (with a big price). Pricing for the MINI range starts at $29,500 MSRP for the Mini Cooper 2-door and progresses up to $46,900 MSRP for the JCW Countryman ALL4. Add $1,175 to the MSRP for destination and handling fees.

The history of BMW dates back to 1916, when German aircraft manufacturers Gustav Otto and Karl Rapp merged their companies. The original BMW logo first appeared in 1917 and was very similar in style to the one used today. The BMW lineup is both broad and deep, covering the luxury market with a wide selection of sedans, coupes, convertibles, and SUVs at a wide range of price points from just under $40,000 MSRP up to more than $160,000 MSRP. Within this price range reside most types of luxury vehicles that today's buyers might desire. The BMW brand offers high-performance ICE engines with four, six, or eight cylinders in its 2-Series, 3-Series, 4-Series, 5-Series, 7-Series, and 8-Series vehicles, some of which have plug-in hybrid powertrains.

BMW also offers several different EV models, which include the iX, i4, i5, and i7. BMW buyers can choose from models that have front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive. BMW even offers a high-performance station wagon, the M5 Touring, with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that produces 717 horsepower, sent to all four wheels. Our review of the 2025 BMW M5 found that with specs like these, weight just isn't an issue.

The Rolls-Royce story starts with the Honorable Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce combining their efforts in 1904 with the objective of creating "The Best Car in the World." Their legendary six-cylinder Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was produced from 1906 through 1926. The Rolls-Royce automotive brand was sold to Vickers in 1980, after which BMW acquired Rolls-Royce in 1998. 

Today's Rolls-Royce lineup consists of several models. The "entry-level" Ghost sedan starts at $357,750 MSRP, and our first drive discovered the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II polishing is near-perfection. The next step up is the Cullinan SUV at $407,750 MSRP. Then comes the Phantom at $517,750 MSRP, with the EWB version at $595,000 MSRP. All of these are ICE-powered vehicles, equipped with a twin-turbo, 6.7-liter V12 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and driving all four wheels. The 0-60 mph performance times for these three vehicles range from 4.3 to 4.6 seconds. The Spectre is the Rolls-Royce of EVs and priced accordingly at $397,750 MSRP. The dual-motor, all-wheel drive Spectre does 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Please note that MSRP prices do not include destination and handling fees. These Rolls-Royce prices are really only the starting point for those who wish their Rolls to be a reflection of their individual tastes.