BMW 3-Series – 14 Million Sold
The BMW 3-series makes an easy entrance on our list, thanks to its total production of over 14 million cars across its six generations and many versions. Simply put, the 3-Series is perhaps the best entry-level luxury import ever produced. It’s the gold standard that other manufacturers attempt to beat, American and foreign alike. It’s a standard most have failed to grasp.
That’s okay, because we’ve loved the 3-Series ever since it came out in 1975. An aptly named successor to the old 2-Series, the 3-Series is a tale of taking a formula, perfecting it, and expanding it. Originally available as a 2-door sedan, the 3-Series evolved into a 4-door sedan, a coupe, a convertible, a station wagon, and a hatchback.
Source: bmw.com
Its many versions have won countless automotive awards and it boasts title as BMW’s best-selling automobile (excluding motorbikes). The 3-Series comprises 30% of total sales for the German car maker each year, while the M3 is comparatively the best-selling M series car BMW has ever made. Car and Driver even ranked the 3-Series among its annual Ten Best list 22 times in a row, and it’s been labeled the second-most important performance car ever made in the previous 25 years by Grassroots Motorsports. The 3-Series continues to be a top-ranked luxury import, with nearly a half-million units made just last year.
