We first looked at BMW’s subscription service, Access By BMW, back in April, but BMW has been developing the program further over the last few months, including some recent deals on all three tiers of subscriptions. For those who don’t live in the Nashville, Tennessee, area (the only testbed so far for BMW’s Access program) and who need a refresher, the program is an all-inclusive package designed to offer the reliability and dependability of a lease, with the flexibility of car ownership or rental, allowing you to pay one monthly rate and have access to a variety of vehicles that can be exchanged at will—and BMW will take care of insurance, maintenance, BMW Roadside Assistance, and allow you to swap vehicles as many times as you want!
Previously, the program included two categories of vehicles: the BMW M tier, with top models like the M4, M5, X6 M, and others, and the Legends tier, with mid-range staples like the 4 Series, X5, and, interestingly, the M2. Now BMW has added an entry-level category, dubbed “Icons” and including cars like the 330i, 330e plug-in hybrid, X2, and the M240i convertible.
But some of the best news? Pricing across the board has been reduced significantly. The BMW M tier drops $1,000 from $3,700 to $2,699, while the Legends tier will now cost $1,399 monthly (down from $2,000 previously). The new Icons category will be $1,099 per month.
Oh, and it gets even more interesting for subscribers of the two higher pricing brackets. Legends and BMW M subscribers can also swap out vehicles from the other tiers, meaning you can exchange an X6 M for an M2 if you’re feeling like carving some canyons, or swap a 4 Series for an i3 if you want to try out the electric lifestyle.
From an enthusiast perspective, additions of potent sports cars in each pricing segment makes the program particularly enticing. Who wouldn’t want to swap out their X5 for an M2 for a week-long road trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway, or exchange an M240i convertible for a 330e to save fuel money during your commute?
For now, BMW hasn’t announced plans to expand beyond Nashville, but be sure to keep an eye on AccessbyBMW.com for the quickest updates on the expansion of the program.—David Rose
