World's Most Admired Companies

22 of 50

BMW

A preview of BMW's Concept Active E, an electric project car, at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

MOST ADMIRED

Top 50 rank: 22
Rank in Motor vehicles: 1
(Previous rank: 1)
Overall score: 6.94

Why it's admired

As its American counterparts were mired in survival strategies, the German automaker (which also makes British nameplates Rolls Royce and Mini Cooper) retained the crown as the world's best-selling premium carmaker and profited from aggressive cost cutting and a healthy financial services business.

It also moved briskly to meet stricter fuel-economy and exhaust-emission standards with cars like its smaller 1 Series -- and announced a sponsorship deal that would provide Minis for the 2012 Olympics in London. No wonder it climbed sharply this year, up six slots from No. 28. --C.T.

Should BMW be admired, or what?

BMW stats

Nine key attributes of reputation	Industry rank
Innovation	N.A.
People management	N.A.
Use of corporate assets	N.A.
Social responsibility	N.A.
Quality of management	N.A.
Financial soundness	N.A.
Long-term investment	N.A.
Quality of products/services	N.A.
Global competitiveness	N.A.