BMW Is Leaving X: Why The Car Brand Is No Longer Posting On Twitter

BMW United Kingdom ignited a social media firestorm last week, when it announced that it would no longer be posting on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"We're no longer posting on X. Don't worry though, our Customer Support team is still here if you need us. You can also see all the latest BMW news by following us on Facebook and Instagram at BMWUK," the company wrote in what is apparently its last post on X.

Shortly after the announcement, speculation began that the German automaker was leaving X because of the controversies surrounding billionaire Elon Musk's behavior. Musk, who owns X, recently came under fire for a gesture he made during a post-inauguration rally for U.S. President Donald Trump. While thanking the crowd, Musk placed his hand on his chest and then extended it outward, with his palm facing downward. Then he turned around and repeated the same gesture, which has been described as a Nazi-style salute.

Amid the speculation, there appears to be a lot of confusion about BMW UK's exact plans for the future. Here's what you need to know.

Shortly after making the announcement, BMW UK was slammed as "woke" by X users. Some pointed to the automaker's historical connections to the Nazi regime and Adolf Hitler, apparently suggesting that it was hypocritical of BMW to leave X over Musk's Nazi-like salute.

"Never ask a man his salary, a woman her weight, or a German company what their primary source of labor was from 1939-1945," wrote one X user.

"BMW = "Becoming More Woke" Don't buy their cars," another one added.

There is no indication that BMW UK has made its decision because of Musk, however, so it is unclear why so many X users jumped to that conclusion. They may have assumed Musk was the reason because several companies have distanced themselves from the social media platform citing concerns over hate speech and disinformation. This includes major brands like Balenciaga, Apple, and Disney, plus reputable media outlets, including NPR and The Guardian.

To anyone who read BMW UK's X post carefully, it was clear that the company wasn't completely leaving X, but rather staying on the popular social media app in limited capacity — as a dedicated support channel. This was clarified by BMW in a statement supplied to Carscoops.

"The social media presence of BMW Group brands is managed by each country/region to address their unique requirements. In the UK, we have chosen to position X as a dedicated customer support channel to better meet the needs of our customers. This approach will differ across our brands and regions, reflecting the specific needs of each market," BMW said.

A quick look at X confirms that this is indeed the case. The official BMW (@BMW) account is still active, just like the BMW Group (@BMWGroup) account — both have made multiple posts since BMW UK's announcement. BMW USA (@BMWUSA) and BMW South Africa (@BMW_SA) are still posting on X as well.