[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

Record Production Year for BMW Manufacturing at Spartanburg

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South Carolina Plant Produces 411,620 Units in 2019.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ… January 15, 2020 – During its 25th year of production, BMW Manufacturing set a new production record with a total of 411,620 X models produced in 2019, topping the previous record by 449 units (411,171 in 2016). This confirms the South Carolina plant will remain the largest plant by volume in the BMW Group’s global production network. 2019 marked the third time BMW Plant Spartanburg has topped the 400,000 mark (2015: 400,904 and 2016: 411,171). A breakdown of 2019 production by model is below:

BMW X3: 115,088
BMW X4: 65,557
BMW X5: 161,096
BMW X6: 17,260
BMW X7: 52,619

Since 2017, the Spartanburg plant has launched five BMW X models, four Motorsport X models and two electrified vehicles:

August 2017 – third-generation BMW X3
April 2018 – second-generation BMW X4
August 2018 – fourth-generation BMW X5
December 2018 – first-ever BMW X7
April 2019 – first-ever BMW X3 M and X4 M
August 2019 – third-generation BMW X6 and second-generation BMW X5 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (xDrive45e)
December 2019 – third-generation BMW X5 M and X6 M, first-ever BMW X3 plug-in hybrid electric (xDrive30e)

“The past three years have been among the most challenging in the history of Plant Spartanburg,” said Knudt Flor, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “I’m proud of the commitment by our team of dedicated associates to deliver premium quality vehicles for our customers. Our plant’s model portfolio is fresh and popular around the world.”

BMW Manufacturing has contributed significantly to the company’s U.S. sales success. Last year, 159,277 X models produced at Plant Spartanburg were sold in the United States, 49 percent of all BMW brand U.S. sales. The top two BMWs sold in America were the BMW X3 and BMW X5.

Since 1994, BMW has produced over 4.8 million BMWs in the U.S. and invested more than $10.6 billion USD in Plant Spartanburg. The Spartanburg plant currently produces more than 1,500 vehicles each day, exporting about 70 percent of these models to more than 125 global markets. The factory has a production capacity of 450,000 vehicles and employs more than 11,000 people.

[Miko M]

X5 really went nuts.lol

Glad to be part off it.... and soon it will be replaced with X6M

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by Miko M

X5 really went nuts.lol

Glad to be part off it.... and soon it will be replaced with X6M

The X5 competes with model x so it seems gas powered still holds its own. I do believe it is bigger though. Looks like they only sold 20k model x in 2019. http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales...tesla-model-x/. Down from 2018 high and not much more than 2016 the first full year of sales.

[M3GymNut]

Impressive

[2011zx10R]

Originally Posted by Miko M

X5 really went nuts.lol

Glad to be part off it.... and soon it will be replaced with X6M

Originally Posted by Miko M

X5 really went nuts.lol

Glad to be part off it.... and soon it will be replaced with X6M

I passed by a black one yesterday at dusk.

Looked good front and rear; much better than the internet pictures.

[A6bullet]

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

[Zirenz2006]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

our pleasure

[RyanBMW]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

Killing what car? The X5 sells like hot cakes, the only reason the volume is lower compare to other models is because it's targeting a higher end clientele.

[Dovine76]

Definitely see a lot of those on the road around here. Especially in the Low Country area of SC (Charleston, Beaufort, Hilton Head, etc.)

[pz619]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

Wait till you see the next phase of our plan.

[RyanBMW]

Originally Posted by M3GymNut

Impressive

Tour the plant last October during the BMW
CCA Octoberfest and it was a cool experience

[Mrgunfun]

Spartanburg plant has launched five BMW X models, four Motorsport X models

That sounds really funny

[JustChris]

This is Sparta(nburg)!!!

[Ristau]

Originally Posted by RyanBMW

Killing what car? The X5 sells like hot cakes, the only reason the volume is lower compare to other models is because it's targeting a higher end clientele.

I think he physically means "car" vs "SUV" (sorry BMW, not calling it an SAV lol). SUVs are selling well, especially in North America, which is killing cars (mainly sedans) as daily drivers.

[Luminor513]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

Change happens. We also killed the public pay phone and many other things that used to be common. Europe loves wagons. We love SUV's. Embrace the change.

[chassis]

Congratulations team Spartanburg!

[heavyD^2]

Originally Posted by Miko M

X5 really went nuts.lol

Glad to be part off it.... and soon it will be replaced with X6M

Which is impressive considering as the X7 (solid first year) didn't really cannibalize any sales from the lower models.

[heavyD^2]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

It's North America in general as Canadians are turning to SUV's as well. I've been a car guy my entire life as my 2020 X3M is the first SUV or truck I've owned in almost 30 years of driving but I can understand why the general population likes these things at least in my part of the world where there's a lot of snow and the roads are crap. That said even a tricked out SUV like X3M does not replace a well sorted car when it comes to driving pleasure so I will still be buying cars in the future.

[GOLFFRR]

pumping them out

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by heavyD^2

Which is impressive considering as the X7 (solid first year) didn't really cannibalize any sales from the lower models.

I think this is because your typical x5 buyer never intended to be an x7 buyer and someone that wanted a big SUV would never settle for an x5. Before the x7 showed up, the BMW people who wanted a big SUV probably went over to Benz and Land Rover. I think the x7 is taking sales from the MB GLS, Range Rover and the big American SUVs like the Navigator and the Escalade.

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

I get your point, but we have to accept that the SUV is the modern car for many people. What I am thankful for is that BMW, Benz, Porsche, Audi and other performance oriented brands have not taken a Ford approach to this and just stop making cars. Fortunately, these brands are still making traditional cars, albeit at lower numbers, for those of us that still want a traditional car. I am a car guy at heart and, even though I have an X6M, I am looking for a stablemate that will be a traditional performance sedan or coupe.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

Thanks, America, for killing the car.

All the people that bought X models were free to pick any vehicle they wanted.

The consumer is choosing SUV and manufacturers have to respond or go out of business.

What kind of business focuses on products consumers don't want?

A very very small niche manufacturer.