500,000th BMW X5 Comes off the Production Line at BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg/USA.

Spartanburg/Munich. Today the 500,000th BMW X5 is coming off the
production line at BMW Manufacturing Co. in South Carolina/USA - some 5
1/2 years after the start of production in September 1999. This very
special vehicle, a 3.0-litre X5 diesel in Midnight Blue and with BMW
Individual equipment, is going to BMW's Retail Outlet in Hamburg,
Germany. BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg is the exclusive
manufacturing plant building the X5 for the world market and exports
this unique Sports Activity Vehicle to more than 120 countries the
world over. The X5's main sales market, however, remains the USA. The
BMW X5 was the first vehicle to establish the new market segment of SAVs
and, to this day, sets the benchmark in this segment in terms of both
driving dynamics and safety. The unique story of success of this
equally unique Sports Activity Vehicle began right from the start upon
its introduction into the market, the 100,000th X5 coming off the
production line within just two years after the start of production on
23 August 2001. BMW's strategy of success - production follows the
market. Production of the BMW X5 in the USA demonstrates the success of
BMW's strategy of "production following the market". Building
the X5 in its main sales market, BMW is not only setting off the
currency risk, but also boosting national sales: Ever since taking the
decision in 1992 to build a new plant in South Carolina, BMW has
boosted sales in the USA from the original figure at the time of 53,000
units to 260,079 units in 2004. "Without our commitment in South
Carolina these results would not have been possible, simply because our
plant in Spartanburg makes us a local player in the USA", states
Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Board Member Production of BMW AG. Establishing
and enlarging production capacities in the USA, the BMW Group has
helped to secure and create new jobs also in Germany, with a large share
of the BMWs sold in the USA coming from BMW's German plants in Munich,
Dingolfing, and Regensburg.