PressClub United Kingdom · Article.
500,000th BMW X5 Comes off the Production Line at BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg/USA.
Fri Jun 10 13:00:00 CEST 2005 Press Release
BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg is the Exclusive Plant Building the X5 for the World Market.
Press Contact.
Angela Stangroom
BMW Group
Tel: +44-1252-92-1268
send an e-mail
Author.
Angela Stangroom
BMW Group
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.