Press Release: BMW Manufacturing announced today that production of the new BMW X3 Sports Activity Vehicle got underway at the South Carolina plant.

In early 2008, BMW Group announced that it would invest $750 million in the South Carolina plant, its largest investment in South Carolina to date. This commitment paved the way for construction of a new Assembly Hall built exclusively to produce the BMW X3 along with a significant expansion to the existing Paint Shop. This 1.5 million square foot addition increases the plant’s total footprint to over 4.0 million square feet.

“The launch of the new X3 will mark a historic moment for this plant. I am confident that the BMW X3 is once again going to make our plant a leader in the Sports Activity segment,” stated Josef Kerscher, President, BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg.

Within the last 7 years, the first-generation BMW X3 has been an extraordinary success story for the BMW Group. The BMW X3 began production in 2004. After production of over 600,000 units, the last vehicle of the first model generation, a Vermilion red metallic BMW X3 xDrive35d, came off the line in Austria yesterday.

With the model change, production of the X3 was relocated to the South Carolina plant based on existing manufacturing proficiency of the BMW X5 and X6 models. The US plant has become the expertise center for the BMW X Models. The addition of the third model to the plant’s vehicle mix has created several hundred new jobs and increased BMW’s total investment in South Carolina to $4.6 billion since 1992.

Press Release: The BMW Group favoured a smooth transition when carrying out the generation change of the bestseller BMW X3. The end of production of the first generation of the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) was celebrated at the plant of the Austrian production partner Magna Steyr in Graz yesterday. Production of the new BMW X3, which will be launched on the German market on 20 November 2010, will begin today at the BMW Spartanburg plant in the US state of South Carolina.

The new BMW X3 is a resolute continuation of the formula for success of the first SAV in its class. With further enhanced agility, noticeably optimised driving comfort, more space than any of its competitors and innovative equipment options, it offers the ideal prerequisites to inherit the position of its predecessor as the benchmark in the segment and to strengthen it further.

Within the last 7 years, the first-generation BMW X3 has written an extraordinary success story. In Graz alone, 605,498 units of the agile all-rounder came off the assembly line during this period. Together with the vehicles produced within the framework of the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) assembly in Russia, Egypt and Thailand, the total figure adds up to 614,824 units. The last vehicle of the first model generation, a Vermilion red metallic BMW X3 xDrive35d, will remain with the Magna Steyr company, where it will be used in future as an executive car. A BMW X3 xDrive20d with full emergency vehicle specifications that had left the assembly line shortly before, will be donated by the BMW Group to a non-profit making organisation. For many years now, the BMW X3 has proved itself to be an ideal emergency vehicle for police and doctors. At the end of its model life, yet another vehicle will now take on this important task in the service of the general public.

As the first and, for some time, the only premium vehicle of its kind, the BMW X3 launched in 2004 and boasting intelligent four-wheel drive BMW xDrive, outstanding handling characteristics and a variable interior, gave reason for spontaneous enthusiasm and a lasting positive response on the international automotive markets. As a result, the concept of establishing benchmarks in the field of driving dynamics within the competitive environment of all-terrain vehicles, which had previously already been successfully pursued in the case of the BMW X5 in a higher segment, was endorsed yet again.

Driving pleasure, premium quality and, in addition, outstanding efficiency helped the BMW X3 become extremely popular and achieve excellent results in independent surveys. Experts have honoured the BMW X3 with several awards for outstanding safety, customer satisfaction, reliability and stable value. These included top rankings in the “Customer Satisfaction Index” (CSI) issued by the J.D. Power market research institute, as well as in the breakdown statistics kept by the Allgemeine Deutsche Automobilclub (ADAC). Twice in succession, the BMW X3 was voted both “Four-Wheel Drive Car of the Year” and “Off Road Vehicle of the Year” respectively by readers of the magazines “Auto Bild Allrad“ and “Off Road”.

The segment established by the first-generation BMW X3 is now also served by other premium vehicle manufacturers. The new BMW X3 faces up to intensified competition with consistently optimised qualities in all relevant disciplines. The engines on offer for this Sports Activity Vehicle boast the best performance and, thanks to BMW EfficientDynamics, the most favourable fuel consumption and emission levels as well. The vehicle’s entirely newly developed suspension technology facilitates a clear advantage both in terms of agility and driving comfort. With a loading capacity that can be increased from 550 to 1,600 litres and 40 : 20 : 40 split-folding rear seat backrests, the new BMW X3 offers the largest amount of space and at the same time the highest level of variability in its segment. Moreover, there is a choice of innovative equipment features, driver assistance systems and mobility services by BMW ConnectedDrive that is unique within the competitive environment. For example, the new BMW X3 is the only model in its class to offer the options of a Head-Up Display and Internet access inside the vehicle.

With the model change, the production of the BMW X3 is being relocated to the BMW Spartanburg plant, a facility that has become the expertise centre for BMW X models. So far, the US American location of the BMW Group’s global production network has produced BMW X5 and BMW X6 models. Thanks to substantial extension work and with an investment of around $750 million, the prerequisites for the production of the new BMW X3 and the associated increase in the annual production capacity to around 200,000 vehicles have been created at Spartanburg.

The collaboration between the BMW Group and Magna Steyr also lives on within the framework of the new production structures. In the meantime, production of the MINI Countryman has started in Graz. The fourth model of the brand is not only the first MINI to feature four doors and a large tailgate, but can for the first time also be fitted with four-wheel drive technology. In this way, the Austrian production partner’s expertise in the field of all-terrain vehicles, which has already been demonstrated in the case of the BMW X3, continues to be comprehensively utilised.

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported August sales of 23,965 vehicles, a decrease of 1.6 percent from the 24,343 vehicles sold last year. Year-to-date, the BMW Group also reported a sales volume of 168,940 vehicles, up 5.6 percent from the 160,044 units sold last year.

“As predicted, we are seeing a slowdown in the market and do not expect the second half of the year to be as strong as the first half,” said Jim O’Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. “Despite this, building momentum throughout the year and narrowing the gap with our competitors is still our plan. The new 5 Series is now part of our model lineup complementing the segment leading 7 Series, Z4 Roadster and 3 Series. We are also seeing continual growth in the SAV segment with the X5 and X6, as intended.”

BMW Brand Sales

Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 1.6 percent for a total of 19,540 vehicles from the 19,232 units sold last year. Year-to-date, BMW sales were up 7.8 percent to 139,236 vehicles from the 129,176 units sold last year.

In August, the best performing vehicles included the 1 Series, up 52.5 percent to 1,394 units and the 7 Series, up 42 percent to 1,224 units. The X5 and X6 continue to perform very well with an increase of 21.4 percent and 34.4 percent, respectively.

BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles

Sales of BMW’s used vehicles (including certified pre-owned and pre-owned) increased 3.2 percent to 14,266 vehicles from the 13,830 units sold last year. Year-to-date, used vehicle sales were up 5.5 percent to 113,061 vehicles from the 107,137 units sold last year.

MINI Brand Sales

MINI USA reported sales of 4,425 automobiles, a decrease of 13.4 percent from the 5,111 cars sold last year. Year-to-date, MINI USA also reported sales of 29,704 automobiles, a decrease of 3.8 percent from the 30,868 units sold last year. The drop in sales was again affected by the Cash for Clunkers program that took place in July and August of 2009 and boosted sales volume.

MINI sales will gain momentum as the year progresses due the updated 2011 model year vehicles arriving at dealerships in two weeks. Additionally, the brand is seeing significant customer interest in the Countryman as MINI dealers have just begun taking orders for the new model coming out in January 2011.

The official photos of the BMW M3 Tiger Edition has been unveiled. But in this movie-like video released for the BMW M3 Tiger Edition China launch, you will definitely hear the tiger roar.

This anniversary M3 model is painted in Orange Fire color and is exclusively available for the Chinese market, in commemoration of the current Year of the Tiger. The package includes BMW M3 Tiger sports 359M styling wheels in 19 inches, black painted as the air intakes on the bonnet, black kidney grills and dark chrome exhaust tips. The interior is fitted with black Novillo leather upholstery. The unique tiger edition logo is embroidered on the headrests. The M3 Tiger doesn’t have a carbon fiber roof seen on other M3 Coupes.

The last BMW X3 E83 model rolled off the production line last Tuesday. In the last seven years, more than 600,000 units were produced. 12,000 People employed by BMW at the Graz plant were involved in the production of this first BMW compact Sports Activity Vehicle.

The BMW X3 number 605.498 was completed — a Vermilion Red BMW X3 xDrive35d. It is the last of the first generation models. It will be used in the Graz plant as an executive car.

The unit produced before this last one was a BMW X3 xDrive20d with full emergency vehicle specifications. It was donated by the BMW Group to a non-profit organization.

The second generation BMW X3′s production will begin this fall at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. But this does not mean that the Graz plant will not be actively used. In fact, the Graz plant will have an assembly line for the new MINI Countryman. More than 60,000 units are expected to be produced in the Austrian plant annually.