Five Millionth BMW Built in the U.S.

BMW Manufacturing Achieved Historic Milestone on June 4.

Spartanburg, S.C.  BMW Manufacturing achieved another milestone on June 4 with production of the five millionth BMW built in the United States. The historic vehicle is a Toronto Red Metallic BMW X5 M Competition equipped with a 617-horsepower M TwinPower Turbo V-8 engine, Silverstone Full Merino Leather interior and 21/22-inch M Star-spoke bi-color wheels. Due to its historic significance, this X5 M Competition will remain at the factory and become part of the BMW historic collection. 

“You cannot be successful in business if you do not have great products and great people. This BMW X5 M Competition is a symbol of the success of our products and the commitment and dedication of our associates and supplier network,” said Knudt Flor, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “Every BMW X5 in the world comes from Plant Spartanburg. We are proud to call South Carolina home!”

“More than half of the BMW vehicles we sell in the U.S. are built right here in the U.S., so we cannot overstate the importance of Plant Spartanburg to our sales network,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO, BMW of North America.  “BMW Group has long considered the United States to be our second home and we are proud to say that the U.S. is in fact home to the biggest BMW plant in the world.  We congratulate our colleagues on this historic achievement.” 

“BMW changed the very fabric of our state’s economy when it decided to locate in South Carolina nearly three decades ago,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “That this great company built its five millionth American-made vehicle in Spartanburg should be a source of great pride for our people and a reason for celebration. It’s one more example of South Carolinians sharing in the success of a company that has become an integral part of our state because of its dedication to our people.”

Production milestones at BMW Manufacturing: 

• 1 Millionth BMW – February 28, 2006 – Z4 M Roadster
  • 1.5 Millionth BMW – September 8, 2009 – BMW X6 xDrive35i
• 2 Millionth BMW – January 12, 2012 – BMW X3 xDrive35i
  • 2.5 Millionth BMW – September 17, 2013 – BMW X5 xDrive50i
• 3 Millionth BMW – March 24, 2015 – BMW X5 M
  • 3.5 Millionth BMW – May 18, 2016 – BMW X4 xDrive20i 
• 4 Millionth BMW – September 8, 2017 – BMW X3 xDrive M40i
  • 4.5 Millionth BMW – March 7, 2019 – BMW X7 xDrive40   
• 5 Millionth BMW – June 4, 2020 – BMW X5 M Competition

The South Carolina plant also celebrated two important milestones last year – 25 years of production and a record year of 411,620 vehicles built. In 2019, Plant Spartanburg led the nation in automotive exports by value for the sixth consecutive year, with a total export value of approximately $9.6 billion. Nearly 70 percent of the plant’s total production was exported from 2010 – 2019.

BMW Manufacturing is the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes. Over the years, through continuous investment which now totals more than $10.6 billion, the factory has been expanded six times to more than 7 million square feet. The plant employs more than 11,000 people who build BMW X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 models for the U.S. market and the world.       

If you have any questions, please contact:           

Corporate Communications

Sky Foster, Department Manager, Corporate Communications, BMW Manufacturing

Telephone: +1 864-802-5546, sky.foster@bmwmc.com

Steve Wilson, Media Communications Specialist, Corporate Communications, BMW Manufacturing

Telephone: +1 864-802-5346, steve.wilson@bmwmc.com

Website: www.bmwusfactory.com

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC is a subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich, Germany, and is the global producer of the BMW X3, X3 M, X5, X5 M and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles and BMW X4, X4 M, X6 and X6 M Sports Activity Coupes.  In addition to the South Carolina manufacturing facility, BMW Group North American subsidiaries include sales, marketing, and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America; a manufacturing plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico; and a design firm and technology office in California. For more information on BMW Manufacturing, visit www.bmwusfactory.com.

#      #      #

BMW Group in America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; technology offices in Silicon Valley and Chicago, and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 348 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 144 BMW motorcycle retailers, 120 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwgroupusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com. 

#      #      #