BMW X4 to built in US plant

Frank-Peter Arndt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production, has confirmed that a new BMW X4 will be built at Plant Spartanburg, South Carolina, US. The announcement came as Arndt revealed a further US$900 (Bt27 billion) will be invested in the facility between now and 2014.

"This is in response to rising global demand for our BMW X models and the expansion of the BMW X family to include the BMW X4." he said. "This will create 300 new jobs by the end of this year. This will allow us to produce 350,000 units in Spartanburg in the mid-term,"

This is the first indication a BMW X4 will be offered following the global success of the BMW X6, but the car is still three years away from introduction.

Production at Plant Spartanburg first started in 1994 and news of the latest planned investment will mean BMW AG's total commitment to the area now nearly tops US$6 billion. The plant has already undergone four expansions and produced six different BMW models (318i, Z3, Z4, X5, X6, X3) and their variants over the years.

This week also saw the two-millionth vehicle roll off the production line. The historic BMW X3 xDrive35i M Sport in Vermillion Red with Oyster Nevada leather interior will be retained by the plant and displayed in the museum. In 2011, the plant produced 276,065 vehicles for more than 130 markets around the world, representing an increase of 73 per cent over the previous year. The BMW X3 also played a major role in this positive development. Global sales of this highly-successful model rose 156 per cent in 2011 to reach a total of 117,944 vehicles.