German automobile manufacturer BMW first introduced its vehicles to the American market in 1956. It wasn’t until 1994 that BMW decided to open a manufacturing plant here in the States. Until 1975, you couldn’t find a BMW dealership in the U.S., but as of 2016, BMW ranks twelfth in terms of brands sold in the U.S. Whether manufactured in the U.S. or elsewhere, PKW Motorwerks will service and repair your BMW, but the following makes and models are manufactured in the United States.
BMW Models Manufactured in the U.S.
To get right to the point, BMW X3, X3M, X4, X4M, X5, X5M, X6, X6M, and X7 – which are all crossover models – are produced in the United States. This is to meet the demand for one of the most popular vehicle types sold here. All of these models are manufactured at the only BMW manufacturing plant in the U.S., the BMW Zentrum Manufacturing Plant located in Greer, South Carolina. Many people also refer to this plant as the Spartanburg Plant because Greer is located in the Greater Spartanburg Area.
The plant is run by BMW US Manufacturing Company. Other BMW North American companies include design, financial services, marketing, and sales, and these companies encompass not only the United States but also Canada, Mexico, and Latin America. It’s important to note that if you want a BMW manufactured in the U.S., you must purchase one of the above-mentioned crossover models but be careful of the X3, as this vehicle is also produced in South Africa at BMW’s Rosslyn Plant.
Spartanburg Plant History
BMW decided to build a 1,150-acre manufacturing plant in the United States in 1992 and it awarded the location to Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The construction last two years and BMW officially opened the plant in 1994. Due to consumer demand, BMW expanded the plant in 2010, spending $750 million so it could accommodate the vehicle manufacturer’s largest single market: The U.S. Currently, the plant produces 1,900 vehicles a day to ship to BMW dealerships throughout the country.
In 2014, BMW invested another $1 billion in its Spartanburg facilities to turn it into the largest BMW factory. In 2016, BMW Zentrum Manufacturing Plant produced 411,171 BMWs and exported 70 percent of them to 140 countries throughout the world. BMW has invested significantly in the American labor force, and the Greer, South Carolina plant employs 11,000 people. If you have a chance, take a trip to Greer, South Carolina, and take a tour of this massive plant. It’s impressive.
PKW Motorwerks Plainfield, IL, specializes in BMW service and repair. We also work on other European makes and models. Call us at 630-381-8834.