BMW sending Z4 to Germany, adding X6 model
By ROBERT W. DALTON - Spartanburg Herald-Journal
The car born in Spartanburg is getting ready to leave home.
BMW will shift production of the next generation Z4 roadster from its Spartanburg County manufacturing plant to its facility in Regensburg, Germany. The Spartanburg plant will turn its attention entirely to building its high-volume, hot-selling sports activity vehicles.
The Spartanburg plant currently builds the X5 sports activity vehicle and is preparing to take over production of the smaller X3 from Magna Steyr's facility in Austria. It also will begin building the X6 crossover in 2008 — and if history is an indicator, a smaller X4 version won't be far behind.
To prepare for the new additions, the Spartanburg plant is expanding to take production capacity from 140,000 vehicles a year to 200,000 per year.
BMW Manufacturing Corp. spokesman Bobby Hitt declined comment. But area suppliers are already preparing for the new lineup. Ralph Schwarz, a spokesman for D.A.A. Draexlmaier Automotive, said little will change for the Duncan supplier of interior and electrical parts for BMW.
The shift is very sensible to Jim Hall, a vice president with Michigan industry analyst AutoPacific.
U.S. sales of the X5 have been torrid this year, while Z4 sales have declined.
"The U.S. is a larger market for SUVs than Europe, and they're selling more Z4s in Europe," Hall said. "You move production to where the market is."
The Spartanburg plant has built the Z4 since 2002. It also produced its predecessor, the Z3, for seven years beginning in 1995.
Made In Spartanburg
X5 sports-utility vehicle
U.S. sales through July— up 22%
19,469 in 2007 vs. 15,985 in 2006
Z4 roadster
U.S. sales through July — down 17%
5,420 in 2007 vs. 6,496 in 2006
By ROBERT W. DALTON - Spartanburg Herald-Journal
The car born in Spartanburg is getting ready to leave home.
BMW will shift production of the next generation Z4 roadster from its Spartanburg County manufacturing plant to its facility in Regensburg, Germany. The Spartanburg plant will turn its attention entirely to building its high-volume, hot-selling sports activity vehicles.
The Spartanburg plant currently builds the X5 sports activity vehicle and is preparing to take over production of the smaller X3 from Magna Steyr's facility in Austria. It also will begin building the X6 crossover in 2008 — and if history is an indicator, a smaller X4 version won't be far behind.
To prepare for the new additions, the Spartanburg plant is expanding to take production capacity from 140,000 vehicles a year to 200,000 per year.
BMW Manufacturing Corp. spokesman Bobby Hitt declined comment. But area suppliers are already preparing for the new lineup. Ralph Schwarz, a spokesman for D.A.A. Draexlmaier Automotive, said little will change for the Duncan supplier of interior and electrical parts for BMW.
The shift is very sensible to Jim Hall, a vice president with Michigan industry analyst AutoPacific.
U.S. sales of the X5 have been torrid this year, while Z4 sales have declined.
"The U.S. is a larger market for SUVs than Europe, and they're selling more Z4s in Europe," Hall said. "You move production to where the market is."
The Spartanburg plant has built the Z4 since 2002. It also produced its predecessor, the Z3, for seven years beginning in 1995.
Made In Spartanburg
X5 sports-utility vehicle
U.S. sales through July— up 22%
19,469 in 2007 vs. 15,985 in 2006
Z4 roadster
U.S. sales through July — down 17%
5,420 in 2007 vs. 6,496 in 2006
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