Spartanburg, S.C. Series production for the all-new BMW X7 Sports Activity Vehicle has started at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg. The BMW X7 will be built alongside the BMW X5 and X6 on the same assembly line.

“We are excited to officially add the first-ever BMW X7 to our plant’s portfolio,” said Knudt Flor, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “This is a completely new segment for BMW, and as the center of competence for X models, Plant Spartanburg is well prepared to build the BMW X7 with the highest premium quality that our customers deserve.”

The BMW X7 made its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 28. The flagship X model blends lavish presence, exclusivity and spaciousness with the versatile and agile driving characteristics customers would expect from a Sports Activity Vehicle. The latest and largest model in the BMW X line-up uses its outstanding powertrain and chassis technology, plus generous levels of space in each of its three rows of seats, a luxurious ambience and advanced equipment features to deliver an unparalleled driving and interior experience. The BMW X7 represents the next stage in BMW’s ongoing model offensive in the luxury segment.

The groundwork for production of the BMW X7 began in March 2014 with the announcement of a $1 billion investment in the plant site. Since then, a new 1.2 million square foot body shop has been constructed for all X models, complete with 2,000 new robots; the X5/X6 assembly hall has been expanded with new conveyors, tooling and process equipment; new specialized robots have been added to the paint shop; and nearly 2,000 jobs have been added. The result is a plant capacity of 450,000 units per year.

The investment and expansion was required due to the planned launch of four new X models in 2017 and 2018. Last year saw the launch of the third-generation BMW X3, currently the best-selling BMW in the United States. Three new BMW X models have launched this year: the second-generation BMW X4 in April, the fourth-generation BMW X5 in August and the all-new BMW X7 this month.

“The production launch of the BMW X7 marks the climax of a remarkable production year for Plant Spartanburg,” Knudt Flor said. “And there’s still more to come, including production of the new BMW X3 M and X4 M next year as well as the BMW X3 and X5 plug-in hybrids.”

BMW Manufacturing produces more than 1,400 vehicles each day with 70 percent exported to about 140 global markets. The BMW Group is currently investing $600 million in the Spartanburg plant from 2018 through 2021 to support manufacturing infrastructure for current and future X models.