BMW Manufacturing Celebrates Award-Winning Vehicles As It Continues To Build A Sustainable Future
· BMW X6, X7 Earn Top Honors in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study.
· BMW X4, X6 Win in J.D. Power APEAL Study.
· Plant Woodruff Equipment Installed, Prototype Battery Modules Begin Soon.
· By 2026, Plant Spartanburg Will Assemble Three Different Drivetrains.
· BMW’s Presence in America Has Significant Economic Impact.
Spartanburg, S.C. – Three models assembled at BMW Manufacturing recently earned awards in the prestigious J. D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS)SM and J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) StudySM.
The BMW X6 (Upper Midsize Premium SUV) and BMW X7 (Large Premium SUV) ranked highest in their segments in the J.D. Power U.S. IQS announced in June. Meanwhile, the BMW X4 (Compact Premium SUV) and BMW X6 (Upper Midsize Premium SUV) took top honors in their segments in the J.D. Power U.S. APEAL Study announced on Thursday. In fact, the BMW X6 was the highest-ranking individual model in the J.D. Power U.S. APEAL Study. This is also the third consecutive year that the BMW X4 won its segment.
“Assembling premium quality BMWs for our customers is our highest priority, and these awards reflect the valuable contributions of our associates, suppliers, and contractors,” said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing.
“After more than 30 years of success, we continue to invest in the United States as we prepare for the assembly of our first fully electric Sports Activity Vehicle.”
The BMW Group announced in late 2022 that it would invest an additional $1.7 billion in its U.S. operations, including $1 billion to prepare the Spartanburg plant to assemble fully electric vehicles and $700 million to build a new high-voltage battery assembly plant in Woodruff. Plant Woodruff construction is complete, and all equipment has been installed. Associates are now preparing the first pre-series battery modules at the plant. In late 2026, Plant Woodruff will start assembly of the sixth-generation battery modules to supply fully electric vehicles at Plant Spartanburg. By 2030, at least six fully electric models will be assembled in the United States.
“Plant Spartanburg will soon contribute to BMW’s technology openness strategy by assembling three different drivetrains at our site: fully electric, plug-in hybrid, and highly efficient internal combustion engines,” said Dr. Engelhorn. “This approach allows customers in different regions to choose the mobility solution that is best for their individual needs.”
Impact of BMW Manufacturing in the United States
For more than three decades, BMW Manufacturing has been a high-performance economic engine for South Carolina and the United States. The plant is the largest single BMW production facility in the world with more than 11,000 associates assembling six top-selling BMW X models and their variants. Last year, nearly 400,000 vehicles were assembled in the U.S.
Since 2014, the South Carolina plant has exported more than 2.7 million BMWs – about 63 percent of total production – with an export value of more than $104 billion, which has made BMW Manufacturing the leading automotive exporter by value from the United States over the past decade. Last year alone, the plant exported nearly 225,000 BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes with an export value of more than $10 billion.
The Spartanburg plant contributes billions to the local economy through job creation, investment, and production. The annual economic impact of Plant Spartanburg totals about $26.7 billion, according to a study released in 2023 by the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. The study also shows that Plant Spartanburg supports, both directly and indirectly, nearly 43,000 jobs across the state along with $3.1 billion in wages and salaries. The plant’s direct employment base also accounts for 4.8 percent of all manufacturing jobs across South Carolina.
The presence of BMW Manufacturing has also attracted a network of suppliers and related industries, further enhancing economic growth. Additionally, the facility's operations contribute to tax revenues that benefit local and state governments, supporting infrastructure and community services. Overall, BMW Manufacturing plays a crucial role in driving economic development in South Carolina.
According to the study, nearly half of Plant Spartanburg’s annual economic impact comes from the operations of its in-state supplier base. BMW regularly uses more than 500 South Carolina suppliers, 90 percent of which are in the Upstate. Having such a large in-state supplier base means BMW has a uniquely high employment multiplier of 3.5. That means for every 10 jobs created at Plant Spartanburg, another 25 are created elsewhere in the state, for a total of 35 jobs.
"Since establishing our presence in South Carolina more than 30 years ago, BMW has generated thousands of sustainable jobs, invested in our workforce through training, and supported educational, cultural, and civic initiatives throughout the state," stated Dr. Engelhorn. "Our achievements are a result of the commitment of our associates, the support of our supplier network, and the collaboration with state and local officials.”
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Since 1992, the BMW Group has invested more than $14.8 billion in its South Carolina operations. Plant Spartanburg assembles more than 1,500 vehicles each day and up to 450,000 annually. The plant plays a critical role in meeting the high demand for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes in the U.S. and around the world. Each year, around half of the BMW vehicles sold in the U.S. come from Plant Spartanburg. The model portfolio includes six top-selling BMW X models, four Motorsport X models, and two plug-in hybrid electric vehicle X models.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Nathalie Bauters, Head of Plant Communications, North America
Telephone: 864-794-0842 | Email: Nathalie.Bauters@bmwgroup.com
Steve Wilson, Media Communications Specialist, BMW Manufacturing
Telephone: 864-451-3571 | Email: steve.wilson@bmwmc.com
BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC
BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC is a subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich, Germany, and assembles the BMW X3, X5, X5 M, X7, and XM Sports Activity Vehicles and the 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 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 the United States.
BMW of North America, LLC was established 50 years ago to support the sales, marketing, and distribution of BMW automobiles in the U.S. BMW Motorrad was brought into the fold in 1980. In 1993 BMW Group Financial Services NA, LLC was founded, and one year later BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC began assembling vehicles in South Carolina. In 2002 and 2003, BMW Group established MINI USA, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC relaunching two iconic brands and rounding out its product portfolio.
Today, the BMW Group has a nationwide corporate footprint in the U.S. which consists of nearly 30 locations in 12 different states. Beyond the National Sales Company and Financial Services headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, its manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and numerous other operational facilities, BMW Group in the U.S. also includes Designworks, a strategic design consultancy in Santa Monica, CA, BMW Group Technology Office USA, a technology research and development center in Silicon Valley, and BMW i Ventures, a venture capital fund, also in Silicon Valley.
BMW Group Plant Spartanburg is the largest single BMW production facility in the world, and the global center of competence for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles including the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The plant assembles more than 1,500 vehicles each day and up to 450,000 annually. Since 1994, Plant Spartanburg has assembled more than 7 million BMW vehicles in the U.S.
The BMW Group sales organization in the U.S. is represented through a network of 350 BMW retailers, 144 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. The company’s activities provide and support over 120,000 jobs across the U.S. and contribute more than 43.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually.
Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwusanews.com, www.miniusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com.