BMW X3 Marks the Spot With Its “Sports Activity” SUV

The pride of the American South these days is the shiny rolling stock flowing from mostly foreign car manufacturing plants. BMW planted its flag in Spartanburg South Carolina back in 1992. Today with 10,000 employees and a $1 billion expansion underway, the BMW facility in South Carolina will have the capacity of 450,000 vehicles a year, making it one of the world’s largest BMW plants, with nearly 50% more capacity than the largest BMW factory in Germany.

The BMW X series SUVs are the main product of this operation, which last year produced 364,000 vehicles, of which 70% were exported to over 140 countries around the world.

The middle child BMW X3 of Spartanburg is just right for the times. Branding gives the faddish “sports activity” crossover some ultimate driving machine panache, as does the spirited 4 cylinder 240 horsepower twin turbo. From the signature kidney shaped front grill to the interior amenities, the X3 package conveys a high-tone experience. Taut Nevada leather seating, rich wood grain accents and BMW’s info-tainment, nav and vehicle systems control delivered via a bright color 8.8 inch in-dash monitor, certainly help support the $45,000 average price.