Coming to America, BMW X3

The German luxury automaker is leaving Austria and moving the BMW X3 to its production plant over in South Carolina in the next few years to join its larger brother, the X5.

BMW is making to move to help boost the automaker's U.S. plant by producing around 200,000 vehicles per year. The South Carolina plant already produces some 140,000 to 150,000 vehicles a year and employs some 4,500 workers. BMW hasn't commented whether or not if it will be bringing more jobs to the market with such a larger number of vehicles projected to come from the plant.
 
With the newly redesigned X5 making its American debut at the 2006 Los Angeles International Auto Show, BMW is expecting the production will nearly double. This will cause the production of its sports coupe, the Z4, to decrease.

What's new for the 2007 X3

• 260-hp 3.0-liter inline-6 engine, 260 hp @ 6,600 rpm; 225 ft-lb. @ 2,750 rpm
• New 6-speed STEPTRONIC automatic with Normal, Sport & Manual shift modes
• New front-end styling including revised kidney grille with titanium silver vertical slats, new headlight design, relocated DOT indicator lights. 
• Revised rear-end styling now includes chrome exhaust pipes, redesigned rear bumper and new taillight design
• Enhanced Dynamic Stability Control now includes Brake Fade Compensation, Brake Standby, Brake Drying and Start-off Assistant