BMW Cuts at Home, Builds Up US Factories

AP ^ | March 9, 2008 | Page Ivey

[Vince Ferrer]

"This is completely driven by the plunge in the dollar"

The upside to being the newest third world country.

[ikka]

I see a lot of the X3 and X5, both built in the US, around these days.

[Terpfen]

I don’t know of many manufacturing plants in Rwanda.

[river rat]

Now, what will the Turkish Muslim workers in Germany do?
Go on the dole? With all four wives?

[endthematrix]

Move to the US, of course.

[Entrepreneur]

Since the move the South Carolina, BMW is renaming itself. No longer will BMW mean Bavarian Motor Works (Bayerische Motoren Werke). It now means Bubba Making Wheels!

I’m driving my fourth BMW. I think it’s the best production car in the world. I didn’t think anything could top the 2003 until I got a 2007. Both of these were assembled in SC, proving U.S. quality (but also German engineering).

When you factor in the cost of maintenance (bundled into a BMW) and the lower lease price due to the higher residual, BMW’s are pretty good values too.

[endthematrix]

It's one thing to build where your customer buys. The US is buying all those cars. Merc and BMW aren't gonna lose out to sleeping Detroit. This buildup was more about capturing the market than about the falling dollar as the Euro automakers have been doing this prior to free fall of the dollar.

[endthematrix]

prior to free fall planned devaluation of the dollar.

[Gene Eric]

>> The upside to being the newest third world country.

So we can now expect more companies to return to the good ol’ days of “in” sourcing.

[endthematrix]

I'm thinking of some UNIQUE European things for the US market that can be built here cheaper without sacrificing quality.

Any takers?

[Marie2]

Cuckoo clocks?

Dirndls?

Alpenhorns?

Bangers & Mash?

those cute wooden shoes?

[CarrotAndStick]

Apple Strudel?

[South40]

I'll never own another BMW.

I drive an Audi.

[buzzer]

“So we can now expect more companies to return to the good ol’ days of “in” sourcing.”

Let me teach you what i’ve learned from life:
Those who “source out” are going to be the ones that will “source in” in the future.

[buzzer]

“I’m thinking of some UNIQUE European things for the US market that can be built here cheaper without sacrificing quality.

Any takers?”

French Cheeeeseeee !

[buzzer]

Hmmm. How comes americans are buying foreign european cars from SC, but are outraged by the AF decission to buy a “american-Northrop-but-european-technology-based-Airframe-build-in-AL tanker” ?

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Agreed. The X5 and Z4 were being built in Spartanburg long before the US dollar started tanking and was all about capturing the market and reducing costs by getting the factories closer to its major market to reduce all those overseas shipping costs. The X5 and Z4’s built at that plant are not only sold in the US where the majority for those cars demand is, but exported to Europe and the rest of the world.
Saw a tv show that detailed the construction of a Z4 at the Spartanburg plant. They were building left side driver versions as well for England, etc...

I just bought my second BMW in Dec., an X3 and I couldn’t be more pleased with the ride.

Something not many people know is that many 3 series sedans are now built in South Africa.

BMW has already decided that the new X6 crossover style SUV that will start production in about a year will be built at Spartanburg, and the next generation X3 (model year 2010) will be moved from assembly in Graz, Austria to Spartanburg as well.
Good news for South Carolina’s economy and good news for manufacturing jobs there.

[dennisw]

This is a great deal for more Americans to work for our new foreign masters. German in this case

[endthematrix]

Now I got side tracked and surfed over to Ricola.com