BMW Plans 50% Capacity Expansion in U.S.

BMW AG says it will invest $1 billion to increase annual production capacity at its factory in Spartanburg, S.C., to 450,000 units by 2016 from 300,000 units today.

The expansion will make the facility BMW's largest factory anywhere. It also will add 800 jobs, bringing employment at the 20-year-old complex to 8,800.

BMW confirms earlier media reports that it will begin making a new crossover, the X7, at Spartanburg. The facility currently makes the X3, X5, X5M, X6 and X6M crossovers. Today it also officially launched production of the X4 crossover.