BMW have proved just how competitive they are in the market by rolling off the one-millionth BMW X5 this month, and after just eleven years in production. That’s just under 100,000 units per year.

By comparison, the most produced car ever to be sold, the VW Beetle, averaged 320,000 units per year. Not bad considering the VW Beetle was in production for 65 years, and that it was a car with considerably less competition and available at a cheap price.

The Spartanburg assembly line in South Carolina hits the milestone just as Australia launches three updated model versions; the X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive40d and X5 xDrive50i. In Australia, the BMW X5 remains the top-selling luxury SAV having outsold its competitors for the last seven consecutive years.

The development of the BMW Spartanburg plant is also closely linked with the success story of the BMW X5. The location, which has existed for 15 years now, has become the most crucial centre of expertise for BMW X models within the BMW Group’s global production network. Built in Spartanburg, the BMW X5 is now exported to more than 120 countries, with the BMW X6 also being produced there for export to the entire global market. Before the end of this year, production of the latest BMW X3 generation will commence at this location.