BMW’s South Carolina Factory May Get Fourth Model, Possibly 3-Series

BMW is considering adding a fourth model to its Spartanburg, South Carolina factory in order to further compete with U.S. luxury market leaders Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.

The Bavarian firm's chief, Frank-Peter Arndt believes an additional "volume model" could be added to Spartanburg's production line. The introduction of a fourth model would help reduce BMW's exposure to foreign currency, which presently tops US$14 billion. IHS Automotive analyst Rebecca Lindland believes the 3-Series is the most likely candidate for production at Spartanburg: "The 3-Series is a no-brainer." she said.

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BMW Drives New 2011 X3's Prices Down, Starts from $37,625

BMW has announced U.S. pricing for its all-new, second-generation X3 before the crossover model arrives in dealerships at the end of the year. Customers can choose from two variants, the X3 xDrive28i that comes with a 3.0-liter inline-six engine producing 240HP and a base price of $37,625, or the X3 xDrive35i with a 300HP turbocharged-six priced at $41,925. Both prices include $875 destination and handling fee.

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BMW's Paris Show Highlights Include EfficientDynamics X3, New Engines and AWD for 5-Series

BMW has released details of what it will be presenting at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Alongside the world premiere of the Concept 6 Series Coupé, 2011 X3 SUV and 5-series Touring are new engines, AWD and phone tech for the 5-series and an Efficient Dynamics version of the X3.

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BMW Releases Details on M Sport Package for 2011 X3 SUV

The all-new, second iteration of the X3 SUV was only just introduced the other day, but BMW has already released photos and details of the available M Sports Package.

For an unspecified amount, BMW will spice up the exterior looks of the new X3 with a body-colored kit that includes a new front bumper with larger air-intakes, side skirts and a new rear bumper with a matte black diffuser. In addition, the window surrounds and roof rails are finished a high-gloss black color while the SUV rides on 19-inch M alloy wheels.

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VIDEO: 2011 BMW X3 SUV in Motion - Plus Styling Poll

We got our first official look at the all-new 2011 BMW X3 on Wednesday, but now we can also show it to you in motion as the Bavarian automaker has just released some B-roll footage of the compact crossover as well as a video with Anders Warming, head of exterior design, talking about the vehicle's styling.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we'd really like to hear what you have to say about the aesthetics of the new BMW X3. Aside from sharing your thought in the comments section, you can also vote in the poll after the jump.

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New BMW X3 Officially Revealed: Mega Gallery with Over 200 High Res Photos

Six years after the introduction of the first X3, BMW has lifted the wraps off the all-new second generation model that grows in dimensions and gains new engines. The new X3 will go on sale by the end of 2010, following its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in late September. It will be built at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina.

Although familiar in shape, the exterior design of the new BMW X3 is less complicated and more 'clean' than the outgoing model incorporating styling elements from the X1 and X5 as well as from the latest 5-Series including the more prominent double kidney grille and concave surfaces on the hood.

The interior has been redesigned from the ground up and now features a classic four-dial instrument layout along with a more driver orientated center console housing a large 8.8-inch high-resolution screen.

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2011 BMW X3 Unwrapped - More Photos and Details to Come

The first picture of the second-generation BMW X3 without the annoying swirly camouflage of the prototype models (see here) has hit the interwebs. Set to go on sale in Europe after its debut at the Paris Motor Show in late September, the 2011 X3 is built around the next 3-Series architecture and will be offered with a range of four- and six-cylinder engines spanning from 2.0-litre four-pot petrol and diesel units to a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol.

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New 2011 BMW X3 SUV: Mega Gallery with 210 Photos

BMW is giving us a sneak peak of its forthcoming 2011 X3 through a huge gallery of photos of the pre-production model. To keep the interest in the new X3 going, the Bavarian automaker retained some camouflage on the body and the dashboard. However, there are plenty of shots of the new X3 alongside the first generation of the model allowing us to visually compare the two vehicles.

Despite the camouflage, it is evident that the 2011 X3 adopts the less complicated and controversial styling language of the post-Bangle era BMWs such as the new 5-Series along with a more prominent double-kidney grille.

From the photos it also appears that the new X3 has grown in dimensions compared to the current model, thus allowing it to be better positioned between the X1 and X5 crossovers.

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2011 BMW X3 SUV Teased on Official Site

BMW has released the very first teaser shots of its next X3 SUV on its official website(s). Even though the 2011 X3 is due to make its public debut at this year's edition of the Paris Motor Show in early October, it is certain that BMW will publish a full set of photos and initial details of its new SUV model much earlier.

These pictures show the 2011 X3's more sculpted bonnet which is similar in styling to the the facelifted 3-Series and new 5-Series, as well as a sneak peak of the tail lights and the SUV's profile.

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Scoop Video: Up, Close and Personal with the 2011 BMW X3

For obvious reasons, unlike New York, a parked BMW dressed in swirly camouflage doesn't cause a bomb scare in Munich (click here to read about the NYC incident). So, instead of notifying the authorities, this Youtube user took out his camera and shot a two-and-a-half minute long video that walks us around the new 2011 BMW X3 crossover.

The video after the jump gives us a pretty good look of the Bavarian automaker's new crossover that appears to be more stylish as well as a bit bigger than the current X3.

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Camouflaged BMW X3 Prototype Sparks Bomb Scare at NY Museum

There's no such thing as bad publicity, as BMW intends to prove. After a variety of recent bomb scares, man-made catastrophes, and natural disasters worldwide, a cleverly oblivious test driver left an X3 prototype parked and running in front of the American Museum of Natural History...so he could go for a walk in the park, according to the New York Daily News.

The end result is just what one would expect: the bomb squad showing up Hurt Locker-style, busting in through the rear window, and making sure the swirly-wrapped SUV (sorry, SAV) was no longer a threat. Oh, and now everyone's talking about BMW. Word of mouth is the best marketing, after all.

Driver Martin Birkmann explained, "It's a misunderstanding...I was test-driving it." Clearly you were NOT, sir; bomb squads don't show up to defuse cars when people are driving them...nor are tickets for idling issued.

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Thanks a lot, X6: BMW is Contemplating a Smaller X4 Crossover

Could a smaller Sport Activity Coupe (SAC) be coming from BMW? According to Autocar, the answer is "yes". Fans of the X6 should be pleased. Everyone else? Sorry.

Said to be called the X4, it would be to the X3 what the X6 is to the X5: a four-door, four seat coupe-ish thing based more around style than functionality.

Considering that the X4 would share the X3's platform, expect similar power trains to the X3. That means the most recent versions of BMW's inline-sixes: naturally aspirated, turbo'd, and (hopefully) diesel.

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Bavarian Cops Testing BMW X3 Police Car

The Bavarian State Police has begun testing a prototype version of the BMW X3 fitted with all the necessary equipment to patrol the German highways. The all-wheel drive X3 police car is powered by a 218HP turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine and comes equipped with more LED lights than a Las Vegas Christmas tree show. You can check out the rest of the pictures right after the jump.

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VIDEO: All-New 2011 BMW X3 Spied with Less Camoluflage

With the European market launch of the new X1 small SUV, BMW is now rushing the second-generation of its larger X3 SUV towards production.

Spied here testing on the streets of Germany, the video reveals that the new X3 gets a more sloping front hood and larger front air intakes, while the crossover's profile is cleaner and resembles the crossover's smaller brethren.

It also appears that the new X3's dimensions have grown a bit allowing some breathing distance between itself and the X1.

Based on the next 3-Series platform architecture, the new X3 will come with all-wheel drive, though it is possible that the Bavarian automaker may also offer rear-wheel drive only variants of the compact SUV.

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2011 BMW X3 SUV Scooped: Grows in Size, Could get a Hybrid Version

After the presentation of the all-new X1 SUV, BMW's engineers are now busy preparing the second-generation X3 which is due to arrive in international markets in 2011. Based on the next 3-Series platform architecture, the new X3 bears the codename F25 and will come with all-wheel drive or as BMW calls it, xDrive. It is possible though that just like the smaller X1, the Bavarian automaker may also offer rear-wheel drive only variants of its compact SUV.

The introduction of the X1 in BMW's SUV range should result in an increase of the X3's exterior dimensions in order to further differentiate the two models. As it stands now, the Bavarian SUVs are similar in size, with the X1 being just 4.5 inches (114 mm) shorter, 2.2 inches (55 mm) narrower and 5.1 inches (130 mm) lower than the current X3.

While the prototype model's funky disguise does not reveal much about the design, it is expected that the new X3 will do away with the current model's flame-surface styling adopting many design cues from BMW's latest vehicles such as the 7-Series as well as the Concept CS. As for the interior, buyers should look forward to higher quality materials and a more contemporary design for the dashboard.

There'll be a wide engine range to choose from, with gasolines ranging from the 170HP 2.0-litre four-banger to a range-topping 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six while the diesel line-up will include numerous four- and six-cylinder engines.

It has also been reported that the next-generation X3 will gain a hybrid variant featuring a gasoline engine and a high-performance electric motor that will allow the vehicle to to be driven on electric power only, on the combustion engine alone, or with a combination of both power units.

Whereas the current X3 is built under contract by Magna Steyr in Austria, the new compact SUV will be manufactured at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina alongside the X5 and X6 models.