The sleek lines, the flawless fit between door and frame, quarter panel and hood; they not only define the signature BMW profile, they ensure its performance, through aerodynamic efficiency, frame-welded stability and the tightest-fitting doors in the industry. It all happens at our Body Shop where a brand new BMW begins to take shape.

• The Body Shop is comprised of two separate lines: one line for X5/X6 and a separate line for X3.
• The state-of-the-art X5/X6 Body Shop contains more than 380 robots.
• We require about 450 team members to build a complete car body.
• Each car has about 7,500 spot welds and 350 stud welds.
• From start to finish, it takes about 6 hours to build a complete car body.
• One car body contains approximately 80 meters (260 feet) of sealer, 2 meters (6.5 feet) of MIG Welds, and 80 rivets.
• One car body is made up of 400 individual parts.
• On the X3 line, the hang-on parts area where doors, hood and tailgate are attached is completely automated. This is the first fully automated hang-on fit line in the BMW Group Production Network.

BMW Manufacturing’s state-of-the-art paint shop covers about 700,000 square feet. Inside this sterile environment, robots, electrostatic adhesion, and the sensitivity of the human hand combine to create a tough yet flawless finish that protects as well as impresses. In addition to receiving two protective corrosion coats, sealant, primer, basecoat, and clear coat, every BMW also receives supplemental bead seams of seal for sound deadening, and cavity wax that adds further rust protection.

In all, there are over one dozen stages in painting your BMW, and a computerized tracking system monitors every car through each stage. The result is a classic finish that is consistent, durable, and tough. Equally impressive is the unique way the entire process is powered.

• Our paint shop is the first “green” paint shop in the world. We use methane gas from a nearby landfill to power the Paint Shop ovens and most of the energy used in the Paint Shop.
• There are about 6 miles of conveyors inside the Paint Shop.
• The Paint Shop produces a finished vehicle every 78 seconds or 46 units each hour.
• More than 4,000 gallons of paint travels through about 13 miles of stainless steel pipe.
• It takes about 12 hours to complete the painting process, and the vehicle travels about four miles.
• The Paint Shop contains 90 robots.
• The Paint Shop applies five coats: Phosphate, E-Coat, Base Coat 1, Base Coat 2, and Clear Coat.
• The Phosphate Coat provides corrosion protection for the car body and adhesion for the E-Coat.
• The E-Coat is where the paint is electro-depositioned onto the car body for corrosion protection.
• Underbody Sealer is where PVC is sprayed onto the critical seams of the car to ensure a quiet, water-tight underbody.
• After all coats are applied, the total paint thickness is 120 microns or about the thickness of 5 human hairs.
• About ¾ gallon of paint is used for the base coats (excluding clear coat).

To this point in the process, BMW team members have worked meticulously to prepare the canvas. Now begins the work of our finish team to fill the vehicle with a unique combination of components, options, and luxuries that will make this BMW as distinctive as its owner. This is Assembly, where it all comes together.

The body – formed, painted, and protected – waits in the stacker, arranged in order. Sequenced parts such as instrument panel, front end, and powertrain are at the ready in other areas of the plant. What follows is a careful and intricate performance involving the flow of parts and precisely-timed processes. From this point on, every vehicle has a name.

• All computers and controls in Assembly are linked together by nearly 16,000 miles of communications cables.
• Ergonomics are very important in the Tilt area. Carriers position the car so associates can install parts on the underbody.
• Doors are removed from the car body and travel via an overhead conveyor to a separate door assembly line.
• On the door line, the glass, water seals, mirrors, airbags, speakers and other trim pieces are installed.
• The doors then travel on an overhead conveyor back to the main line and are reunited with the same car body.
• The Wiring Harness is the “nervous system” of the car’s electronics.
• The contents of the Wiring Harness bag are heated to about 100 degrees, which makes the thick wiring harness pieces more flexible and easier to install.
• The Wiring Harness is routed throughout the cabin, trunk, and engine area and fastened to the car body with clips and wire ties.
• A transponder is on every hood. This device helps track the car throughout the Assembly process.
• The paper taped to the car is the Build Sheet. Digit codes tell associates which part goes on the car.
• About 8,000 parts are installed on every BMW X5 and X6.
• Powertrain is a separate assembly area. The engine, transmission, front/rear axles, and other parts are assembled here.
• We get our six and eight cylinder gas and diesel engines for the X5 and X6 from Steyr, Austria. Our Motorsport engines for the X5 M and X6 M come from Munich.
• A floor transport system is used to move the powertrain to the “Marriage” area.
• Engine Marriage is where every car becomes a BMW. The entire powertrain is raised as the car body is lowered.
• Robots tighten ten primary bolts that hold the engine and powertrain in place.
• Fluid Fill: Most all fluids (radiator, brake, power steering, coolant, gas) are added here.
• We use a special gas that has additional cleaning agents and lubricants to help with the first car start-up.
• Roll Booth: The car is driven on rollers at speeds up to 85 mph, giving the engine and transmission its first good test.
• At Final Inspection, associates closely inspect the interior and exterior. Then the car is driven off the line.
• BMW Manufacturing exports about 70% of its cars to more than 130 markets throughout the world. Charleston, SC, is our primary port.

BMW MANUFACTURING

BUILDING A BETTER BMW:

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CENTER

ANALYSIS CENTER

TESTING FACILITY

PROCESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

SUPPLIER NETWORK

PRODUCTION OVERVIEW:

STATS & INFO | PRODUCTION FIGURES | VEHICLE PRODUCTION PROCESS

OUR PLANT: 

ENERGY CENTER | BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER | MEDICAL FACILITIES | POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT

BMW FACTORY PRODUCTS :

X3 SPORTS ACTIVITY VEHICLES

X5M

X6 M

X5 xDrive35d

X5 SPORT ACTIVITY VEHICLE

ACTIVEHYBRID X6

 X6 SPORTS ACTIVITY COUPE