REPORT: BMW X3 U.S. launch delayed by up to 6 months for custom order effort
According to BMW of North America's president, Jim O'Donnell, the Roundel crew will delay the launch of the 2011 BMW X3 by six months to establish a new customer ordering program and iron out which engines will be available in the States.
The move will apparently make the customization of the X3 both easier for consumers and less expensive for BMW, which plans to offer models with the top ten options on dealer lots. Production of the X3 will move from Magna Steyr's facility in Austria to the automaker's Spartanburg, S.C. plant, where it will be built along side the X5 and X6.
Traditionally, the X3 would be available with the bigger and more expensive inline-six at launch, but BMW plans to make four engines available at the onset, likely a naturally aspirated inline six, turbocharged six and possibly a diesel four-cylinder and the recently introduced six-pot from the 335d.
The delay means we won't be seeing the redesigned X3 in showrooms until the middle of 2011 -- some six months after BMW's U.S-built cute 'ute goes on sale in Europe. However, BMW plans to allow customers to begin ordering their X3s in October of 2010, so expect to see the revamped crossover unveiled in production (or light "concept" guise) early next year.
[Source: Autoweek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BigDumbFace 4:47PM (11/16/2009)
In a way, this is good news.
Not sure why they couldn't just send the whichever ones are ready first... but glad they are thinking about giving us more options.
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AMcA 9:26PM (11/16/2009)
Oh, man. BMW's on its game.
Luxury vehicles need to have custom order - the luxury of choice - to distinguish them for economy cars these days. Cheap cars these days are so good that expensive ones need to offer us something extra.
And BMW's leveraging its US presence to make it possible to deliver them fast, I bet. Smart. Very smart.
Sanders 4:58PM (11/16/2009)
No loss. Like we need another high riding vehicle. I applaud Caddy in the story above this one: A sport wagon that doesn't ride on stilts.
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Ross 6:06PM (11/16/2009)
You tell 'em! It's high time BMW started making wagon variants of its best-selling sedans!
sparrk 6:39PM (11/16/2009)
BMW already has wagons for every sedan except the M3 wagon. they are making M5 wagons since a few years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1WGDi7efLw&feature=channel
Ross 10:23PM (11/16/2009)
Yes, I know -- I own one. I thought the mild attempt at sarcasm would be obvious, but apparently it wasn't. It seemed a bit odd to me that someone who likes sportwagons would applaud Cadillac and criticize BMW.
MikeW 6:06PM (11/16/2009)
How hard is it?
Use the N56 (naturally aspirated inline6 + valvetronic + direct injection)
+ ZF 8 speed auto
Let the four cylinders come, if need be, later.
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Kaveh 9:19PM (11/16/2009)
You can get the BMW 3 and 5 series sedans in All Wheel Drive, really no reason for the X3.
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