On September 8, 1994, the first car rolled off the line at BMW Manufacturing, and the North American BMW world began spinning on an unlikely new axis in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
While BMW of North America was busy fending off its new premium-class rivals Lexus and Infiniti, the company found itself challenged by yet another new rival: Ford, whose Explorer had become an immediate sensation following its 1991 introduction.
In the mid-1990s, Harley-Davidson’s laid-back V-twins were among the most popular motorcycles in America, inspiring countless imitators from Japanese and Italian manufacturers.
BMW has been building motorcycles for police and the military since the early 1930s, and its bikes are widely used by police departments from Europe to the Far East.
In the 1930s, the sporty and sophisticated 328 made BMW synonymous with roadsters.
In 1975, Ammirati & Puris proclaimed BMW “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” setting off one of the greatest ad campaigns of all time.
It’s always nice to be first, but being second can be just fine, too—especially when it yields a high-visibility sponsorship of the Olympics.
The American automobile market loves high performance, and it also loves low prices.
In South Carolina, history can be divided into two epochs: Before BMW, and After BMW.
To succeed, a business needs access to capital. It needs to purchase raw materials, invest in production facilities, and pay those who design, build, and sell its products.
It may be situated on the far edge of the country, but California has long been the center of the U.S. where car culture is concerned.
Every manufacturer wants its cars to be popular, but popularity brings risks.