Cable TV show to feature BMW X3 factory

The National Geographic Channel will feature the making of the BMW X3 crossover at the company's South Carolina plant as part of the Ultimate Factories series. The episode airs in November.

BMW announced a $750 million investment to expand its South Carolina operation in 2008. The factory would gain 1.5 million square feet to make way for X3 production, which began last September.

The redesigned X3 went on sale in the United States early this year and quickly became a top seller for BMW. Nearly 80,000 copies have sold around the globe so far in 2011.

A crew spent a couple weeks at the South Carolina factory this June filming content for the hour-long X3 documentary.

This marks the second time that Ultimate Factories has featured a vehicle produced at the South Carolina plant. The Z4 roadster was spotlighted in 2007, before the factory stopped production in 2008.

The plant currently manufactures the X3, X5 and X6 crossovers.

By Michelle Koueiter