BMW boosts production of X3

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is to increase production of its X3 sports utility vehicle by a third, to 400 units a day, due to increased demand.

BMW said it has delivered 11,000 X3s in the first quarter of 2004.

Of those, 4,500 were sold in the US, 2,500 in Germany and 1,000 in Italy.

With the introduction of the X3 in Britain in May and Japan in June, sales are expected to increase further, BMW said.