MUNICH, GERMANY - BMW, the world’s largest premium carmaker, is investing $270 million to expand its U.S. operations. BMW sold 336,000 vehicles last year in the United States — an increase of 7.1 percent and accounting for roughly 22 percent of total group sales.

“These investments show that we are convinced of the continued long-term growth of the U.S. market despite the difficult economic conditions currently,” BMW sales chief Ian Robertson said in a statement, according to www.reuters.com.

In order to better cope with the growing volumes and the resulting need for more spare parts, BMW will invest by the end of this year $170 million in two new parts distribution centers in Pennsylvania and Illinois. Once built the carmaker will have six centers in the United States.

It is also spending $100 million to expand its U.S. headquarters in
Woodcliff Lake, N.J., where roughly 1,000 people will be employed in total.

BMW also said it is investing $750 million to expand production capacity in its U.S. plant in Spartanburg, S.C., where it will eventually assemble its X3, X5, and X6 range of SUVs. By 2012, the plant will be able to build 240,000 units as opposed to the current 160,000.